“Oh, Charlotte, how exciting.” Emily beamed and touched the smaller woman’s hand. “I would love to visit Paris one day. I’m certain you and Patricia will have a wonderful time.”
“Emily, you must come to see our traveling gowns.” Charlotte clasped Emily’s hand and tugged. “I’m still amazed that Father has allowed us this luxury.” Her gaze toggled between Emily and Ashton in hesitation. “Unless, of course, you are otherwise engaged at the moment.”
“Uh, well...” Emily passed Nicole an apologetic stare.
“Emily,” Nicole quickly answered, “if you want to go into the shop and see their gowns, I will not be upset.”
“Indeed? You won’t mind?” Emily slowly pulled her hand from around Ashton’s arm.
“Not at all.” Nicole’s smile widened. “I will continue my stroll with Mr. Lee. We’ll just be down by the docks. You can meet up with us when you are finished.”
Relief splashed across Emily’s expression. “Splendid.” She turned to her friends. “Show me these gowns.”
The three young ladies hurried to the shop and through the door without looking back. Ashton was vastly relieved to be alone with Nicole—as alone as he could be out in the middle of town.
He glanced down into her glowing face. “Remind me, Miss Bastian, shouldn’t an unmarried woman like yourself have some kind of chaperone since you are in the company of a single man? And won’t your uncle disapprove of your cousin leaving you?”
She snorted a laugh. “First off, I’m not as young as you seem to think, and I can assure you, Emily will not say a word.”
“She won’t?”
“Certainly not, especially since my aunt and uncle don’t approve of Emily’s acquaintance with the Hansen sisters. I will keep Emily’s secret, just as my cousin will keep mine.”
He shrugged. “Then who am I to question fate?”
“Who indeed?” She cocked her head, pausing briefly. “So tell me, Mr. Lee, where were you this morning? I have been in town for a while, and I had hoped to see you sooner.”
“I was hiding in the bakery.” He laughed. “I had been watching you and your cousin before I decided to make my presence known.”
“Oh, really? What were you doing in the bakery? Eating a sticky bun?”
He laughed loudly. “You caught me. But I wasn’t quite eating one since they were still making it for me.”
“What made you finally decide to come out of the shop?”
He really couldn’t stop staring into her eyes. There was something magical about her that entranced him. They were brown with flecks of gold. He had never seen anything quite like them before. “I realized the pastries inside the shop do not compare to your sweetness.”
Her cheeks bloomed a lovely pink color again. “Oh, Mr. Lee. You say the kindest things.”
They were silent for a few awkward moments as he led them across the street and down the slope toward the small park by the sea. The closer they got to the water, the chillier the air became. The breeze today was small, but he was certain their walk would be bearable.
He glanced at her. She held her head straight with confidence and appeared as if she wasn’t bothered in the least about taking a walk with him without a proper chaperone. She was certainly a different woman from what he was used to, not only with her beauty but with her attitude.
“You know, Miss Bastian, I believe you have lied to me.”
She stumbled but quickly righted herself. When she turned her eyes to his, they were wide with worry. Now the smile on her face looked forced.
“I have?” she said softly.
“Yes. Last night at the masked ball, you tried to make me think you were a plain woman.” He slowly slid his attention over her face and then dipped down to her dress. “Obviously, that was a lie. You are far from plain. Quite the opposite, in fact.”
As a genuine smile graced her face again, her shoulders relaxed. “Oh,” she said with a sigh. “You are much too kind, but I fear you are wrong. Either you need spectacles, or you are the one who is not being honest right now.”
“I’m not wrong. You are a very lovely woman who is as fascinating as she is beautiful.”
She flipped her hand in the air. “What a flatterer you are, Mr. Lee.”
“Please, call me Ashton.” His voice came out lower than expected, and he quickly cleared his throat. “I would like it if you would call me that when we are alone.”
