With good food and drink in their bellies, the men had been less than circumspect, their voices growing boisterous. And amid the clack of the balls, she’d heard a good deal ofinterestinginformation.
Yet even with the disappointment of not finding the passage, another more delightful idea crossed her mind. And she presented it to her husband at supper that evening.
“Colin, I’m so glad you have a billiards room.”
He gazed at her over his wineglass. “And why is that?”
“I do love to play.”
He choked on his wine, and sputtering, blotted a serviette to his lips. “Youplaybilliards?”
Didn’t I just say that? Are you hard of hearing?
“You did, but no, my hearing is perfectly fine.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Even in my advanced age.”
Oh, dear.
“I am surprised, though. From your use of the word fluke, you obviously had some knowledge of the game, but I never imagined you actually played it. Honoria was never interested. She preferred reading.”
Anne laughed. “Odd you mentioned that. I found a book stuck between several of my gowns. I mentioned in passing I had started reading it, and Honoria must have instructed the servants to pack it. It’s about a meddling woman namedEmma.”
“Meddling, eh? In what way?”
“Matchmaking. And there’s this man, Mr. Knightley, who is always criticizing her, which, in my opinion, is not very knightly.”
“If she’s meddling, perhaps she is in need of correction and criticism. But please enlighten me; how should this Mr. Knightley live up to his name?”
“A suit of armor like the one in your library wouldn’t hurt.” She pushed the image of the knight prowling the halls at midnight from her mind and focused on the more positive aspects. “Knights are chivalrous and protective, aren’t they? They don’t point out your every minor flaw.” She gave a soft huff. “And how did we get off topic?”
He had the nerve to laugh. “I didn’t realize there was a topic. With you, I never know. Kindly refresh my memory.”
“Billiards. You said Honoria preferred reading, and I mentioned the book she had tucked in my trunk.”
He laughed again, the cad. “If I may refreshyourmemory, you were the one who began telling me about the book. But by all means, I much prefer the topic of billiards as well.”
“I have a proposition for you.” She could hardly contain her excitement over her wonderful idea.
Setting down his fork, he leaned forward and rested his chin in his palm. “I’m all ears.”
“Well, that would make you look ridiculous, wouldn’t it?”
“Anne. Billiards?”
“Oh, yes. Why do you do that to me and make my mind wander?”
“Proposition, Anne. Stay on point.” He didn’t help when his lips curved in a smile, making her want to kiss them.
Focus. Focus.
“Please do.”
“Ugh. Yes. I challenge you to a game.”
His lovely green eyes widened. “Of billiards?”
Really, the man could be so dense. “Yes. Billiards. What do you think I meant? A game of reading? That would be boring.”
He chuckled, deep and resonant, the same rumble she knew as much by touch as by hearing. “Let’s not get off-topic on books again, shall we? Does this challenge involve a prize of some sort for the winner?”
