“Indeed, you say? Then tell me what is this gesture?” He puckered his lips, demonstrating what she had been doing to him this afternoon. “While you were sitting by the tree earlier today, you were doing this to me. Is that not blowing kisses?”
“Oh dear,” she mumbled and closed her eyes for a brief moment as the shade of her face went scarlet.
“Tell me, Miss Baldwin, if I was mistaken.”
She nodded and moisture gathered in her green eyes. “You are, my lord. I fear I wasn’t blowing kisses to you, but trying to blow away the bee buzzing around my head.”
Embarrassment swept over him, yet he knew she felt the same—if not worse—for his mistake. “Forgive me, then. I honestly thought…” He paused, not really knowing the words to say. Yet the more he thought about what she’d really done, and what he’d thought she was doing, the funnier it became. Soon a chuckle bubbled in his throat, and within seconds, she laughed with him.
“It is rather humorous, is it not?” she said. “In my attempt to make the bee go away without stinging me, I led you to believe I was being forward.”
He threw back his head and laughed heartily, which eased the tension in their conversation considerably. When he looked back at her, she smiled with a gleam in her adorable eyes.
Tristan enjoyed her looking at him in this way. As with other young ladies, she didn’t act as if she was trying to impress him, but instead, she was being herself.
He let his gaze roam over her face; skin that looked so soft, a perfectly shaped nose that wouldn’t get in the way if he tried to steal a kiss, and lips so luscious he wanted to sample them. Why was he thinking about seducing her when he knew nothing about her? Quickly, he raised his eyes to hers and smiled. He wanted to know everything about this lovely creature who was more interesting than any woman he’d ever met.
“Tell me truthfully, my lord, is this the reason you asked me to dance?”
He shrugged. “Yes and no. When I first caught you flirting with me,” he paused and winked, “I knew I wanted to meet you. I have never known a woman who was so bold, yet the more I studied you during the meal tonight, the more I realized you were not what you seemed.” He took a quick glance around them at the other couples, then back to her. “I’m amazed your beauty hasn’t made you more popular this evening.”
“My beauty?” She laughed louder. “Indeed, you jest, my lord.”
“I wasn’t trying to make you laugh. I’m being very serious.”
“Serious?” She arched her brow. “I think not. I’m quite certain you would have heard about the Baldwin family by now. If so, there’s no way you could have made a comment like that and been serious.”
Curiosity got the best of him, making him want to get to know her better. “The truth is I haven’t heard anything about your family. I have been in Scotland visiting relatives, so I’ve been out of the area for a few years.”
Her eyes widened. “You have? Well, I’m relieved to hear it.”
“So tell me, what am I supposed to have heard about the Baldwin family?”
The dance ended, and he frowned. So did she, but then she had looked discouraged by his question, not that they had to stop dancing. He took her hand and led her away from the middle of the room, taking her back toward her mother. Miss Baldwin leaned closer to him and met his gaze.
“Trust me, you will hear something about my family tonight, but know this now. It’s not true. At least I don’t believe it’s true. And…” She nibbled her bottom lip. “I thank you for the refreshing dance. I enjoyed getting to know you.”
Her words made him that much more curious, and he wished he didn’t have to leave her side. Yet dancing with her twice in a row would only start tongues wagging here in this den of gossipmongers. Neither of them needed that.
He stopped beside her mother, then took Diana’s hand and bestowed a small kiss on her knuckles. “It was a pleasure, Miss Baldwin. I hope we can talk again very soon.”
She graced him with a smile, but he could see it wasn’t genuine because her pretty green eyes didn’t light up. Did she think he was lying? Well, he’d just have to prove to her he wasn’t.
Chapter Seven
Diana smiled. Shecouldn’t help it. Watching Lord Tristan and remembering every little second of their dance together did that to her. Since he’d left her by her mother’s side, Diana’s heart hadn’t stopped flipping and butterflies did their own ballet in her stomach. She had hoped he would ask her to dance again but so far he hadn’t. It surprised her to see he only danced three more times and they were with older or married women.
The memory of his laugh sent tingles over her, and the way his blue eyes had darkened made her breathless. She should give up these foolish notions, but she couldn’t. He was the only man who had made her heart sing within a few minutes of meeting him.
Throughout the rest of the evening, she’d kept her eyes on Lord Tristan as he moved from group to group conversing. Every so often, their gazes met. She should have looked away, but she couldn’t. Not when his smile made her wonder if he was interested in her as she was in him.
After a while, her mother struck up a conversation with a couple of older ladies. The topic they discussed was mundane—that or Diana couldn’t pay attention to them because she kept watching Lord Tristan. Either way, she refused to stand and listen.
She touched her mother’s elbow to get her attention. “I’m going into the other room to get a glass of lemonade.”
“That’s fine, dear.” Her mother turned back to the other women.
Diana weaved through the crowded room, hoping not to run into Lady Jane and her friends. They had been talking about Diana this evening, she was certain. She may have not heard their words this time, but she could tell by the way they looked at her and snickered thatshewas their point of interest. Women like that sickened Diana. Was it any wonder she abhorred theton? She preferred living in the country and not having to mingle with these haughty people.
