Requiring every ounce of his self-control, he bit back the laugh. “Of course.” He opened the book, realized he held it upside-down, and pretended to resume reading.
Seconds later, and much to his relief, she gave a final huff and, in a rustle of skirts, exited the room.
He began to give honest thought to feigning an illness and leaving the house party before it had begun.
One of the twins—Indira?—ran into the room and held a finger to her lips, whispering, “Don’t tell.” She ducked behind the heavy draperies.
Moments later, Cassie poked her head around the door, and upon seeing him, asked, “Is Indira in here?”
He simply shrugged at his daughter, who sighed and left.
“Did she leave?” The girl’s muffled voice came from behind the drapes. Brown half-boots peeked out from the green brocade hem.
“Yes. But if she hadn’t, you would have given yourself away. You’re lucky Cassie isn’t a particularly observant girl.”
Indira emerged from her hiding spot. “I hate this game.”
“Then why do you play it?”
She moved closer, her blue eyes trained on the book in his hand. “Mother told me to be agreeable with what the other girls wanted to do.”
“I assure you, Cassie and Ellie would not take offense if you didn’t want to play. And if they do, come and tell me.”
She shook her head, her strawberry-blond curls swishing against her pale-blue frock. “I’m not a tattletale.” Regardless of the girl’s aunt’s opinion, Indira stepped closer, obviously unafraid of the so-called grump. “What are you reading?”
“The title isEmma.”
“You’re reading a book about a girl? You do realize you’re holding it upside-down?” Her little mouth quirked up.
Impudent imp. He chuckled inwardly at the implication—ha!—of his alliterative play on words.
He schooled his expression into all seriousness. “I find it’s the best way to read a book about a frivolous female.”
“But how can you read it if...oh!” Blue eyes so like her aunt’s stared up at him, studying, assessing. “You’re bamming me!” She placed her hands on her hips and gave her chin a defiant jerk. “Do you know what I think?”
He crouched down toward her. “No. I’m not one of those people who travel around telling fortunes. I don’t read minds.”
The imp shook her finger at him. “They’re called Romani. And they don’t read minds, either. They’re people just like you and me.”
“And you know many of these Romani, do you?”
“I know Dr. Somersby and his mother.”
Of course. Colin remembered the gossip inThe Muckrakerabout the uprising in which the good doctor nearly lost his life. “I stand corrected.”By a child, no less!
“Anyway, I think Aunt Anne is wrong.”
Oh, this was wonderful! “Do tell.”
“She called you an ogre. But you’re not. You’re just a sad, lonely man.”
A child’s words shouldn’t stingso much. And yet...
“You best go hide somewhere before one of the other girls comes looking for you.”
The girl skipped off, calling over her shoulder, “I’m sorry about your wife.”
Colin turned the book over in his hand, then tossed it back onto the table where he’d found it.
