“Not at all.”
“Is lying part of your job, Lord Ashton? For it should be; you are particularly good at it.”
“If I were any good, Miss Sterling, you would not know if I were lying or not, now, would you?”
“Even the best liars can be caught out.”
“An amusing theory but I thought we were supposed to be cleverly critiquing this fine piece of marble.”
“Perhaps you need to go to more exhibitions. To hone your skills.”
“I like this side of you, Miss Sterling. I was afraid my ward was going to be nothing but a quiet, obedient mouse.”
“I assure you, my lord, I am nothing like a mouse, but since we are calling each other names perhaps I should call you a hyena.”
“A hyena?”
“They are known for running away when threatened.”
Tony laughed. “Your grasp on African animals is impressive but I hardly see how this is comparable.”
“Because you run away when you make a… mistake.”
“Ah, I wondered how long it would take you to confront me about the…” She shushed him. Actually, shushed him. He was more shocked than anything.
“I would have sooner, but you appeared to be hiding from me, my lord.” Her voice was getting louder with her agitation.
“We can have a full discourse on this issue later. This is not quite the place.”
“I agree but let me first warn you not to scare Lord Dunstan away again, unless of course you have reason. If he is found to be a murderer or a gambler of high stakes. Have you found such evidence, my lord?”
“I dare say, I wouldn’t bother running him off just yet, but the season is young.”
They strolled arm in arm as if they had not just had a quarrel. Her quick wit impressed him, and it was true. He had thought the quiet, mousy girl of the last few weeks, not the same person he had met the night she arrived. He supposed she was becoming more confident. That was a good thing, wasn’t it?
Damn it. This guardian thing was harder than he had ever imagined. Now he wished it had entailed nothingbuttaking her shopping. That at least would not have him dreaming of her, of those green, green eyes. He would not be thinking of how he wanted to kiss each small freckle that lay on the bridge of her nose and cheeks. To taste those champagne-sweet lips. Oh, lord, he must stop this madness.
How to keep his distance but not make it look like he was hiding from her. They had made the end of the gallery with not another word.
“I will try and do better if you will,” he said, because he was not going to apologize again.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you?”
“Should I have said something else? It was you who told me if I hear something and I am not sure it is genuine, I should just say, thank you.”
“That is not what I said at all. I said when someone compliments you, and you are not sure if the compliment is genuine.”
“Oh, I must be mistaken then. What must I say when someone says something to me, and it seems disingenuous?”
He growled, bowed, and stalked away from her because she knew, as he did, that the answer would be the same and people were beginning to stare.
He had changed his mind. He did not like this new side of her. It was a lie, of course. Part of him wanted more of her daring. Not that he liked being told off. He did not look Miss Sterling’s way again. He gained a hack in quick time. What a mess he was making of all this. Was he a hyena?
*
Marianne and hermother came up to Lucinda with concern on their faces.
