“I’m glad you find it humorous when a lady falls on her bum. But it certainly is not to the person who has fallen.”
He laughed again. Tears formed, and he wiped them away. “It was rather amusing. It’s not every day a man gets to witness such grace in motion.” When had he last given himself over to belly-deep laughter? When Ellie was two and smeared jam all over her face?
It tickled through his body and felt . . . good. Strange, but good.
She brushed off her skirts. “I thought you were my brother.”
He hitched a brow at her.Brother?Definitely not. “I amabrother, just not yours.”
She paused in brushing the non-existent dust from her skirts and met his gaze. Eyes as blue as the rare sunny sky stared back at him and scattered his wits.
He suddenly felt unsteady on his own feet. Perhaps it served himright for laughing at her.
“You must be Honoria’s brother.”
“I am.” He gave a—rather exaggerated—bow. “Viscount Manning at your service, miss.” He studied her. “Or is it madam? Since we haven’t had the pleasure of being formally introduced, it would be rude of me to presume you aren’t married.”
And why did that matter to him? He brushed the question aside.
“MissAnne Weatherby.”
Weatherby.Where had he heard that name? “Well, Miss Weatherby, as you have discovered, I am not the brother you were seeking. So I suggest you go back inside and continue your search there.”
The pixie uttered something that sounded very much likerude.
“Anne.”
Colin tore his attention away from the petite woman before him and turned toward the house at his sister’s voice.
“Indira and Eleanor were looking for you.”
Two girls Colin did not recognize bracketed Honoria in the terrace doorway. Anne’s children? No, she saidMissWeatherby.
Honoria’s eyes locked with his. “Colin? I see you’ve met Miss Weatherby.”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” His lips twitched as he fought a smile. “She mistook me for her missing brother.”
“Missing?” Honoria stepped closer, the two girls on her heels. “Mr. Weatherby is with Drake. Why would you think he’s missing, Anne?”
“I didn’t say he was missing.” The nymph’s eyes flared as she glared at him. “Your brother did. I was simply looking for Andrew and saw the back of his head. With his red hair, I presumed it was Andrew. It was a simple mistake.”
Colin speared her with a glare. “A mistake that disturbed my solitude.”
“He doesn’t look like Father. He’s taller and meaner looking,” one of the young girls said.
Ah, so the girls were Miss Weatherby’s nieces. “And who might you be?”
“I’m Eleanor, and this is my twin, Indira.” The girls gave remarkably well-executed curtsies.
He bowed in return. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Weatherby and Miss Indira. Or is it the other way around? Twins, you say?Who is the eldest?”
“I am,” Indira said. “Her Grace says you have two daughters, and one is named Elinor as well.”
“Correct. Cassandra is the eldest. They should be around somewhere. I apologize for my disgruntled appearance. You see, I was enjoying a rare moment of respite when someone rudely interrupted.” From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Miss Anne Weatherby, satisfied by her huff of annoyance. “Now, if you will all excuse me, it’s becoming rather crowded out here.”
Colin avoided the disapproving look in Honoria’s eyes as he skirted past her and the two girls. So much for his one wish. He should have stayed in his room. Or gone fishing, as Ellie had first guessed.
Almost at the French doors, Miss Weatherby’s voice rang behind him. “Is your brother always in such a foul temper?”
