She craned her neck to peer behind him.“No flowers today?”
“You don’t like flowers,” he reminded her.
“Everyone likes flowers,” she said with a laugh.
He shook his head.“You didn’t like the oneIbrought.”
“You didn’t mean it.I believe you promised you’d do better.”She leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms.“Did you?”
Nicholas shifted his weight.Hehadsaid that, and then promptly forgot.Blast.Nothing he’d ever said had mattered the second day before.“Er…”
“As I thought.”She moved out of the way.“Come on in, Mr.Disappointment.”
“Wait.I brought you this.”The stone was in his hand before he could stop himself.
She stared at it without changing expression.“It’s a rock.”
He nodded.“Yes.”
Her forehead creased.“You brought me a rock instead of flowers.”
“Yes,” he said again, wishing very much that he had not.“I’ll get rid of it.”
He began to curl his fingers about the stone in order to toss it over his shoulder in embarrassment.
She clasped her gloved hands about his fist before he could do so.“Don’t.I like it.”
He didn’t move.
She didn’t lift her hands from his.
His heart gave a strange lurch.
“You like rocks better than flowers?”he asked uncertainly.
“I likethisrock.”She pried it from his hand and dropped it into the bib pocket of her smock.“You meant it.Well done.”She motioned toward the drawing room fireplace.“Your biscuits are on the mantel.”
“Er… Thank you.”He stepped inside and took off his hat.“Have you had enough time to consider my proposal?”
Too late.
She was gone.
Perhaps he had interrupted her in the midst of some experiment.No doubt she had disappeared to her dressing room in order to put herself to rights.
’Twas of no import.He had a moment to spare.After all, there were biscuits.He hurried over to the mantel where a stack of half a dozen rose from a single saucer.
“Don’t mind if I do,” he murmured, and lifted the first biscuit to his mouth.Mmm.Raisin and oat.He let his eyes close in happiness.
“Do they meet your approval?”
He spun around, neck growing hot.“That was fast.I expected you to—”
Changeseemed an inopportune word if he still hoped to sweet-talk her out ofDuke’s custody.It seemed Miss Mitchell had not gone to freshen up.She had gone to fetch more biscuits.
Nicholas much preferred this turn of events.
“These have cranberries,” she said.“You may only have one.I’m working on a new recipe for the reception hall.”
