“I don’t know whether I have just been complimented or insulted.”
“You may take it as you wish, of course. But I can assure you, I did not mean it in a complimentary manner. If you were curious.”
He stared at her. “You are most singular, Miss Merriweather.”
“Yes,” she mused, “it has gotten me more in trouble than not.”
“I can imagine,” he replied with what he thought was an impressive lack of humor, though inside he felt the first true stirrings of real amusement. And intrigue. Goodness, but he’d never met a woman like her. “I suppose it is hard to hold on to a position when one is so very outspoken.”
“You’ve no idea,” she muttered, shooting a look across the room and flushing.
He followed her gaze. As expected, Mrs. Gladstow was glaring their way. He had nothing to fear from the woman, yet still he shivered in apprehension from the furious fire in her gaze.
“Mayhap you’d best see to your charge,” he said. As much as he wished to escape Miss Merriweather’s presence, he was more concerned about the repercussions she might reap after talking to him.
She turned back to him then. “I’m sure I can handle my employer, sir, though I thank you for your concern. Now, then, about why I pulled you aside.” She cleared her throat. “You and Miss Gladstow were in close conversation during dinner.”
He quirked an eyebrow, not quite sure where she was going with this. “Yes?”
“Do you not think you were a bit too focused on her?”
He laughed. “You accuse me of giving the girl too much attention?”
“Certainly. It will not fail to have been noted. I would not have Miss Gladstow talked of.”
For the first time in the exchange, Tristan felt a true smile lift his lips. “You are to be commended for your concern. Miss Gladstow is lucky to have such a champion.”
But his praise only had her scowling more. “You think to patronize me?”
He blinked, the smile falling away. “Of course not. I merely meant to compliment you on your fierce defense of her.”
“You mean because I am in their employ, why would I care, do you not?”
Tristan stared at her, utterly flummoxed. Truly, why was it he could not seem to say the right thing to this woman? “You mistake me, madam.”
“Hmm,” was her only response. That, and the suspicious look she gave him, as if she expected him to sprout devil horns and spit fire and brimstone at her.
But if kindness and levity would not do the trick with this woman, perhaps having a strong offensive attitude would. He leaned over her, so she had to crane her neck to look at him. “Miss Merriweather,” he said, letting his voice dip to silkiness, “I get the distinct impression that you do not like me.”
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
He very nearly laughed, she surprised him so with her sarcastic drawl. Blessedly he managed to hold onto his serious mien. “I do believe, though please correct me if I’m wrong, that you are on the cusp of accusing me of nefarious purposes with your charge.”
“Aren’t you?” she shot back.
“Not in the least. I happen to like Miss Gladstow. She is a lovely young woman, who is in a strange city and not at all happy about it. I had hoped to give her some comfort by lending a sympathetic ear. Do you condemn me for that?”
For the first time in the exchange, uncertainty clouded her eyes. “Of course not.”
“Then please give me the benefit of the doubt. I do not appreciate my honor being questioned, especially when the one questioning it has no basis for their suspicions.”
That seemed to stun the words from her. She bit down on her lower lip.
A punch to the gut could not have taken the breath from his body so effectively. His eyes zeroed in on the small movement, fairly devouring the way her small teeth dug into the plump pink lip. He had the strangest desire to bend down, to replace her teeth with his own, to taste of those lips.
Mrs. Gladstow’s voice, too close to his side, yanked him back from the precipice of desire.
“Miss Merriweather, might I remind you of your position.”
