breath and said, “I believe you are developing a bad habit of startling me, sir.”
“That is because you are so easy to startle, Miss Blair, but why does it have to be a bad habit? Why can’t you say I have a good habit of startling you?”
He reached over and added another bolt to the stack closest to Millicent and took a step closer to her.
“Can a startle be good?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“How so?”
“I’ll show you sometime, but in order for it to work you can’t have a guilty conscience.”
She lifted her shoulders and her chin. “Whatever do you mean?” she asked and looked over her left shoulder. Mrs. Brown and the shop attendant were still engrossed in their conversation. “A guilty conscience about what?”
“You tell me.”
“You are talking in riddles, sir.”
“Perhaps I am, but you are a mystery to me, Miss Blair, and of course that intrigues me.”
“I have no intentions of being a mystery to you, Lord Dunraven,” she said, wondering if her hat was on straight, because his eyes seemed to be studying her so intently.
“Then why don’t you answer any of my questions directly? It makes me wonder if you have skeletons in your closet.”
His words alerted her. “Skeletons? You have a vivid imagination, sir.”
A devilish grin spread across his face and she realized he was only teasing her, but Millicent had suddenly felt as if she had been caught writing her gossip.
There was no way he could know what she was doing unless—unless he had her real dance card! Could that be? No. She was reacting far too seriously about his offhanded remark because she did have a guilty conscience. How could he know anything about her or what she was doing for her aunt?
She wouldn’t say any more about the subject. Surely if he had seen her dance card, he would have to come right out and accuse her, and somehow she felt him unwilling to do that.
Millicent had learned years ago that when she didn’t know how to answer a question, or didn’t like the direction a conversation was going, it was best to change the subject. That seemed a judicious thing to do right now.
“There is no way this can be a chance meeting, Lord Dunraven.”
“Indeed, it is not.”
“Rake that you are, you followed me, didn’t you?” she asked, a bit miffed, a bit flattered, and a bit excited.
“Yes.”
“You really are a rogue of the first order.”
“Guilty.” He paused, then added, “Though only sometimes.”
“That’s not what I hear.”
“I have been known to behave properly when it matters most, Miss Blair.”
He smiled and suddenly Millicent felt as if sunlight shone on her face. How could his smile brighten her day and fill her with such pleasant feelings? Suddenly she felt wonderful. She wanted to throw her arms up in the air and twirl around as if she were five years old again.
Standing before her was an admitted rogue who knew how to charm any lady, not just her. Yet, the very sight of him made her heart beat a little faster.
Millicent tried to sound firm while keeping her voice low. She said, “Following me is unacceptable. And standing here talking to me in this shop is even worse. Have you no care for my reputation?”
“Your reputation is safe with me. You left me no choice when you refused again to let me call on you like a proper gentleman. I had to design a plan to see you. I decided to watch Lady Beatrice’s house until you came into the garden again. But when I saw you leave the house, I decided to follow you.”
“You were watching the house again? That was foolish. I could have stayed inside all day.”
“Foolish, yes, but I do have good luck.”
“Good luck, indeed. Clearly you are an expert at maneuvering yourself so that you can have a private assignation with young ladies whenever and wherever you wish.”
He gave her that warm engaging smile as he folded his arms across his chest in a very relaxed position and leaned a narrow hip against the table. “That’s true, but it is also true I have not stooped to such antics lately. I’ve not had to, and I did it years ago for the fun and the sport of it. Now I’m doing it because you are the first young lady who has refused to allow me to call on her in a proper and gentlemanly manner.”
For some reason that truthful admission gave her confidence and freedom to give him a