The Last Eligible Bachelor - Ashtyn Newbold Page 0,19
didn’t matter what he thought.
His gloved hand took the ribbon end from my grasp, turning it over in his palm. He was standing close enough for me to smell the scent of leather and soap he carried. It took me a moment to remember that he had asked me a question. “I don’t plan to purchase any ribbons today,” I said.
I dared a glance up at his face. His blue eyes met mine, a shade or two darker than the ribbon he held. The sincerity I had imagined to see on his face was masked by a teasing glint, one I recalled seeing early that morning in the gardens. “Why not? It does seem to be the most beautiful of the choices before you.”
“Indeed.” I swallowed, tearing my gaze away from his face. “I must agree. But I am simply admiring it.”
“I have never found a great deal to admire in a modiste shop before.” Mr. Hill’s voice still carried the teasing tone. “But today I find there is much to admire.”
“I have never known a gentleman to find pleasure in admiring a row of ribbons.” I cast him a look of disbelief before focusing on the ribbons again. Surely Miss Downsfield had noticed our conversation by now; could she not attempt to interrupt it? I cast a quick look over my shoulder, disappointed to find all four ladies with their backs turned to me as they leaned close to a piece of beadwork.
“I did not come over here to admire the ribbons, Miss Sedgwick.”
Oh. My face burned, and I reminded myself that he had been flirting with all the other ladies too. Hadn’t he? I had not been close enough to overhear his conversation on the walk with Miss Downsfield, but all the flirtatious smiles she had been giving him must have been encouraged.
His smile curved upward on one edge when I glanced up, and I cast him a scowl. I cleared my throat, pointing up at the row that rested just above the ribbons. “Oh, I see. You must mean the lace,” I stammered. “I must agree that it is quite lovely as well. I see why you would have come to admire it instead.” I kept my expression as even as possible before dropping the blue ribbon and turning toward the other ladies.
In a similar fashion to that morning, he chuckled as I scurried away.
Would any of the other women deny that he had been flirting with them too? Surely I was not the only one. But it was also true that the other ladies were likely much less entertaining to flirt with, as they knew how to properly react to comments like the ones Mr. Hill had just made. He seemed to find great pleasure in seeing me squirm with discomfort and blush redder than the sofas in the drawing room at Winslow House.
Searching for an escape, I came to stop behind Miss Coppins. I tapped her arm, and she turned to face me with a smile.
“Would you like to go to the millinery with me?” I asked. “I saw a lovely bonnet in the window on our way here.”
“Was it the straw bonnet with the lavender ribbons?”
In truth, I had not noticed a bonnet at all. Mr. Hill was simply far too close for me to be comfortable in the modiste’s for another moment. “Yes, that one.”
“Yes, let us go see it right now.” Miss Coppins looped her arm through mine, leaning close to my ear. “The fabric Miss Benham has been admiring for ages is not even very pretty.”
I would have to be careful around Miss Coppins. Her loyalty seemed to shift quite quickly. Or perhaps she enjoyed whispering and gossiping about everyone in turn. Either way, she was the closest thing to a friend I could claim at Winslow House besides Jessie. If only Jessie could have disguised herself as a lady too, then I would not be alone in my tricks.
What would Mr. Hill think if he knew I was a maid? The idea set my heart pounding. He would regret ever admiring me at all.
Chapter 6
Since Mr. Hill was the only gentleman at Winslow House, he was the only one to linger in the drawing room for port after dinner. It had been my first night attending dinner at the house, and it had taken all my concentration to remember the manners I had grown up learning. I was glad Sophia had taken the time to remind me where to place