Bollocks.
He was going to break into a sweat again if he thought of her shedding her clothes and easing that delectable body of hers into the water.
He hurried downstairs before he cast caution to the wind and did something utterly stupid.
The hour was still early, not yet eleven o’clock in the morning, and only a few guests were in the dining room. Fortunately, the two young ladies who had passed the orange peel test were seated at the table and chatting with the others.
They both looked up and smiled as he strode in.
Lady Annalise was a pretty brunette with striking green eyes, and Lady Beatrice had hair as dark as a raven’s wing and crystal blue eyes. He should have felt some attraction toward them, should he not? But there was a brightness lacking in their expressions, a casual boredom in everything they said and did that dampened their sparkle.
Being pampered all one’s life was not a blessing, he decided. One ought to face challenges in order to appreciate the bounties received.
These young ladies showed little regard for all they had been given.
It truly dulled them.
Lady Annalise motioned to the empty chair beside hers. “Do join me, Your Grace.”
Well, why not?
Harriet would berate him if he passed up the opportunity.
Not to mention his grandmother was seated at the table and would harangue him endlessly if he ignored the young lady’s request.
He drew out the chair and settled beside Lady Annalise, ordering a footman to pour him a cup of coffee as he did so.
After taking a sip of the hot liquid that felt divine sliding down his throat, he sought to converse with the ton diamond whose hair was done to perfection. Her gown was designed just for this sort of summer morning at a country house party and had just the right amount of frills and lace.
“Have you done anything of interest today, Lady Annalise?” he asked, hoping to get to know her better.
He was cursed with a five minute list of the things that went wrong for her this morning, all completely trivial and insanely dull.
Her gown took forever to be properly pressed.
“Terribly sorry.” Max had no doubt all the women at his party had gowns that needed pressing and their maids all had to wait their turn.
Lady Annalise, daughter of a wealthy marquess, was not used to waiting in line for anything.
“Then I lost an earring,” she griped.
“A tragedy,” he intoned.
“Indeed, it was.” She then proceeded to explain in excruciating detail how her maid had spent over an hour searching for it until it was finally found snagged on the light wrap she had worn last night.
She then blamed her maid for not noticing the loss sooner.
“Why blame her?” Max asked. “Wouldn’t you have realized it when you took the earrings off?”
“It is her responsibility to take inventory of my valuables.”
“Which I assume she did this morning when she came to attend you,” Max said, irritated that Annalise was taking no responsibility whatsoever for her own actions.
Not that he blamed either of them for what was a mere accident.
Were they not both tired from their long day?
“Did you have your maid wait up for you last night? We played cards and danced until almost dawn.”
