a disappointed sigh she turned away. “Come, Papa, I’ll show you the way.”
“Do you think I could get a pudding before dinner?”
“Perhaps.”
“And with dinner as well?”
“Papa, really!”
Chapter Thirteen
Hero sucked in a gasp as Mandy tugged at her corset strings, retightening them after the “naptime” her doctor had suggested she indulge in to speed her recovery. Normally Hero might have welcomed a nap after the active morning and afternoon she had had but today she had merely laid on top of her bed linens clad in only a thin chemise that was little compensation to the heat of the day or to the heat mere thoughts of Ian Conagham fired in her.
Just a flash of that lopsided smile was enough to send her heart racing , but when it was accompanied by the brush of his knuckles across her cheek or the touch of his lips against the sensitive skin of her wrist, Hero felt as if she might truly swoon for the first time in her life. In such moments her head swam deliciously, her breath grew shallow, and her extremities—even her lips—would tingle.
It was desire. Want.
And so very euphoric. Never had she experienced such fascination before.
“My lady?”
Hero started with a blush. “Yes, Mandy?”
Her maid raised a curious brow. “I was wondering which gown you would like for dinner tonight?”
“The pink organdy, I think.”
“Oh,” Mandy said with a frown that pulled Hero away from her own thoughts. “You don’t think so?”
“It’s a lovely gown, my lady.”
Hero matched Mandy’s frown with one of her own, wondering what had prompted such a response. The gown was beautiful. The starched organdy had a gathered bodice and loose bell sleeves that were perfect for a hot summer night. “But? I thought we agreed that in coming to Cuilean and given the heat of the summer, putting off my mourning would be acceptable as long as I wasn’t out in Society.”
“It’s not that, my lady. I was just thinking that perhaps the trio of ruffles at the bottom are a wee bit girlish?” the maid offered haltingly.
“To o girlish for what?” Hero smiled teasingly. “Am I getting too old for a flounce or two?”
“Oh, no, my lady!” Mandy rushed to assure her, then bit back a smile when she saw the amusement on her mistress’s face. It must have emboldened her because she added more confidently, “Perhaps the red silk?”
Hero 's eyes widened. “The red? Isn’t that a bit sophisticated for a simple dinner at Cuilean?”
“I thought that perhaps Lord Ayr might appreciate the …” Mandy pointed with one finger to a spot low on her bosom and Hero felt a blush rush to warm her cheeks once again. Turning away to hide what it might reveal, Hero sat at her dressing table so that Mandy could go to work on her hair.
Mandy brushed her long hair silently for a few moments until Hero found herself asking ,
“What makes you think I’m trying to impress the marquis?”
“Aren’t you, my lady?”
“You’re being impertinent, Mandy,” Hero said sternly , but she knew the reprimand wouldn’t stop the maid from voicing her thoughts. After ten years, Mandy often felt she had earned the right to her opinion. Hero wasn’t wrong there.
“Look at him, my lady,” Mandy said as she twisted a lock of hair and expertly jabbed in a hairpin to secure it before moving on to another. “He’s what the maids in the scullery call a braw, bonny lad. It’s plain he’s taken a shine to you as well.”
“Is it?” Hero’s heart raced at the thought.
“Mmm,” Mandy hummed in the affirmative as she braided a long narrow strand and looped it around the twisted curls. “Just as it’s obvious that you are attracted to him.”
Hero cringed at that. “Is it?”
The maid only patted her shoulder. “I’ve been with you a long time, my lady. The others don’t see what I can. But why not take a chance with the
“Do you think I could get a pudding before dinner?”
“Perhaps.”
“And with dinner as well?”
“Papa, really!”
Chapter Thirteen
Hero sucked in a gasp as Mandy tugged at her corset strings, retightening them after the “naptime” her doctor had suggested she indulge in to speed her recovery. Normally Hero might have welcomed a nap after the active morning and afternoon she had had but today she had merely laid on top of her bed linens clad in only a thin chemise that was little compensation to the heat of the day or to the heat mere thoughts of Ian Conagham fired in her.
Just a flash of that lopsided smile was enough to send her heart racing , but when it was accompanied by the brush of his knuckles across her cheek or the touch of his lips against the sensitive skin of her wrist, Hero felt as if she might truly swoon for the first time in her life. In such moments her head swam deliciously, her breath grew shallow, and her extremities—even her lips—would tingle.
It was desire. Want.
And so very euphoric. Never had she experienced such fascination before.
“My lady?”
Hero started with a blush. “Yes, Mandy?”
Her maid raised a curious brow. “I was wondering which gown you would like for dinner tonight?”
“The pink organdy, I think.”
“Oh,” Mandy said with a frown that pulled Hero away from her own thoughts. “You don’t think so?”
“It’s a lovely gown, my lady.”
Hero matched Mandy’s frown with one of her own, wondering what had prompted such a response. The gown was beautiful. The starched organdy had a gathered bodice and loose bell sleeves that were perfect for a hot summer night. “But? I thought we agreed that in coming to Cuilean and given the heat of the summer, putting off my mourning would be acceptable as long as I wasn’t out in Society.”
“It’s not that, my lady. I was just thinking that perhaps the trio of ruffles at the bottom are a wee bit girlish?” the maid offered haltingly.
“To o girlish for what?” Hero smiled teasingly. “Am I getting too old for a flounce or two?”
“Oh, no, my lady!” Mandy rushed to assure her, then bit back a smile when she saw the amusement on her mistress’s face. It must have emboldened her because she added more confidently, “Perhaps the red silk?”
Hero 's eyes widened. “The red? Isn’t that a bit sophisticated for a simple dinner at Cuilean?”
“I thought that perhaps Lord Ayr might appreciate the …” Mandy pointed with one finger to a spot low on her bosom and Hero felt a blush rush to warm her cheeks once again. Turning away to hide what it might reveal, Hero sat at her dressing table so that Mandy could go to work on her hair.
Mandy brushed her long hair silently for a few moments until Hero found herself asking ,
“What makes you think I’m trying to impress the marquis?”
“Aren’t you, my lady?”
“You’re being impertinent, Mandy,” Hero said sternly , but she knew the reprimand wouldn’t stop the maid from voicing her thoughts. After ten years, Mandy often felt she had earned the right to her opinion. Hero wasn’t wrong there.
“Look at him, my lady,” Mandy said as she twisted a lock of hair and expertly jabbed in a hairpin to secure it before moving on to another. “He’s what the maids in the scullery call a braw, bonny lad. It’s plain he’s taken a shine to you as well.”
“Is it?” Hero’s heart raced at the thought.
“Mmm,” Mandy hummed in the affirmative as she braided a long narrow strand and looped it around the twisted curls. “Just as it’s obvious that you are attracted to him.”
Hero cringed at that. “Is it?”
The maid only patted her shoulder. “I’ve been with you a long time, my lady. The others don’t see what I can. But why not take a chance with the
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