Again, Kelsey tried to see who Lonny was talking to. But he was lifting her down from the table, and short as she was at only five feet, three inches, she couldn't see beyond the men just in front of her.

She was thankful that the ordeal was finally over. But the relief she ought to be feeling wouldn't come, because she still didn't know who had bought her. And keeping her trepidation high was the thought that, good God, he could be just as ghastly as those other two. After all, the remark made to him, insinuating that women desired his company because they were lined up to get into his bed, could have been said in sarcasm, meaning just the opposite. Sarcasm of that sort would have drawn just as much laughter from this crowd. "You did good, dearie," Lonny whispered to her as he escorted her out into the foyer. "Surprised me, it did, the price going that high." He chuckled then, more to himself. "But these nabobs, they can afford it. Now, run along and fetch your things, and don't dally. Come to my office, just over there"-he nodded to an open door at the end of the hall-"when you're ready." And he patted her backside to push her toward the stairs.

Dally? When her paramount concern was finding out who had bought her? She practically flew up the stairs. And she had nothing really to gather, not having unpacked much from her small valise the day before. So she was back downstairs in less than ten minutes, closer to five.

But one step from that open doorway she stopped short. Her desire to see who had paid such an exorbitant sum for her was abruptly superceded by her fear. It was a done deal. She had to honor it or deal with Lonny's subtle threat, which she didn't doubt for a minute had been life-threatening. But the unknown was paralyzing her. What if this man who had bought her wasn't even fit to be called decent but was a cruel, vicious man just like that other lord had seemed to be? Or what if he was a grotesquely ugly man who couldn't get women any other way than to purchase them like this?

What would she do? Horribly, there was nothing she could do. She'd either hate him or like him-or feel nothing at all. Actually, she hoped to feel nothing. She certainly didn't want to become attached to a man she could never marry, even if she was going to have to be intimate with him. "I'm sure you will find you've made an excellent purchase, m'lord," Lonny was saying as he backed out the door of his office, then noticing Kelsey there, he pulled her into the room, adding, "Ah, and here she is now, so I'll bid you a good evening."

Kelsey almost closed her eyes, still not ready to face her future. But the contrary, brave side of her, small portion that it was, refused to put it off another second. She looked at the people in the room. And because of that, she got to experience her relief immediately. Immense relief. She still didn't know who had bought her, because there was not one man waiting in Lonny's office, but three. Yet of those three, one was handsome, one was very handsome, and one was incredibly handsome.

How could she have gotten this lucky? She couldn't credit it. Something must be wrong. Yet for the life of her, she couldn't tell what that might be. Even the least handsome of the three, who seemed to be the oldest, she felt she could deal well with. He was tall and lanky, with gentle brown eyes and an admiring smile. The word harmless came to mind when she gazed at him.

The tallest of the three also appeared to be the youngest, no more than Kelsey's age, though he had such broad shoulders and an expression that was clearly on the mature side, that he seemed much older. He was also too handsome by half, with raven-black hair and eyes the most beautiful shade of cobalt blue, just slightly tilted for an exotic slant. She had a feeling she could deal exceptionally well with him, and she was hoping, praying, that he was the one who'd bought her. Heavens, she could hardly take her eyes off him, he was so appealing to every one of her senses.

But she did force herself to look away to examine the third man standing in front of her. If she hadn't glanced at that blue-eyed young man first, she could have honestly said she'd never seen a man as handsome as this one. He had thick blond hair in an unruly, flyaway style. His eyes were hazel-no, green, definitely green-and the look in them was a bit disturbing, though she couldn't say why exactly. He was shorter than the other two, though not by much, and certainly still taller than her by half a foot or more.

And then he smiled, and Kelsey's stomach fluttered-for the first time in her life. What a strange feeling. And the room had suddenly become too warm. She wished she had a fan, but she hadn't thought to pack one, hadn't thought to need one in the heart of winter. "Might as well set that down ... T' he said to her, glancing at her valise. "And do hurry up, Jeremy, and do whatever fetching you intend to do." "Gad, forgot all about the chit he came here for," the older of the three said. "Yes, do hurry it up, Malory. Interesting as this evening has been thus far, it still ain't over." "Damn me, forgot about Flo m'self," Jeremy admitted with a sheepish grin. "Won't take me long to fetch her, thoughif I can find her."

Kelsey watched the youngest of the threesome saunter out of the room. So she'd got her wish after all. He'd just been called Malory, and the man who'd paid such an exorbitant price for the privilege of having her for his mistress had been a Lord Malory. So where was the relief she'd been positive she would feel? "Kelsey Langton," she said, having finally realized, long after the fact, that the blond man had been asking her name when he'd suggested she set her valise down.

Now she blushed, however, to have blurted it out like that. And she still hadn't set down the valise, hadn't even realized she was still holding it, until that same blond man stepped forward and took it out of her hand.

4

"My name's Derek, and the pleasure is mine, Kelsey, you may be sure," he said to her. "But we'll have a bit of a wait while the youngun attends to the business that brought us here. So perhaps you'd like to sit down?" And he indicated one of the chairs next to Lonny's desk.

Not only handsome but kind. Imagine that. Yet still dis-turbing in some way. Her heart had fair tripped over when he'd come so close and his fingers had touched hers as he took the valise from her to set it aside. She had no idea what it was about him that was causing these strange reactions in her, but she was suddenly very glad he wasn't the one she'd be going home with.

She'd have enough to deal with just in becoming a mistress at the end of the day, the thought of which she had put in the far back of her mind or she never would have survived up to now. She didn't need any extra worries. And at least with young Jeremy, she imagined the worst problem she'd have would be to keep from staring at him like a ninny. But that, undoubtedly, was something that particular young man with his mesmerizing looks was very used to. "Knew an earl over Kettering way by the name of Langton," the other man said suddenly. "Nice enough chap, though ended bad, I hear. 'Course, you wouldn't be any relation."

Thankfully, he hadn't put it as a question, had stated his own opinion, so she didn't have to lie. But that had been a horrible moment, when he'd mentioned her father. What could she have been thinking, to give her real name? Obviously, she hadn't been thinking, and it was too late now.

De "Since she isn't any relation Percy, why mention it?" Derek said a bit dryly.

Percy shrugged. "Was an interesting tale, is all, and her name reminded me of it. By the by, did you see the look on Ashford's face when he passed us?"

-could hardly miss it, old boy." -You don't think there'll be trouble from that quarter, d /your "The man's a rotter and a coward. I wish he'd cause trouble, damn me if I don't. Give me a reason to wipe the floor with him again. But chaps like him only bedevil those who can't fight back."

Kelsey shivered at the anger she felt from the one called Derek. She wasn't sure, but she had a feeling they were speaking about the blue-eyed lord who had been bidding on her but had left in such a fury. And if that was so, then apparently these gentlemen had crossed paths with him before.

She wasn't going to ask, however. In fact, she moved over by the desk to sit down in the chair that had been offered, hoping to stay out of their notice. But that was a mistake, drawing both of their eyes back to her. She started to squirm, but was really sick and tired of the nervous, fearful state she'd been in all day.

A spark of anger formed, countering it, allowing her to say, "Don't mind me, gentlemen. Do go on with your conversation as it pleases you."

Percy blinked at her. Derek's eyes narrowed. And she realized immediately what she'd done wrong-again. She might not look like a lady in the garish red gown she was wearing, but she'd certainly just sounded like one. Yet this was something she couldn't help. Pretension was not her forte. Even if she'd tried to sound less cultured, and managed it for a time, she would have slipped at some point and then had even more explaining to do.

So she decided to brave through and lie. The truth, of course, was out of the question.

With an innocent look that she bestowed on both of them, she asked, "Did I say something untoward?,"

"It's not what you said, m'dear, but how you said it," Derek replied. "How I said it? Oh, you refer to my speech? Yes, it does surprise people occasionally. But you see, my mother was a governess, and I was able to benefit from the same tutor assigned to her charges. A very uplifting experience, if I do say so myself."

She had to smile at the pun, whether they caught it or not. Percy relaxed, taking her word for it. Derek was still frowning, however.

And he didn't take long to say why. "I find it hard to imagine that being allowed, when most lords are from the old school and believe the lower classes should be kept the lower classes, as to say, ignorant of higher learning." "Ah, but there was no lord to say yea or nay, just a lord's widow my mum worked for who really couldn't have cared less what the children of her live-in servants were up to. She did, in fact, give her permission. My mum wasn't one to take such liberties on her own, after all. And I will be forever grateful to the lady-for not caring one way or another."

Percy coughed at that point, followed by a snicker. "Give it a rest, old man. What you were thinking ain't possible and you know it."

Derek snorted at his friend. "As if you didn't think the same thing." "Only for the briefest second." "And what, may I ask, are you both referring to?" Kelsey asked, keeping up her pretense at innocence. "Nothing that matters," Derek replied in a low grumble, and stuffing his hands in his pockets, he moved to stand in the open doorway, leaning against the frame there, giving his back to the room.

Kelsey looked to Percy for a clearer answer, but he just smiled sheepishly, shrugged, and stuffed his hands in his pockets as well, rocking back on his heels. She almost laughed. of course they wouldn't admit they had, however briefly, thought she might be a lady. The very thought of it wasn't to be borne by men of their class. And that really was her protection. Her family had endured one scandal. She wasn't going to be the cause of another if she could help it.

YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BE IN YOUR DEBT FOR life, Derek?" "Getting greedy now, are we? I could've sworn we'd finished that subject." "Well, that was before you ended up with the prize," Jeremy said with an engaging grin.

Kelsey had no idea what they were talking about and didn't care. She was getting nervous again now that they were on their way to, she assumed, her new home. Too soon she would have to begin her mistressing and ... She shuddered, unable to finish the thought.

They were in a well-appointed, plush carriage that apparently belonged to Derek, and it was moving along at a brisk pace. And there were five of them now. Jeremy had returned to Lonny's office with his arm around a young blonde girl dressed as gaudily as Kelsey was. She'd been introduced as Florence, and it became apparent within seconds that she fair worshiped Jeremy Malory. She couldn't keep her hands off him, or her eyes, and even now, in the carriage, she was practically sitting in his lap.

Kelsey felt complete indifference. It wasn't as if she and Jeremy had started their relationship yet, but even if they had, she knew she had no right to demand fidelity from him. He would be paying her support. Even if their situation wasn't highly unusual, in that he'd bought her outright, for the support alone he would expect complete faithfulness from her. But in such arrangements, the gentleman wasn't constrained to behave likewise. Far from it. Most of them had wives, after all.

As the men continued to banter with each other about prices and lifelong debts, Kelsey continued to do her best to ignore them. But it did occur to her to wonder, after Jeremy had spoken of debts, how a young man his age could possibly have afforded the outrageous price he'd paid for her, when most young people had to make do with quarterly allowances from their parents or from estates they were due to inherit.

He must be independently wealthy, which she could only be grateful for. If that weren't the case she'd be with that other lord right now, rather than with these gentlemen, going ... she had no idea where.

When the carriage did stop shortly thereafter, only Jeremy and Florence alighted from it. No explanation was given, and there was no request for Kelsey to follow along. But Jeremy was back in a few minutes, without the clinging Florence, and since neither of the other two men asked him what he'd done with the girl, Kelsey had to assume they already knew.

The carriage moved along again, and it was a good fifteen rninutes before it stopped once more. Kelsey didn't know London at all, had never been there before Elliott had brought her the day before, but a glance out the window showed a very fine looking neighborhood with stately mansions and carriage houses, the town houses of the upper crust.