seen you before.’
‘I have seen you ,’ replied Piers, his eyes roaming over her face and recognition dawning.
‘You have? When?’
Placing his hands on the chair in front of him, Piers said, ‘Unless I am very much mistaken, you are Miss Letitia Ravenhill.’
‘You have the advantage of me then, sir, for I cannot guess your identity. Indeed, you might be an escaped convict or some other nefarious creature, here to steal bounty. But, no – you cannot be. You are too well dressed and your expression is too benign for that, although it is sullen. Why do you scowl so?’
‘I am not scowling!’ cried Piers, affronted.
‘Yes, you are. It does not suit you,’ remarked Letty cordially. ‘Why, if only you would remove those furrows from your brow, you could be described as pleasant-looking .’
He gasped. ‘Well, of all the—’
‘You are about to say that my manner is unbecoming, but I still don’t know your name.’
‘I’m Piers Kilworth. I saw you at my aunt’s – that is to say, Alyssa’s mother’s – funeral a few years ago.’
She studied him with interest. ‘So you are Lyssa’s cousin. I don’t remember, but I have heard about you recently.’
‘Nothing good, I’ll warrant,’ he said, his mouth twisting into a sardonic smile as he walked over to sit near Letty. ‘I’m the black sheep of the Paradise family, you know – totally irredeemable.’
‘I’ve heard nothing very bad, Mr Kilworth.’
‘Surely you can call me Piers, in view of our connection through Alyssa?’
She shook her head. ‘That would not be right – I do not know you. Indeed, we should not be alone, but I suppose it must be considered unexceptional as you are Alyssa’s cousin.’
‘But you just said you had heard about me.’
‘From Alyssa, yes, but I will judge you myself now.’
‘What has she told you?’ asked Piers, curious to hear what this forthright girl knew.
‘Do you want the truth?’
‘Of course. After receiving one jolt with your unexpected appearance, I believe I can withstand another,’ he said, ironically.
‘That you were a charming boy, who has grown into a self-indulgent man, wasting his talents on a sybaritic lifestyle.’
Piers gave a chuckle and folded his arms across his chest. He said, mockingly, ‘A sad but correct indictment! I cannot fault Alyssa except in one thing: I have no talents to waste. My only aptitude is for spending money, at which I am exceedingly good.’
‘Have I offended you?’
‘No,’ he said, shrugging.
She looked at him from under her lashes. ‘I-I do not believe you should speak in that way,’ she faltered, ‘saying you have no talent – everyone has, you know.’
He shook his head. ‘Not I. At least, none I have yet discovered – apart from the one I mentioned.’
‘Bah! That is not a talent; any fool can squander money.’
‘So I am a fool then?’
She blushed but tilted her chin defiantly. ‘For getting into debt – yes.’
Regarding her with a fascinated eye, he asked, ‘Are you appointing yourself my moral guardian, Miss Ravenhill?’
‘No. If you are stupid enough to gamble and while away your life to no purpose that is your business.’
Piers stirred uneasily in his chair. With very few words, this doe-eyed slip of a girl had succeeded in making him feel ashamed. He pushed away the thought and said in a cutting voice, ‘Don’t flatter yourself you would have success lecturing me – my uncle and Alyssa chastized me for years, and to no end.’
Letty did not answer but studied his expression and, with a devastating smile, said eventually, ‘Oh dear, it is too bad!’
‘What is?’ he replied, blankly.
‘You are scowling again, Mr Kilworth,’ she declared, shaking her head. ‘An unfortunate habit, far worse than wasting money.’
He fell silent for a long moment, watching her. ‘You’re a curious young woman. You appear from nowhere to speak of morality, and then admonish me for scowling! What am I to make of
‘I have seen you ,’ replied Piers, his eyes roaming over her face and recognition dawning.
‘You have? When?’
Placing his hands on the chair in front of him, Piers said, ‘Unless I am very much mistaken, you are Miss Letitia Ravenhill.’
‘You have the advantage of me then, sir, for I cannot guess your identity. Indeed, you might be an escaped convict or some other nefarious creature, here to steal bounty. But, no – you cannot be. You are too well dressed and your expression is too benign for that, although it is sullen. Why do you scowl so?’
‘I am not scowling!’ cried Piers, affronted.
‘Yes, you are. It does not suit you,’ remarked Letty cordially. ‘Why, if only you would remove those furrows from your brow, you could be described as pleasant-looking .’
He gasped. ‘Well, of all the—’
‘You are about to say that my manner is unbecoming, but I still don’t know your name.’
‘I’m Piers Kilworth. I saw you at my aunt’s – that is to say, Alyssa’s mother’s – funeral a few years ago.’
She studied him with interest. ‘So you are Lyssa’s cousin. I don’t remember, but I have heard about you recently.’
‘Nothing good, I’ll warrant,’ he said, his mouth twisting into a sardonic smile as he walked over to sit near Letty. ‘I’m the black sheep of the Paradise family, you know – totally irredeemable.’
‘I’ve heard nothing very bad, Mr Kilworth.’
‘Surely you can call me Piers, in view of our connection through Alyssa?’
She shook her head. ‘That would not be right – I do not know you. Indeed, we should not be alone, but I suppose it must be considered unexceptional as you are Alyssa’s cousin.’
‘But you just said you had heard about me.’
‘From Alyssa, yes, but I will judge you myself now.’
‘What has she told you?’ asked Piers, curious to hear what this forthright girl knew.
‘Do you want the truth?’
‘Of course. After receiving one jolt with your unexpected appearance, I believe I can withstand another,’ he said, ironically.
‘That you were a charming boy, who has grown into a self-indulgent man, wasting his talents on a sybaritic lifestyle.’
Piers gave a chuckle and folded his arms across his chest. He said, mockingly, ‘A sad but correct indictment! I cannot fault Alyssa except in one thing: I have no talents to waste. My only aptitude is for spending money, at which I am exceedingly good.’
‘Have I offended you?’
‘No,’ he said, shrugging.
She looked at him from under her lashes. ‘I-I do not believe you should speak in that way,’ she faltered, ‘saying you have no talent – everyone has, you know.’
He shook his head. ‘Not I. At least, none I have yet discovered – apart from the one I mentioned.’
‘Bah! That is not a talent; any fool can squander money.’
‘So I am a fool then?’
She blushed but tilted her chin defiantly. ‘For getting into debt – yes.’
Regarding her with a fascinated eye, he asked, ‘Are you appointing yourself my moral guardian, Miss Ravenhill?’
‘No. If you are stupid enough to gamble and while away your life to no purpose that is your business.’
Piers stirred uneasily in his chair. With very few words, this doe-eyed slip of a girl had succeeded in making him feel ashamed. He pushed away the thought and said in a cutting voice, ‘Don’t flatter yourself you would have success lecturing me – my uncle and Alyssa chastized me for years, and to no end.’
Letty did not answer but studied his expression and, with a devastating smile, said eventually, ‘Oh dear, it is too bad!’
‘What is?’ he replied, blankly.
‘You are scowling again, Mr Kilworth,’ she declared, shaking her head. ‘An unfortunate habit, far worse than wasting money.’
He fell silent for a long moment, watching her. ‘You’re a curious young woman. You appear from nowhere to speak of morality, and then admonish me for scowling! What am I to make of
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