The Last Eligible Bachelor - Ashtyn Newbold Page 0,26

for a chance at marrying him. He was well aware of his own charms and wealth. “I came because I was forced to.” My voice barely carried over Mrs. Ollerton’s prattle, but Mr. Hill seemed to have heard me, if his concerned frown was any indication.

It wasn’t a lie. Sophia would have been forced to come to Bibury if she had not forced me to come in her place. “My—er—my parents did not give me a choice in the matter.” I glanced up at him, growing increasingly uncomfortable with the growing scrutiny from the other ladies and their indiscreet attempts at eavesdropping. Miss Downsfield sat on the very edge of her chair, her head turned slightly toward us, and I could only imagine Miss Benham had heard at least a few of our words from her place on my other side.

Mr. Hill watched me for a long moment, until my face burned hot and my lungs tightened. Finally he spoke, a slight smile of understanding pulling up one edge of his lips. “We have that in common, then. I was forced to come as well.”

It was my turn to be confused. I scowled as I watched him turn in his chair toward the group, obviously noticing the eavesdropping that was becoming less and less discreet. There was so much I didn’t know about Mr. Hill. I had been tempted to ask Mrs. Ollerton why he had required her assistance to make a match, but since she had not already explained it, I worried it wasn’t a subject she would be willing to discuss. Had he really been forced to come?

My questions would have to remain unanswered. After this evening, I was fairly certain my efforts had failed entirely. Speaking with him again with any level of attentiveness was not an option.

He could have been teasing about the things he said, but there had been too much sincerity behind his voice when he had told me how I had captured his attention—precisely the opposite of what I had come here to achieve. The other ladies had given him all their attention, and I hadn’t.

Is that what had drawn him to me?

An idea formed in the back of my mind, and my heart pounded. If I chose to behave more like the other ladies—fawning over him, flirting, following his every move…then would he change his opinion of me? Perhaps in avoiding him I was giving him a challenge that he could not resist. I would have to take a lesson from Miss Downsfield if I hoped to drive him away for good.

I had been going about it all wrong.

I had stood out with my antics.

What I needed to do to be truly invisible was fit in among the elegant, eager, and dramatic ways of the other four guests.

It would be difficult, but it could be done. I could prattle on and on about fashion like Miss Benham if I wanted, and I could certainly fabricate some worries about my health like those Miss Coppins had told me about. Miss Taplow was quiet, but very elegant and polite, and I knew from my tutelage in my youth that I could effect that demeanor with a bit of focus. My confidence faltered as I considered Miss Downsfield. Could I be the first to clutch Mr. Hill’s arm on a walk, or cast him flirtatious smiles with every word he spoke?

I spent the rest of the evening in deep thought, hardly hearing any of the conversation in the room. If this was going to be my new plan, then I would need to wait until the next day to put it into effect, after carefully planning the details with Jessie and ensuring it wasn’t a ridiculous idea.

When it was finally time to retire for the evening, I hurried out the door and away from Mr. Hill’s watchful gaze. Once I was safely inside my bedchamber, I rang for Jessie. We had much to discuss.

Chapter 8

Jessie turned me toward the mirror again, tugging on my shoulders when I resisted. “Tillie,” she grumbled. “It’s not perfect yet.”

I complied with her prodding, turning toward my reflection with a sigh. Jessie had been fussing over my hair arrangement for over an hour, determined to make it as intricate and detailed as Miss Benham’s. Perhaps even more so. Sophia had sent me with an assortment of decorative pins, combs, wraps, and ribbons that could be used in my hair, and Jessie had enjoyed herself far too much in selecting which