hands. She untied the ribbon beneath her chin and pushed the bonnet back into place. “You did that on purpose.”
“Did what? Set a bee on you?”
“I never saw a bee. You made that up to distract me so I would lose.”
She saw now that the phaeton had veered off the path and come to a halt some yards before the group of trees that had marked her goal. She had indeed lost the wager. And it was all his fault.
“I assure you, madam, there was a bee. It was no doubt attracted to the flowers on your bonnet. I only meant to brush him away and keep you out of harm’s way.”
“The flowers on my bonnet are silk, sir, and of no interest to bees. You tricked me into losing.”
“Now, why do those words sound so familiar? Wait a moment. It’s coming back to me. Ah, yes. I believe I spoke those very words to you when you pulled that stunt with the Minerva.”
“I did not trick you, sir. I outmaneuvered you. This case is not at all the same. You had to resort to clumsy efforts to blind me so that I would lose.” She struggled to conceal a smile. “It does not seem at all sporting to me and shows no finesse whatsoever.”
All of a sudden, the notion that he would go tosuch lengths, such obvious trickery, to win her stocking caused her to give in to an irrepressible gurgle of mirth. She began to laugh.
His laughter joined hers, and it was a rich, melodious sound, full of pleasure. His gray eyes turned silvery, twinkling with merriment, and crinkled up at the corners in fans of tiny creases. He had the look of a man who laughed frequently, who took great delight in the unexpected little joys of life.
“I suppose you’ll be wanting my stocking now,” she said.
“I should think it is the least you could do after I saved you from a vicious bee attack.”
“Vicious, was he?”
“Huge. Ferocious. I’ve never seen such a bee in all my life.”
“I do not doubt it. Well, I am not going to argue with you. You will see that I can be a gracious loser despite the unfair tactics you employed. I still get my additional editor, do I not?”
“You do. And I will have your stocking now, madam.”
“Here? Now?”
“Why not? No one is around. We are quite off the usual paths. I will have it now, if you please.”
“Oh, you are the most provoking man.”
Edwina reached down and pulled her full skirts over the knee farthest from his view.
“The other one, if you please.”
She ought to have known that ploy would notwork. She readjusted her skirts, then slowly raised them over her other knee. He gave the tiniest intake of breath and she looked up to see his gaze fixed on her exposed leg.
And all at once she felt rather exhilarated, and rather daring. A little thrill ran through her that she could entice, even seduce if she wanted to, this exceedingly attractive man. It had been a very long time since Edwina had allowed a man’s interest to interest her. She had almost forgotten how enjoyable a little mild flirtation could be. It made her feel young again. Invigorated.
She was going to have a bit of highly improper fun with Anthony Morehouse.
She bent down and removed her shoe, then hitched her skirt up slightly above the knee to reveal her garter. She made a slow business of untying it, then held it up and allowed the ends to flutter softly in the breeze.
“I’ll take that as well,” Anthony said.
Edwina looked at him. “That was not part of our bargain, sir.”
“But you will have no need of it now, will you?” He held out a hand, palm up.
Edwina sighed. It was one of her favorite garters, but she dropped the length of embroidered silk ribbon into his hand. His fingers curled around it.
“You collect them as trophies, no doubt.”
He smiled and said, “Proceed, if you please.”
She began to roll down the top of the stockingover her knee. Fortunately, she had worn a good silk pair today, pale pink with yellow clocking. Unfortunately, they had been quite expensive.
She watched Anthony as she
“Did what? Set a bee on you?”
“I never saw a bee. You made that up to distract me so I would lose.”
She saw now that the phaeton had veered off the path and come to a halt some yards before the group of trees that had marked her goal. She had indeed lost the wager. And it was all his fault.
“I assure you, madam, there was a bee. It was no doubt attracted to the flowers on your bonnet. I only meant to brush him away and keep you out of harm’s way.”
“The flowers on my bonnet are silk, sir, and of no interest to bees. You tricked me into losing.”
“Now, why do those words sound so familiar? Wait a moment. It’s coming back to me. Ah, yes. I believe I spoke those very words to you when you pulled that stunt with the Minerva.”
“I did not trick you, sir. I outmaneuvered you. This case is not at all the same. You had to resort to clumsy efforts to blind me so that I would lose.” She struggled to conceal a smile. “It does not seem at all sporting to me and shows no finesse whatsoever.”
All of a sudden, the notion that he would go tosuch lengths, such obvious trickery, to win her stocking caused her to give in to an irrepressible gurgle of mirth. She began to laugh.
His laughter joined hers, and it was a rich, melodious sound, full of pleasure. His gray eyes turned silvery, twinkling with merriment, and crinkled up at the corners in fans of tiny creases. He had the look of a man who laughed frequently, who took great delight in the unexpected little joys of life.
“I suppose you’ll be wanting my stocking now,” she said.
“I should think it is the least you could do after I saved you from a vicious bee attack.”
“Vicious, was he?”
“Huge. Ferocious. I’ve never seen such a bee in all my life.”
“I do not doubt it. Well, I am not going to argue with you. You will see that I can be a gracious loser despite the unfair tactics you employed. I still get my additional editor, do I not?”
“You do. And I will have your stocking now, madam.”
“Here? Now?”
“Why not? No one is around. We are quite off the usual paths. I will have it now, if you please.”
“Oh, you are the most provoking man.”
Edwina reached down and pulled her full skirts over the knee farthest from his view.
“The other one, if you please.”
She ought to have known that ploy would notwork. She readjusted her skirts, then slowly raised them over her other knee. He gave the tiniest intake of breath and she looked up to see his gaze fixed on her exposed leg.
And all at once she felt rather exhilarated, and rather daring. A little thrill ran through her that she could entice, even seduce if she wanted to, this exceedingly attractive man. It had been a very long time since Edwina had allowed a man’s interest to interest her. She had almost forgotten how enjoyable a little mild flirtation could be. It made her feel young again. Invigorated.
She was going to have a bit of highly improper fun with Anthony Morehouse.
She bent down and removed her shoe, then hitched her skirt up slightly above the knee to reveal her garter. She made a slow business of untying it, then held it up and allowed the ends to flutter softly in the breeze.
“I’ll take that as well,” Anthony said.
Edwina looked at him. “That was not part of our bargain, sir.”
“But you will have no need of it now, will you?” He held out a hand, palm up.
Edwina sighed. It was one of her favorite garters, but she dropped the length of embroidered silk ribbon into his hand. His fingers curled around it.
“You collect them as trophies, no doubt.”
He smiled and said, “Proceed, if you please.”
She began to roll down the top of the stockingover her knee. Fortunately, she had worn a good silk pair today, pale pink with yellow clocking. Unfortunately, they had been quite expensive.
She watched Anthony as she
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