However long it would take her to feel his regard on her, he did not mind.He could watch her like this for hours.An entire play marched across her face as she worked.A fascinating story.
“You are besotted.I see it now.”Sybil clucked just like their mother.“Poor Tempy.Clearly you’ve fallen for a woman who does not love you back.”
“I’ve not fallen.”He cleared his throat and straightened his jacket.“Let us retrieve her.”He strode toward Miss Chester, and finally she looked up, her clear-eyed concentration giving way to confusion.
“‘Let us retrieve her,’” Sybil repeated in a deep, grumbly approximation of Temple’s voice.She rolled her eyes.“So romantic.”
“What are you doing here?”Diana asked, wiping her hands on her apron.“It is still an hour or so until closing.”
“I have Lady Guinevere’s approval to steal you away for the rest of the day.”
Diana’s brow furrowed.“She didn’t say anything.”
“I asked her to keep it secret.I thought you might try to dash off otherwise.”
“Temple.”Sybil smacked him on the arm.He always ended up with a collection of bruises after a day out with her.“You cannot browbeat a lady like this!”
“I’m not browbeating.”
Sybil glided around the long weathered worktable and linked her arm through Diana’s.“She is a lady, not an alchemist’s daughter.She’s like… air and light where we are all steel and coal.You cannot treat her the same.”
Diana pulled up taller, though she would never reach Sybil’s height.“I am made of stouter stuff than air.And light is powerful, I’ll have you know.”
Temple laughed.He couldn’t help it.This was one of the reasons Diana was the right choice.When calleddelicate, she disagreed.This was not a woman who wanted to be coddled.
But she should be cherished nonetheless.
His laugh died beneath the slash of a scowl.Cherished?Where had that nonsense come from?Probably the same unknowable place his other foolishness flowed from.I am a temple to Diana?Enough to make a fellow groan.
“You are made of sterner stuff, Miss Chester.And my sister will know that after a while.”
“Sister?”Diana looked from the one of them to the other.“You look nothing alike.”
“Thank you,” Sybil said.She made a curtsy.“I am Miss Sybil Grant, that brute’s younger and better-looking sister.Though I am second oldest in the family.The family whom, I’m pleased to announce, you are to visit tonight!What do you say to that, Miss Chester?”
“No.I apologize and thank you for the invitation.”Diana began to back away from them.She eyed him like he was a particularly odiferous spot of mud of her shoes.“But I am afraid I must work.”
He followed her.“Sybil, stay here.I must have a word with Miss Chester.”
“No,” Diana said.“There’s no need for a conversation.”
“I seem to have found another favorite word of yours.”
“No.”
“See.It drops from your lips like air.”
She shook her head and flinched as if to escape.
He caught her with a hand gentle around her wrist and tugged her toward a shadowy corner.“I want to introduce you to a group of people I am convinced you will enjoy.As they will enjoy you.”
“You promised not to tell anyone about me,” she hissed, tugging at her wrist.“Your sister knows my real name.”
He should release her.He didn’t want to release her.“You can trust my family.”
“I cannot know that.I should be able to trust my family, but—” She bit off her sentence with tight lips.Didn’t have to finish it.He knew how it ended.She nearly vibrated, every muscle in her body clenched.
He flipped her hand, palm up, and he swept his thumb along her wrist, slowly, back and forth.Calm, little mouse, calm.“Have I yet betrayed you?”he asked.
