Thatmadeherlaugh outright. “Not one for apologizing, are you?”
“So rarely I can’t even tell you.” He sighed.
“Then why begin now… with me?”
“Because you are gorgeous and I’m hoping you’ll think better of me if we begin on a different foot. I’m also hoping you’ll have a drink with me one night soon.” He hefted the wine bottle in his hand.
Wait. What? She was gorgeous? When she dared to glance in the mirror, she saw a too-thin waif with dark smudges under her eyes, blue eyes that were far too large for her face, and a plethora of eyelashes that often made it difficult to convince anyone she was a lad. The man was either blind or a shameless flirt. Something told her it was the latter, but she wasn’t about to let him see he’d flattered her. He was a bold one, telling her she was gorgeous and asking her to have a drink with him.
“A drink? Where?” She stood and crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him down the length of her nose. She had a feeling things came too easily for this man when it came to the fairer sex and she wasn’t about to make his apology or his request for a drink easy.
“Perhaps in the library? Rafe and Daphne go to bed hideously early. Newlyweds tend to.” He leered at her.
She arched a brow at him for that cheeky remark.
“You don’t seem to blush, mademoiselle.”
“I’ve never seen the point in it.”
He set the bottle on the table and braced his hands on the back of one of the chairs. “Why’s that?”
She shrugged. “Perhaps because I’m French?”
“I don’t think so.” He was watching her carefully.
“Then why do you think?” she replied, doing her best to be nonchalant.
His eyes narrowed. “If I had to guess I’d say it’s because you’ve seen too many things that would make you blush. You’ve grown inured.”
Her gaze snapped to his. “Sir, are you questioning my morals?”
“Certainly not.” He shook his head slowly.
“Good. Because I’ll have you know, I’m not above slapping you if you get too far out of line.” Cheeky was one thing. This man was hovering near the border of entirely inappropriate. She was even more disconcerted by the fact that she was… enjoying it. There was a third possibility. He could be blind, he could be a flirt, or he could be… testing her. If he was being watched by the likes of General Grimaldi, Cade mightknowhe was being watched. Something told her he was no fool, and sparring with him was the most fun she’d had in an age.
“Sounds delightful.” He grinned at her wolfishly. “So, will you?”
“Will I what? Slap you?” Oh,mon dieu. Was there anything this man wouldn’t say? It reminded her a bit of… herself.
“No.” He laughed. The corners of his eyes crinkled and his white teeth flashed. She found it entirely disarming.
“Have a drink with me?” he finished.
“You know that’s completely improper. What if another one of the servants saw us?”
“Afraid they’d be jealous?” His eyes twinkled merrily.
“Afraid they’d tell Lady Daphne.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll tell Daphne I made you do it.”
“Why do I think that between her husband’s brother and her new lady’s maid, I would be the one tossed out if she thought something untoward was going on?”
“Who said anything untoward would be going on?” This time he studied his nails. More nonchalance. Why did she like that so much even while it was driving her mad?
She needed to be nonchalant, too. She made her way over to the corner and pretended to study the wine bottles. “You know as well as I that Society’s rules are about perception, not reality.”
“Fine. What if I promised you no one will ever find out, servant or master?”
