Her eyes felt gravelly, from staring unblinking at nothing for too long. She felt like she hadn't slept in days. And she certainly wouldn't sleep until she'd taken charge of the situation, until she'd put a stop to the relationship developing between Gerrard and Vane. True, all she'd seen and heard between them thus far had been innocent enough-but no one-no one-could call Vane innocent.

He wasn't innocent-but Gerrard was.

Which was precisely her point.

At least, she thought it was. Patience winced as pain shafted from one temple to the other.

The door opened; Patience sat up. She scanned the gentlemen as they wandered in-Vane was the last. He strolled in, which was of itself enough to assure her that her tortuous reasoning was right. All that prowling, arrogant masculinity set her teeth on edge.

"Mr. Cynster!" Without a blush, Angela beckoned. Patience could have kissed her.

Vane heard Angela and saw her wave; his gaze flicked to Patience, then, with a smile she unhesitatingly classed as untrustworthy, he prowled in their direction.

As a group, the three of them-Mrs. Chadwick, Angela, and Patience-rose to greet him, none wishing to risk a crick in the neck.

"I wanted to ask particularly," Angela said, before anyone else could essay a word, "whether it's true that cerise is currently the most fashionable color for trimming for young ladies."

"It's certainly much favored," Vane replied.

"But not on pale yellow," Patience said.

Vane looked at her. "I devoutly hope not."

"Indeed." Patience took his arm. "If you'll excuse us, Angela, ma'am"-she nodded to Mrs. Chadwick-"I have something I really must ask Mr. Cynster." So saying, she steered Vane toward the far end of the room-and thanked the deity he consented to move.

She felt his gaze, slightly surprised, distinctly amused, on her face. "My dear Miss Debbington." Beneath her hand, his arm twisted-and then he was steering her. "You need only say the word."

Patience flashed him a narrow-eyed glance. The purring tones in his voice sent shivers down her spine-delicious shivers. "I'm very glad to hear you say that, for that's precisely what I intend to do."

His brows rose. He searched her face, then raised a hand and gently rubbed one fingertip between her brows.

Patience stilled, shocked, then drew her head back. "Don't do that!" A warm glow suffused the area he'd touched.

"You were frowning-you look like you have a headache."

Patience frowned harder. They'd reached the end of the room; halting, she swung to face him. And plunged into the attack. "I take it you're not leaving tomorrow?"

He looked down at her. After a moment, he replied, "I can't see myself departing in the foreseeable future. Can you?"

She had to be sure. Patience met his gaze directly. "Why are you staying?"

Vane studied her face, her eyes-and wondered what was bothering her. The feminine tension gripping her rippled about him; he translated it as "bee in her bonnet," but, from long association with strong-willed women, his mother and aunts, let alone Devil's new duchess, Honoria, he had learned the wisdom of caution. Uncertain of her tack, he temporized. "Why do you imagine?" He raised one brow. "What, after all, could possibly exercise sufficient interest to hold a gentleman like me, here?"

He knew the answer, of course. Last night, he'd seen how the land lay. There were situations where justice, blindfolded as she was, could easily be misled-the situation here was one such. The undercurrents were considerable, running unexpectedly, inexplicably, deep.

He was staying to help Minnie, to defend Gerrard-and to aid Patience, preferably without letting on he was aiding her. Pride was something he understood; he was sensitive to hers. Unlike the other gentlemen, he saw no reason to suggest that she'd failed in any way with Gerrard. As far as he could tell, she hadn't. So it could be said he was acting as her protector, too. The role felt very right.

He'd capped his question with a charming smile; to his surprise, it made Patience stiffen.

She drew herself up, clasped her hands before her, and fixed him with a censorious look. "In that case, I'm afraid I must insist that you refrain from encouraging Gerrard."

Inwardly, Vane stilled. He looked down, into her disapproving eyes. "What, exactly, do you mean by that?" Her chin rose. "You know very well what I mean."

"Spell it out for me."

Her eyes, like clear agates, searched his, then her lips compressed. "I would rather you spent as little time as possible with Gerrard. You're only showing an interest in him to win points with me."

Vane arched one brow. "You take a lot to yourself, my dear.",

Patience held his gaze. "Can you deny it?"

Vane felt his face set, his jaw lock. He couldn't refute her accusation; it was in large part true. "What I don't understand," he murmured, his eyes narrowing on hers, "is why my interaction with your brother should occasion the slightest concern. I would have thought you would be glad to have someone extend his horizons."

"I would be," Patience snapped. Her head was pounding. "But you're the very last person I would want to guide him."

"Why the devil not?"

The steel sliding beneath Vane's deep voice was a warning. Patience heard it. She was heading for thin ice, but, having come thus far, she was determined not to retreat. She set her teeth. "I don't want you guiding Gerrard, filling his head with ideas, because of the sort of gentleman you are."

"And what sort of gentleman am I-in your eyes?"

Rather than rising, his tone was becoming softer, more lethal. Patience quelled a shiver, and returned his edged glance with one equally sharp. "In this instance, your reputation is the opposite of a recommendation."

"How would you know of my reputation? You've been buried in Derbyshire all your life."

"It precedes you," Patience retorted, stung by his patronizing tone. "You only need walk into a room, and it rolls out like a red carpet before you."

Her sweeping gesture elicited a grunt. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Patience lost her temper. "What I'm talking about is your propensities with respect to wine, women, and wagering. And, believe me, they're obvious to the meanest intelligence! You may as well have a banner carried before you." With her hands, she sketched one in the air. "Gentleman rake!"

Vane shifted; he was suddenly closer. "I believe I warned you I was no gentleman."

Looking into his face, Patience swallowed, and wondered how she could possibly have forgotten. There was nothing remotely gentlemanly in the presence before her-his face was hard, his eyes pure steel. Even his austerely elegant attire now seemed more like armor. And his voice no longer purred. At all. Clenching her fists, she drew a tight breath. "I don't want Gerrard turning out like you. I don't want you to-" Despite her best efforts, innate caution took hold-it froze her tongue.

Almost shaking with the effort of restraining his temper, Vane heard himself suggest, his tone sibilantly smooth, "Corrupt him?"

Patience stiffened. She lifted her chin, her lids veiling her eyes. "I didn't say that."

"Don't fence with me, Miss Debbington, or you're liable to get pinked." Vane spoke slowly, softly, only just managing to get the words past his teeth. "Let's be sure I have this correctly. You believe I've stayed at Bellamy Hall purely to dally with you, that I've befriended your brother for no other reason than to further my cause with you, and that my character is such that you consider me unsuitable company for a minor. Have I forgotten anything?"

Poker-straight, Patience met his eyes. "I don't think so."

Vane felt his control quake, felt his reins slither from his grasp. He clenched his jaw, and both fists. Every muscle in his body locked, every mental sinew strained with the effort of holding on to his temper.