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garden?”
    “We’d love to.” The blond immediately stuck her arm through Paxton’s and the brunette took Cole’s.
    Paxton removed the lady’s hand from his sleeve and placed it on Cole’s free arm. “I’m sorry, ladies, but my friend here will have to escort you both. I need to check on my sister. Brotherly concern, you understand.”
    Both ladies nodded and looked at Cole, who grinned happily. “I feel like the luckiest man alive.”
    Paxton shook his head at Cole’s false flattery and watched as Cole led the women to the veranda, down the steps, and then off into the garden. With another shake of his head, he turned around to scan the room. The hour was growing late, and he doubted the lady from the theater was going to make an appearance. He wished he understood why he even cared. With a silent huff, he went to search for his sister.

CHAPTER FIVE
    The Duke and Duchess of Carlyle’s dinner party was a small, elegant affair. After the meal, the company moved into the music salon and listened to their daughter Lady Katherine play the pianoforte. The atmosphere was serene and tranquil. Eve couldn’t wait to leave. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy the peacefulness. She just assumed the evening would be much livelier. And she had to admit, she was anxious to attend the next party to see if the Earl of Devonhurst was in attendance.
    “I do hope you are enjoying yourself?” The Marquis of Bakersfield, Brandon Butler, the son and future heir to the Carlyle ducal title, asked quietly in Eve’s ear from the seat behind her.
    “Your sister plays beautifully,” Eve whispered over her shoulder.
    Count Vernon, Henri Leverett, sat to Eve’s right and frowned at the attention young Bakersfield was paying her. “Is the young buck disturbing you, my lady?”
    Eve smiled tentatively at the handsome count. “Not at all, my lord.” The count had stuck close to her side since they were first introduced at dinner. She didn’t mind, for he was attentive and handsome enough with his dark brown hair cut closely to his scalp, accentuating his light brown eyes and narrow chin. He reminded Eve of a slim military man, although he informed her he was not in the military.
    The marquis leaned forward from behind her again, making it quite clear that he wasn’t about to sit back and allow some foreign count to sweep her off her feet without giving him a chance. Eve smiled at his dogged determination. “Would it be permissible if I came by next week to take you for a ride in Hyde Park, Lady Evelyn?”
    “I would like that very much, Lord Bakersfield,” Eve answered, aware of the count watching her and thrilled by all the attention she was receiving.
    Lord Bakersfield leaned back in his chair after casting a smug look toward the count, at which the count smiled, undaunted.
    After the recital, the Stonehaven family said their goodbyes and thanked their hosts. Lord Bakersfield reminded Eve of their ride next week and helped her with her cloak.
    “Excuse me, Lord Stonehaven, but would you mind if I attended the Countess of Madison’s soiree with you? I have my own carriage and would like to follow you there,” said the count. He had obviously followed them to retrieve their cloaks.
    Well, isn’t he persistent?
    “That would be fine,” her father exclaimed while helping Mother with her wrap.
    Eve stepped up into the carriage and her sister quickly followed. “It looks like you’ve acquired a couple of new admirers,” Cassie stated, adjusting her skirts and sitting down.
    “Yes, they both seem nice.”
    “Nice? Such a dull word to describe them. Only yesterday I heard you describe a certain earl in a way that was utterly poetic, so much so that even I sit on pins and needles waiting to gain a mere glimpse of him.” Cassie smiled. “I’m teasing, sort of. But please tell me, out of the two gentlemen paying you so much attention, did you prefer the marquis or the French count?” Cassie shifted to allow her mother to