A Lady in Disguise by Cynthia Bailey Pratt

cheek.
    Lillian dragged her eyes away. Perhaps if she kept her vision focused on his ear, she’d not be so distracted. Only, she’d never noticed before how admirably the masculine ear had been designed for nibbling upon. “Yes. Midnight blue with silver stripes.”
    “It sounds enchanting.”
    “It is. I mean ... I did not order that dress, sir, and I demand to know if you did.”
    “I? No.”
    “Oh.” Lillian began to feel she’d made something of a fool of herself. “I apologize,” she said stiffly. “It’s just that—”
    “After my bad behavior yesterday, which you so rightly reproved, you feel I might attempt any liberty in the calendar?”
    “No, nothing like—”
    “I feel certain. Miss Cole, that Fenniman simply included a gown you admired with the others, knowing that I pay any bill sent to me without looking it over. A reprehensible habit, as you do not need to tell me. No doubt he assumed you would keep quiet about the matter in your own interest, not realizing what a noble nature is yours.”
    “Mr. Everard, are you making a game of me?”
    “Yes,” he said, his smile broadening into a laugh. “I confess I am, a little. These matters are but trifles, Miss Cole. What is an extra gown to me? Come, how much was it?”
    “Thirty shillings.”
    “Which you will now, I feel certain, insist on paying me. Miss Cole, my income last year was in the tens of thousands of pounds. Keep your money and let me see you in your silver stripes sometime.”
    Lillian did not know immediately how to reply to his suggestion. Dragging her attention again to his ear, for the sparkle in his eyes made her want to smile too, she tried to think of an answer. Past the slightly ruffled hair at his temple, she saw a tiny figure tiptoeing down the hall.
    “Excuse me, Mr. Everard,” Lillian said, stepping around him.
    “Where are you going?” he asked.
    Intent on her quarry, Lillian did not answer him. Addy paused and looked back over her shoulder. Seeing her governess approaching, the child took off at a run, skimming lightly over the broad red carpet. Lillian increased her speed, even raising her skirt slightly to increase her stride. Addy gained some distance by sliding down the wide, highly polished banister to the ground floor, but Lillian soon caught up again by virtue of her longer legs. At the front door, it was Addy and Lillian neck and neck.
    Once in the open, however, Addy began once more to gain. All the traveling up and down stairs that Lillian had done this morning began to tell. Her legs aching, she tried her voice. “Young lady, stop at once!”
    Addy’s feet obeyed as she slid to a stop, but the rest of her did not. She fell to her knees. Horrified, Lillian ran up to see if the girl had broken any bones. “Oh, my dear, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”
    “ ‘Course not.” But Addy winced as she got up. Though she’d landed with her hands in the grass beside the walk, the gravel had torn one pantalette and stung the exposed knee.
    “Come into the house and I’ll wash it off. And you’ll have to change, I suppose.”
    Her charge’s outthrust lower lip receded. “Aren’t you angry I ran away?”
    “I’m sorry you did, as you got hurt. I shouldn’t have chased you.”
    “You run very well.”
    ‘Thank you,” Lillian said, oddly touched. “So do you.”
    “I practice.” The little girl tucked her hand into Lillian’s with possessive confidence. Looking up with her large gray eyes, she asked, “Did you tell Papa I ran away?”
    Lillian shut her eyes. Had she really flown off leaving Thorpe gaping after her in the upstairs corridor? Yes, she had. Not the actions of an adult, certainly not those of a person to be given charge of a child. “No, I didn’t mention the matter.”
    “Good. I didn’t think you’d see me. You were talking to Papa.”
    “But I couldn’t help but see you,” Lillian said. “You were right in front of me.” Perhaps pointing this out was only encouraging