Simon considered briefly and shrugged. "Peppington or Canonbury, no doubt. I am certain either one could have persuaded their ladies to be cooperative."

"Two more old enemies." Araminta stared at him. "Good lord, Simon. I begin to perceive what is happening here. I have heard rumors about your present connection with Peppington and Canonbury. They are both dangling on your strings, I am told. There are rumors that each is facing financial disaster. What is the real story?"

"I doubt you would be interested, Araminta. A dull business involving some mining investments, a canal, and some bad judgment on the part of Canonbury and Peppington."

"Ah, Simon," Araminta said, slowly shaking her head, "people are right when they call you mysterious and dangerous. Three of the most important men in London are in your pocket. You have them all, now, don't you? Northcote, Canonbury, Peppington, and Faringdon. You are playing cat and mouse with each of them."

"It is a game I learned well in the East."

Araminta shuddered delicately. "I vow, I am very glad I am on your good side, Simon. You make my blood run cold at times. But I do not think your lady elf understands that she is only a pawn in your grand scheme. She is still talking in terms of creating a pure and noble metaphysical connection with her new husband."

Simon scowled. "Emily is a very intelligent female but her thinking is frequently clouded by romantical nonsense. She will soon learn her proper role as a wife."

Emily plunged into the glamour, excitement, and sophistication of her first major town ball with zest. The glittering chandeliers, the crush of people dressed in the first stare of fashion, the dancing, and the witty conversation all left her breathless and enthralled. It seemed to her that everyone in the haute ton must have been invited to the marchioness's grand event.

Dressed in an emerald green silk gown cut far lower than anything she had ever worn before in her life, Emily felt marvelously fashionable. She had green satin slippers embroidered with little gold dragons to match her gown and she was wearing a delightful little gold dragon in her newly styled hair. The dragon's eyes were tiny rubies. Two matching dragons dangled from her ears.

Lady Merryweather's hairdresser had pulled Emily's red curls back into an artful cascade that fell from the crown of her head to the nape of her neck. There were several artfully arranged tendrils curling down the sides of her cheeks. The whole was finished off with an elegant fan featuring a spectacular hand-painted dragon that dangled on a gold cord from her wrist, and a quizzing glass. Lady Merryweather had refused to even contemplate the notion of wearing spectacles to a formal ball.

Simon had been waiting in the hall when Emily descended the stairs on her way out for the evening. He had examined his wife from head to toe and looked extremely satisfied with what he saw.

"Will you be joining us later, Simon?" Araminta had inquired as she was handed up into the carriage.

"I am going to my club for an hour or so but I will find you both later and escort you home." He looked at Emily as he helped her into the vehicle. "Enjoy yourself, elf. You are definitely a diamond of the first water tonight. And definitely the most unusual creature Society will have seen in an age. You will set the polite world agog."

Emily glowed. "Thank you, Simon."

His mouth quirked as he closed the carriage door. "See that you do not get into any trouble."

Emily sat back in the carriage seat as they set off. "I do not know why he feels obliged to say things like that all the time. What sort of trouble could I possibly get into at Northcote's ball?"

Araminta smiled. "Sometimes I get the impression Blade does not always know quite what to expect from you, Emily. I think that is a good thing, on the whole. He needs to be rattled about a bit now and then."

"Nothing rattles Simon," Emily said with pride. "He is the coolest man I have ever met."

"Yes," Araminta said, looking out the window at the crowded street. "He does have that reputation. Some say it goes beyond cool all the way to cold-blooded. Some people are actually afraid of him."

"They must be people who do not know him well," Emily said confidently.

"Oh? And you do know him well?"

"Yes, indeed. As I have told you, we communicate on a higher plane." Emily frowned thoughtfully. "Sometimes. Perhaps people are a bit put off by his unusual staff. They are somewhat forbidding in appearance, although extremely pleasant and most interesting. I wonder where Simon obtained them."

Araminta smiled slightly. "You do realize what it was Simon did for the East India Company, don't you, Emily?"

"It is my understanding that he assisted them in some business matters and the company was suitably grateful."

"Grateful, indeed. His function was to discourage the pirates who are a constant threat to the company's ships. Simon used a most unusual approach to the problem."

Emily laughed softly. "Let me hazard a guess. Did he by any chance recruit ex-pirates to deal with the practicing pirates?"

"That is exactly what he did."

"Brilliant notion," Emily said with satisfaction. "And a few of them returned to England with him as his servants."

"If you can call them that," Araminta said dryly.

Celeste and her mother were all that was charming and welcoming. They introduced Emily to everyone and people lined up to meet her. Araminta explained during a brief lull in the introductions that it was because Society was fascinated to learn just what sort of exotic female the mysterious Earl of Blade had married. Emily had giggled behind her fan at the notion of being thought exotic.

Emily's exuberant mood lasted right up until the moment when she raised her quizzing glass for a quick look around and happened to spot Richard Ashbrook coming toward her. She froze for an instant as old memories rose to confront her.

He was Lord Ashbrook now, she thought as she quickly allowed the glass to drop to her waist on its velvet cord. Ashbrook had become a baron since she had last seen him five years ago.

He had always been quite handsome but now he was the perfect picture of the romantic poet, with his artistically tousled dark curls, intense, brooding gaze, and elegant figure. She noted that during the past few years he had achieved just the precise curl of lip that implied the appropriate mixture of jaded ennui mixed with cynicism. Emily did not find the look particularly attractive. But, then, she suddenly realized, she did not find Ashbrook very interesting at all any longer.

Next to the dragon who had entered her life, Ashbrook was nothing more than a somewhat amusing pet dog. Emily wondered what she had ever seen in him.

"Tis Ashbrook," Celeste whispered excitedly. "Mama said she had invited him but I was afraid he would not come. He has the entree into any drawing room or ballroom in town and it is very difficult to entice him. He claims soirees and balls bore him."

Emily was about to reply but Ashbrook was suddenly in front of her, mouth twisted into an ironic smile, dark eyes veiled beneath half-lowered lids. His snowy white cravat was tied in a sculptured knot.

"Hello, Emily," Ashbrook said softly.

"Richard." Emily gave him her hand and wondered again why she'd once found him irresistible. After knowing a dragon, Ashbrook seemed quite tame.

"It has been a long time." Ashbrook bent his dark head gallantly over her wrist.

"Emily, you did not tell me you knew the baron," Celeste said.

"Lady Blade and I are old friends," Ashbrook said smoothly without taking his eyes off Emily. "Is that not so, Emily?"

"Acquaintances," Emily amended tartly. "Now, if you will excuse me, Richard—"