From the corner of her eye, she noticed her father motioning his hands toward the earl. Inwardly, she groaned. It wasn’t wise to forget about her real purpose here tonight. Getting closer to her target was important. As it was, too many people separated them at this moment.
“Forgive me,” she said, starting a new conversation, “but I just realized that you have yet to tell me your name.”
When his gaze met hers again, his hazel eyes sparkled with mirth. “I cannot believe we have gone this long without proper introductions.” He faced her. “I’m Adrian Dorsey, the country-bumpkin cousin that visits the earl from time to time.”
Confusion filled her briefly. Why did he make it a point to bring out hisimpoverishedstate, and yet his actions were so very different?
She turned and moved slowly in the direction of the earl. Was he lying to her? Was the strange man trying to play with her emotions? Or had he suspected she was only at this party to snag herself a titled, wealthy husband? If that were the case, she would have to thwart his mistrust quickly. “Do you have a title I should address you by?”
He shook his head and walked with her. “I’m just a commoner.”
“Oh, Mr. Dorsey, although I’ve only just met you, I can see that you’re far from beingcommon.”
“Indeed?” He cocked his head, watching her. “Pray tell, what makes me stand out?”
“Well, earlier it was your dirt-smudged face.” She chuckled.
His body shook with a silent laugh. “I must apologize for looking so sullied. If I had known there were three lovely visitors on our land...”
“But you didn’t know,” she quickly added. “And we weren’t exactly visitors.”
“So what about now? What makes you think I’m far from common now?”
She took a quick peek at the earl. Although he was standing in line with Lady Margaret dancing the reel, his attention was diverted toward Lyndsey. Her heartbeat quickened. Why was he watching her and not his dance partner? And yet, his narrowed expression looked more suspicious than his being dazzled by infatuation.
“Well you see,” she said, returning her focus to Adrian, “it’s because you went out of your way to visit with me.” Knowing she was in the earl’s direct vision, she stopped. Her father couldn’t scold her for not having the earl’s attention now. “After all,” she continued, grinning at Mr. Dorsey, “you have your pick of more than enough elegant ladies here tonight, and yet I’m the one you have chosen. And because of that, I’m wondering if you believemeto be one of these farthing-filcher women you’d mentioned earlier.”
A sudden cough sprang from his throat, and his face reddened. Lyndsey grinned, knowing she’d caught him off guard. But maybe that was the only way to keep him off her husband-hunting trail. She couldn’t have him stopping her – or the earl – from wanting to get to know each otherifthey ever reached that point in the evening.
Once Adrian’s coughing subsided, an all-knowing expression crossed his handsome face, making his eyes twinkle. He linked his hands behind him, which made his chest appear wider than she first imagined. Indeed, he was one fine man – country-bumpkin or not. And yet, if he really wasn’t the penniless cousin, who was he?
“I must say, Miss Benson, that you’re quite outspoken, and that not only surprises me, but it pleases me.”
“Pray, did I say something out of turn, Mr. Dorsey? I was merely pointing out the obvious.”
“Obvious?”
She nodded. “Do you, or do you not, think I’m one of those deceitful women? Can you honestly say that you think I would lie to someone to mask my true purpose?”
