She did her own hair!
Was it possible… “Do you think you could teach me?”
“It’s easy enough. I’ll show you later, after you’re done with supper, if you don’t mind?”
One would think that, having been taken against her will and after her frustrations the night before, she’d have more serious problems to address. And yet, still staring at the style, turning her head from side to side, Amelia smiled. “That would be perfect,” she said. “Just perfect.”
DELIGHTFUL POTATOES
Amelia didn’t know what to expect when Sally told her she’d be served in a private dining room. Not that she’d never dined thusly at various inns while traveling with her parents, but she’d half-expected to sit alone, perhaps with one of Mr. Beckworth’s men standing at the door to ensure she didn’t try slipping away.
But when she stepped around Sally, who closed the door behind her, the room wasn’t empty.
She was not the only person who’d bathed and donned new apparel.
Although he hadn’t shaved, he wore his hair slicked back, still wet from his bath, and the shiny effect matched his onyx eyes. And although he still shunned a cravat and jacket, he’d either changed or laundered his linen shirt, which was crisp and white, but still unbuttoned at the V of his neck. He didn’t bother fastening half the buttons on his waistcoat either.
Amelia’s heart skipped a beat, however, because he didn’t seem unkept—he seemed…
Dashing.Exciting.
As for Amelia, she wasn’t wearing any stays, which meant she was comfortable—if not uneasy. Could he tell? The yellowgown Sally decided on fit Amelia as though it had been from her measurements—not the measurements taken over binding stays, but her natural body.
Clasping her hands together at her waist, she met Mr. Beckworth’s gaze and the look in his eyes quite literally weakened her knees.
He’d been distant, ignoring her for most of the day, but before she could speak, he’d skirted around the narrow table and pulled the chair out for her to sit. “I wasn’t sure you were coming,” he said in his gravelly voice. The rough sound surprised her, though she supposed it shouldn’t have. Underneath the clean clothing, he was still the same man, after all.
Amelia lowered herself onto the proffered chair, and he slid it up to the table, smooth as butter—better than most footmen, actually.
But he was no footman. She deliberately turned her attention to the window behind him where outside, a few lanterns illuminated a charming little garden.
“This room is lovely,” she said. It was the sort of comment one made when facing an uncomfortable silence.
The night before, alone and miserable, she might have believed the sky was falling. Tonight, she was being treated like an honored guest.
Mr. Beckworth dipped his chin, though he still kept his eyes on her.
“Mrs. Billings did well.” He took a sip of what looked to be ale. The tankard was nearly empty. How long had he been waiting?
“Mrs. Billings?” Amelia tilted her head.
“She and her husband manage The Goat’s Tail Inn. She was asked to replace your gown. She found two, I believe?” Discussing a lady’s clothing was dreadfully inappropriate, butAmelia had to remind herself that this was a different world—temporary, most likely—hopefully?
Definitely hopefully.
“Yes. There is another. They are both lovely, thank you.” The only man who’d ever purchased her clothing had been her father. She swallowed hard.
If Mr. Beckworth had paid for them, would he have seen the receipts and known she wore nothing beneath it? Not even a chemise.
The candlelight illuminating his very knowing expression left her with no doubt that he knew. Of course he did. It made her feel vulnerable, like during a waltz, when the twirling almost made her lose her balance, right before she was caught up again.
She might as well be running about in her night rail.
Biting her bottom lip, she dropped her gaze to the narrow table. It made the meal feel unusually intimate. If she didn’t sit perfectly straight, with her feet tucked under her chair, she could accidentally kick him.
It was almost tempting…
“Supper is served.” Two women entered and proceeded to present enough bowls and platters that they nearly covered the entire length of the table. Potatoes, greens, carrots, and some variety of fowl, and other meats covered in gravy. One of the trays featured puddings and pastries.
