“She probably sacked them all by now,” Miss Weatherby said with a pained expression. “She’s hoping you’ll steal an illicit kiss and feel honor-bound to marry me.”
He leaned forward in interest. “You said you weren’t interested in marrying me.”
“I never denied interest in kissing,” she mumbled as she turned toward the corridor. She raised her voice. “Come along. This way to the parrot.”
“Wait… you want me to steal a kiss?” The last of the yellow petals littered the corridor as Thad hurried after her.
She paused at an open doorway and sent him a mortified look that he’d overheard her muttered words.
Thad was very intrigued at the thought of kissing.
“I don’t want to want to,” she hedged, and blushed.
Thad knew exactly what she meant. He kept trying to walk away, but couldn’t prevent himself from coming back.
There was nothing he wanted more than to toss his daffodil stumps aside, sink his fingers in her hair, and kiss her senseless.
Chapter 6
Priscilla’s pulse skipped as her eyes met Mr. Middleton’s in silent acknowledgment of the electricity between them.
She had dreamed of adventure, yearned for something different, but now that he was standing in her corridor, she had no idea what to do about it.
Something new in this old house! She could scarcely credit it. In the space of a moment, her endless, boring afternoons had been turned on their ears.
Mr. Middleton was the first male guest since… well, ever. Other than Papa and Grandfather, of course, who owned the property, despite never being present.
She supposed she could send Mr. Middleton on his way as well, now that Grandmother was out of sight, and maybe she would. But this was also a golden opportunity for Mr. Middleton to discover on his own that he and Priscilla could not be less compatible. She wouldn’t have to let him down easily.
He’d run off screaming.
“This is my drawing room,” she said and stepped inside.
Mr. Middleton followed her.
Priscilla’s heart pounded. She was now up to two impossible things before tea time. Maybe ten. She’d lost count.
“Wait here,” she said. “I’ll fetch Koffi.”
She slipped into her bedchamber and closed the door to catch her breath.
“Tea and cake!” Koffi squawked.
“There’s no treat,” she informed him. “Unless you want to nibble the stalks of what once might have been daffodils.”
“Once upon a time!” Koffi squawked.
Priscilla opened his cage and held out her finger.
Koffi stared back at her. “Tea and cake!”
“I’ll give you a treat,” she promised, “as soon as you meet Mr. Middleton.”
“Plain mister, no title!” Koffi squawked. “Plain mister, no—”
“Shhh.” Priscilla reached in to pull Koffi from his cage. “Just because a thing is true doesn’t mean a man wants to hear you saying so. Be nice to Mist—our guest,” she corrected quickly.
On the other hand, this meeting would give Mr. Middleton the perfect excuse to walk away. Papa and Grandfather had no problem leaving Koffi behind. Grandmother couldn’t stand the sight of him, or the smell, or the sound. Mr. Middleton would find a reason to flee the second Koffi opened his beak.
