Barely half an hour later, she scurried down the stairs to the drawing room. As she entered, the three men rose and turned their attention to her.
“Jenna! You look positively stunning, my dear,” Stuart gushed as he rushed over to her.
She glanced hastily over at Quinn and shushed him with her eyes. Good heavens, though. He hadn’t exaggerated Stuart’s outlandish garb. “Good afternoon, Stuart. It’s lovely to see you as always.”
She tried not to cringe as he planted a wet kiss on her cheek and then took up her hand and pelted kisses on the back of her glove. Vivid in her memory was the feel of those clammy lips on hers.
“You slept later than usual this morning,” Sebastian said with a frown. “Are you feeling unwell?”
“Upon my word, Jenna. If you aren’t feeling well, we can forego a ride in my phaeton. I insist you go right back up to bed,” Stuart said, waving his arms theatrically in the air.
She stole a glance at Quinn, and he nodded encouragingly. “Well, I hadn’t wanted to complain, but I am feeling a bit under the weather.” Pressing her fingers to her head, she continued on. “I think a cup of tea and an afternoon in bed is just what I need.”
“Go on up,” Quinn said, moving forward. “I’ll ring for tea to be brought up to you.”
As he walked past her, she mouthed a thank you. He winked and disappeared from the room.
Turning back to Stuart and Sebastian, she smiled brightly. “If you gentlemen will excuse me, I am going to retire.”
“Of course, of course,” Stuart said. “I’ll come around tomorrow to check in on you.”
“I’ll see you out, Stu,” Sebastian said with a quick frown in Jenna’s direction.
As soon as the two had left, she turned and fled up the stairs to her room. She closed the door and leaned heavily against it. Let them think she was ill. It wouldn’t be too far from the truth.
She shrugged out of her gown and wrapped her dressing robe around her. Moments later a knock sounded at the door and Quinn let himself in carrying a tray of tea.
“Personal service, brother dear?”
“Nothing’s too good for my poor sick sister,” he teased. “But you know, you need to try to show a little more enthusiasm when old Stu comes to call.”
She sighed and flopped into her armchair. “I can’t help it. I think I would be more excited about attending my own funeral.”
He laughed. “Now, now. He isn’tthatbad.”
“No, he’s not. He’s really a dear, but it doesn’t mean I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”
“I’m sorry, Jenna,” Quinn said in a low voice. “I know it’s all horribly unfair.”
She looked down and forced her concentration on the cup of tea she was pouring. As she sat down on her bed, cup in hand, she peered over the rim at Quinn. “I want to ask you something,” she said softly.
“Anything.”
“Are there women you just aren’t attracted to for whatever reason?”
His head reared back in surprise. “When I said anything, I certainly didn’t expect this. What makes you ask such a question?”
“Does it matter?” she asked lightly. “If a woman wanted you to kiss her, would you say no? And if she kissed you anyway, would you like it?”
He stood and stared hard down at her, his hands fisted at his waist. “Who the deuce have you been asking to kiss you?”
She sighed and put aside her cup. “Can you not just answer the question?”
“Does this have anything to do with your jaunt to the terrace with Stuart?” he asked as he eased down beside her on the bed.
Her head jerked around in surprise. “How did you know?”
“The look of panic in Stuart’s eyes may have had something to do with it,” he said dryly. “He came back into the ballroom looking like a man who had just been handed his death sentence.”
