“Doormat?”
“For people to walk on?” When the girl still looked confused, Reese said, “I just mean you’re speaking up for yourself now which is good. I’m proud of you.”
“Will you ladies be joining us for cards?” The Earl called from where they were setting up a table.
“Yes.” Ellen turned toward them.
“No.” When Ellen turned around, Reese added, “I’m tired. I need to go to bed.” She turned to the others and curtsied but said in a soft voice to Ellen, “They’ll enjoy themselves better without me.”
Ellentskedbut offered no other objection, so Reese left the room. When she had reached the stairs, the Earl called from behind.
“Miss Clarisse.”
Taking a deep breath, Reese turned to face him. “Yes, my lord?”
“I wish you to call me Gareth,” he said, striding to where she stood. “When we are alone.”
“But we shouldn’t be alone, my lord.” She raised her brows, trying to keep it light. With her luck, he would soon be offering her a carte blanche with an offer to set her up in a house.
“Yes, that is true. Then when you are alone with my sister and I.” The corner of his mouth twitched up. “I would like to hear my name come from your lips.” His gaze dropped to her mouth.
Reese took a backward step up the stairs.
“Do you Americans not flirt, Miss Clarisse?” he asked.
“Not me. I hate it because it’s fake.”
“Fake?”
“False. Pretend. I don’t want pretend friendship or pretend romance.” Reese took another backward step. “I am nothing if not honest, my lord.”
“I think I like that best about you.” He looked about to move forward.
Reese picked up her skirts, turned, and took the stairs two at a time. At the top, she looked back over her shoulder to find the Earl grinning up at her.
“You coming, Kellworth?” Ned called.
Still smiling, the Earl bowed and returned to the drawing room.
Only then did she realize she’d probably given him quite a view of her ankles. With a sigh, she headed to her bedroom.
***
Jem cursed for probably the tenth time as he made his way to the Kellworth estate in the dark. If his gray broke a leg, it would be Jem’s fault for his determination to make the trip. But he had an urge—aneed—to get there that he couldn’t shake.
He’d been on edge all day and had thought it was because of how cozy Reese seemed to be getting with that Earl. However, the sense of unease hadn’t eased up on the ride back to Twickenham. If anything, it had increased the further away he got from the village. Or the further way from Reese he’d gotten. He couldn’t tell anymore. It was like an external force warning him of something. But what?
At Twickenham, when he’d tried to sneak up the back stairs still in his disguise, Nellie’s cook had caught him.
“Oh no you don’t.” The large woman had grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back. “Who are you and where do you think you’re going?” He was pretty sure she’d have gone for his ear if she could have reached it.
“It’s me. Jem.” He’d tried to pull himself free, but she had a grip like a vise.
Other servants had gathered around them, menacing.
“I don’t know.” Geoffrey had peered at him. “He’s the right size, and those blue eyes . . .”
The cook flicked some kind of dust at Jem, and his whole body had tingled. The servants gasped.
