a glance at the party behind them, Jess opened the door and they stepped out onto the patio. The night was still warm and the air carried the scent ofthe profusely blooming plant’s hundreds of small star-shaped flowers.
Miss Brent turned to him. “The fragrance of the jasmine reminds me of summer nights and secrets, mysteries even.”
“Exquisite,” Jess said. The same could be said of the woman before him. While her sister was the one who captivated him, he had to acknowledge that Cecilia Brent had the kind of beauty that made one look again. At the moment she was especially lovely, and the flowers that surrounded her paled by comparison.
She smiled. Ignoring the intimacy of the moment, indeed unaware of it, she walked over and stooped down to touch the soil of the plant.
Jess stayed within sight of the window and as far away from the young woman as courtesy would allow. This was no attempt at flirtation for Cecilia. Who would have known that she had such a profound interest in flowers? So serious was her interest that the possible impropriety of their situation had not ever occurred to her.
Though he was certain that she was not interested in anything but the plants, he still wished they were not alone, and he breathed a sigh of relief when her sister, Destry, and the stranger came through a door farther along the patio.
“I see, they are out here so Ceci can look at some plant.” There was relief in Beatrice’s voice as she made the announcement.
Jess sauntered over to them. “Your sister wished to see the night-blooming jasmine and have me experience its unique scent.”
As he finished speaking, Cecilia confirmed his statementby announcing to no one in particular, “Aha! I thought so. It’s planted in some special potting mix and fertilized, too. And the urn can be transported into the greenhouse on cool nights or for the winter. How perfect.”
“My lord, plants are her passion,” Beatrice began, but Jess would not let her continue. The code she was using could be easily translated:
My sister did not lure you out here for a flirtation
.
“Yes, that is quite evident, Miss Brent. I have learned a great deal in just these few minutes.”
The little Venus narrowed her eyes. Good, she found his response as opaque as he’d intended.
Recalling her manners, she stepped back and announced, “Lord Jessup, this is a friend of the family, Roger Tremaine. Roger, this is Lord Jessup Pennistan. Roger works on machine design for Papa. He came to say good-bye to us since he leaves for London in the morning.”
Each took the measure of the other before exchanging bows. Cecilia turned to Tremaine and wished him well with an absentminded affection. It was clearly Beatrice whom the man was most intent on seeing, or perhaps it was Beatrice who was intent on seeing him.
Nothing there but friendship on Tremaine’s side, Jess decided. As for Beatrice’s interest, why did he have the feeling she was using her friend as protection?
Destry rescued them from continued conversation. “So, Miss Brent,” he said, speaking to Cecilia, “why are you so fond of this particular flower?” Destry shepherded them over to the flowering shrub, which was fully as tall as he was.
“It blooms at night, which makes it unique andsomewhat mysterious. It seduces one with its fragrance as surely as the moon and stars do with their distant light. It is from a tropical clime but flourishes here if it is well tended.”
It was the longest speech the beautiful Miss Brent had given before them. Jess was struck by how much more her intelligence appealed to him than her classic blond loveliness. But despite both, he still found Beatrice’s curiosity and liveliness far more appealing.
“And it was Mama’s favorite scent,” Beatrice Brent added.
“Yes,” Roger said. “You could always tell when she had been to visit Mr. Brent—that lovely scent would stay in the air for hours.”
Beatrice nodded, as her smile grew a little
Miss Brent turned to him. “The fragrance of the jasmine reminds me of summer nights and secrets, mysteries even.”
“Exquisite,” Jess said. The same could be said of the woman before him. While her sister was the one who captivated him, he had to acknowledge that Cecilia Brent had the kind of beauty that made one look again. At the moment she was especially lovely, and the flowers that surrounded her paled by comparison.
She smiled. Ignoring the intimacy of the moment, indeed unaware of it, she walked over and stooped down to touch the soil of the plant.
Jess stayed within sight of the window and as far away from the young woman as courtesy would allow. This was no attempt at flirtation for Cecilia. Who would have known that she had such a profound interest in flowers? So serious was her interest that the possible impropriety of their situation had not ever occurred to her.
Though he was certain that she was not interested in anything but the plants, he still wished they were not alone, and he breathed a sigh of relief when her sister, Destry, and the stranger came through a door farther along the patio.
“I see, they are out here so Ceci can look at some plant.” There was relief in Beatrice’s voice as she made the announcement.
Jess sauntered over to them. “Your sister wished to see the night-blooming jasmine and have me experience its unique scent.”
As he finished speaking, Cecilia confirmed his statementby announcing to no one in particular, “Aha! I thought so. It’s planted in some special potting mix and fertilized, too. And the urn can be transported into the greenhouse on cool nights or for the winter. How perfect.”
“My lord, plants are her passion,” Beatrice began, but Jess would not let her continue. The code she was using could be easily translated:
My sister did not lure you out here for a flirtation
.
“Yes, that is quite evident, Miss Brent. I have learned a great deal in just these few minutes.”
The little Venus narrowed her eyes. Good, she found his response as opaque as he’d intended.
Recalling her manners, she stepped back and announced, “Lord Jessup, this is a friend of the family, Roger Tremaine. Roger, this is Lord Jessup Pennistan. Roger works on machine design for Papa. He came to say good-bye to us since he leaves for London in the morning.”
Each took the measure of the other before exchanging bows. Cecilia turned to Tremaine and wished him well with an absentminded affection. It was clearly Beatrice whom the man was most intent on seeing, or perhaps it was Beatrice who was intent on seeing him.
Nothing there but friendship on Tremaine’s side, Jess decided. As for Beatrice’s interest, why did he have the feeling she was using her friend as protection?
Destry rescued them from continued conversation. “So, Miss Brent,” he said, speaking to Cecilia, “why are you so fond of this particular flower?” Destry shepherded them over to the flowering shrub, which was fully as tall as he was.
“It blooms at night, which makes it unique andsomewhat mysterious. It seduces one with its fragrance as surely as the moon and stars do with their distant light. It is from a tropical clime but flourishes here if it is well tended.”
It was the longest speech the beautiful Miss Brent had given before them. Jess was struck by how much more her intelligence appealed to him than her classic blond loveliness. But despite both, he still found Beatrice’s curiosity and liveliness far more appealing.
“And it was Mama’s favorite scent,” Beatrice Brent added.
“Yes,” Roger said. “You could always tell when she had been to visit Mr. Brent—that lovely scent would stay in the air for hours.”
Beatrice nodded, as her smile grew a little
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