With a quick grimace, Ethan closed it only partway as a nod to propriety.
Lady Allegra gave Ethan a moue of displeasure and then shifted left, indicating that he should sit beside her.
Ethan wavered, fearing she was coaxing him down the path to ruin.
Did he dare indulge his fascination with her? Kendall was due home soon. And the duke would likely be displeased to find Ethan ensconced in thesmalldrawing-room. The wise course of action would be to inquire about using a discreet servant’s door to exit Gilbert House altogeth—
“Trust you to flap the most unflappable butler I have ever known,” Lady Allegra said on a smirk, interrupting his dithering.
“Flap?” Ethan asked.
She patted the sofa cushion to her left, arching an elegant eyebrow in challenge.
He swallowed.
Perhaps . . . perhaps there would be no harm in permitting himself five minutes of indulgence. Kendall was not home yet, after all.
Ethan sat on the sofa, leaving a chaperone-approved amount of space between his trousers and her skirts. However, he did angle his body sideways to face her.
“Yes. You spread your bird-of-paradise wings and reel the poor fools in.” She mimed spinning a fishing reel.
“How does that work, precisely? I’m not sure ye understand metaphors, my lady. Or, quite frankly, fishing.”
“Perhaps not. But I do recognize potent charisma when I see it.”
Her words conjured a genuine grin on his face.
“Why, Lady Allegra, was that a compliment? Iknewye found me attractive.” He rested an elbow on the back of the sofa. “I predict we will be great friends, yourself and I. Just ye wait and see.”
Rolling her eyes, she lolled her head against the sofa cushion. “I consider a friendship between ushighlyunlikely, Mr. Penn-Leith.”
“Well, with an attitude like that . . .” hetsked. “Why such pessimism?”
“You keep rudely interrupting my escape attempts and flirting with me. Neither of those actions is particularly friend-ish.”
“Och, that isn’t kind, my lady.”
“Pardon?”
“Ye be making me choose between friendship with your lovely self and the enjoyment of teasing a blush to your bonnie cheeks.”
“Mr. Penn-Leith, you are relentless.”
“Thank ye.” He leaned toward her, darting a glance toward the ajar door before whispering conspiratorially, “However, myfriendscall me Ethan. And I must respectfully disagree with your assessment of our future friendship. I fear it is imminent.”
He said the words with a suggestive lilt to his brogue, hoping to tease her into a smile.
Instead, she merely raised that same challenging eyebrow.
Perversely, he adored that she was not easily swayed by his charm. Lady Allegra would make him earn her regard, and he respected her all the more for it.
“I categorically refuse to call youEthan.” She looked away from him on a scowl.
His Christian name on her lips sent gooseflesh flaring up his arms.
He spared another glance for the door. How much warning would he have if Kendalldidreturn home? Surely, he had a few minutes yet, right?
He turned to study Lady Allegra’s profile.
