Chapter 16

The time had come for Lady Glass to make her debut. Rolland and Lewis were the first to gather in the drawing room to wait. Soon the other guests poured in too, all dressed to dine. Rolland glanced at the clock on the mantel, his fingers drumming against his leg. Waiting for her arrival was akin to the moments before battle. Anticipation kept him alert and wary while different strategies formed in his mind. Where should she sit? To whom should she be introduced first? What conversations must be had, and what must be avoided? No matter what, nothing could happen to Theresia, his father, or any other guest in this house.

After the last guest gathered in the drawing room for dinner, Lady Glass made her entrance with Lady Cadogen on her arm and the duke and duchess behind them. Rolland barely noticed Cadogen discreetly enter last.

His mouth parted. Theresia's evening gown was exquisite: a deep purple with puffed sleeves and heavily trimmed with lace. White gloves painted her arms into fine lines against her gown, ending just above the elbow, while a string of pearls clung to her throat, emphasizing its slenderness. And her eyes. They seemed to search for his.

His feet moved toward her like a ship toward a lighthouse. Beside him, Lewis abandoned Miss Yearsley and started moving too, as did the other single men in the room: Mr. Hawke with his stubby nose lifted like he'd caught onto a feminine scent, Lord Vernon with his shrewd gaze calculated on a target, and Mr. Stewart with his competitive spirit raised on high alert.

They were like bees swarming a queen.

Rolland stepped ahead of them just as Theresia's gaze met his. He held it as he moved around the Havershams. Was she scared? Worried? He was eager to know how she was handling this intimidating moment.

And then she smiled.

There it was. His brave Theresia.

Wait. Not his Theresia.

But brave all the same. He reached her side, and Lady Cadogen moved over to greet someone else. Theresia casually offered him her hand as if she were the duchess and not at all a Roma in disguise. He took it, and instead of simply bowing over it like he had intended, he placed a kiss on the back of her glove, completely surprising himself. It had been as natural as reaching for water. Releasing her hand took more effort though. When she tightened her grip on his, he looked up to find her staring at him with her striking golden-brown eyes.

"Captain, it's been too long since we've seen each other." She slowly raised one brow.

He tried to read between her words to understand their hidden meaning, but he could not. "The war, I'm afraid, kept me from keeping company with many of my friends. I hope to remedy that with this house party."

"I only meant that you were slow to greet me today ."

Slow? He'd had a footrace against the other men in the room to get to her side. Oh, today. She'd meant that morning, when he'd sent the women to Rose Cottage instead of going himself. He scratched his forehead. "I will be swifter to your side in the future."

A shadow fell over him, and he felt an additional presence join them. He looked over to see his parents staring at him like they'd never seen him before. They had no doubt witnessed his kiss and heard his declaration of commitment.

Rolland dropped Theresia's hand and stepped back. "Father, um, have you met Lady Glass? Excuse me. Lady Glass, this is Lord and Lady Barrack."

"Lord?" Theresia blinked rapidly, hiding her bafflement with a hasty smile. "Of course. Lord and Lady Barrack, I have heard so much about you from... Her Grace."

Her swift thinking was exactly what Rolland had counted on, and he rewarded her with a smile of his own. The simple gesture seemed to stun her further—and also caught the attention of his mother.

"Her Grace spoke of me?" his mother started. Her expression softened, and she leaned closer. "I am flattered. What exactly did she say?"

His father straightened. "Never mind that. How is it that you know my son?"

Father's words were like the whistle of a boatswain signaling Rolland to act, and he opened his mouth to give their cover story. "We met by chance in London after my ship came to port. There was a scuffle with a thief." Marcus had urged them to keep close to the truth, giving little detail to obscure timelines and specifics, but he could not help adding one more thing. "I was impressed with Lady Glass and her bravery. She tripped the thief so he could not get away."

"You tripped a thief?" His mother's mouth parted.

Theresia's blush was real, for how could someone fake such a thing? "I only managed to slow him down. It was the captain who saved the day."

"Quite a story." His father sounded genuinely impressed.

"Forgive me." The duchess came up beside Theresia. "I am going to steal Lady Glass and introduce her to the others."

"Of course." Rolland stepped back.

Theresia glanced at him, her eyes seeking reassurance, and he gave it to her in one subtle nod. He was used to his men looking to him to rally their confidence, but never a lady. It brought him a strange sense of pleasure knowing he had the ability to put her at ease at all.

The moment of satisfaction faded when Her Grace introduced Theresia to Mr. Stewart. Their spy was planted and their experiment officially underway. Would his Lady Glass hold up under more pressure, or would she break and expose them all?

Such questions should have mattered more than anything, but at the present, he could only summon annoyance that he had to share her with the other guests.