Liberty for Paul by Rose Gordon

right. But there was one song he knew the chorus to and most of the verses, Yankee Doodle.
    Of course he knew that song because he’d grown up hearing people sing it in a taunting way against the Americans. The verses he’d heard were about them being cowards and getting devoured. Whereas she was likely to only be familiar with the ones praising George Washington and his stallion as he commanded a million. Judging it best only to spike her ire, not have a full-blown war, he stuck to just singing the chorus.
    Five times he sang the chorus. Each time he sang it, he got just a bit louder. After the fifth time, he frowned and decided to get out of the tub. He’d have to do something else. Mrs. Siddons would soon be back and she’d need the kitchen to cook breakfast.
    Drying off, his eyes kept straying to her chemise. He knew she’d have every right to be furious if he swiped it. That wasn’t exactly what he wanted. He wanted her to get her dander up, not give her a reason to scalp him.
    One step away from the door, he turned around and against his better judgment, he swiped her chemise and stalked out the door before he could change his mind.
    ***
    Liberty pulled her towel around her as tightly as she could. There was nothing for it, she was going to have to make a mad dash to her room and run by Mr. Grimes wearing only her towel in the process.
    She scowled. She’d never been more convinced he was a jacknapes as she was just now. Inclining her head with pride she didn’t feel, she opened the door quietly, falsely hoping if she were quiet he wouldn’t realize she’d left the kitchen.
    Padding down the hallway, she couldn’t help but smile when she reached the first step without seeing or hearing him. Surely she would have encountered him already if he planned to taunt her. Just as her foot landed on the third step, she glanced to the right and saw him standing in an open doorframe across the hall. “Missing something?” he drawled, shaking her chemise in front of him.
    Startled, she froze momentarily before tightening her grip on her towel. She knew she should run up the stairs like she’d originally planned, but seeing his face-splitting grin while he shook her chemise only infuriated her more. “Give it back,” she said in a low, fierce tone.
    “Come and get it,” he drawled, extending it in her direction only enough to taunt her, not enough for her to actually be able to reach it.
    Though anger burned inside her, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her beg or play a silly game in order to get her clothing back. “Keep it,” she said casually, giving him an insincere smile.
    Paul’s hand lowered. “You know what? You’ve a beautiful smile, but only when it’s genuine,” he said softly, tossing her chemise on the banister before walking away.
    Liberty’s body froze. Her eyes drifted back and forth from her chemise to his retreating back. Had he meant what he said, or was he only mocking her? Sticking to her original opinion that he was an awful villain, she quickly decided he was mocking her. With a sharp exhale, she grabbed her chemise and went to her room.

Chapter 9
     
     
    Throughout the rest of Paul’s day he couldn’t quit thinking about the events of the morning. He’d tried so hard to provoke her, and he thought he’d finally broken through her barrier when she demanded her chemise back. But once she flashed him that false smile, he knew he was no closer than when he’d started. Agitated, he gave up the battle and went for a ride.
    The ride hadn’t helped him to let it go and all during his Latin lessons and home visits, thoughts of his wife kept niggling in the back of his head.
    Dismounting his horse, he decided tonight he’d just apologize for his rude behavior and any future attempts he made to break down her defenses would be more tasteful. He could only imagine what a fool he’d looked like shaking her chemise and grinning like an idiot.
    Dinner that night was