“I’ll take Miss Adeline and go fetch the costume.” Delilah held out her arm for the parrot. Apparently, she didn’t want to take her chances leaving the bird alone with Branville. Probably clever on her part. “I’ll be right back.”
Miss Adeline on her arm, Delilah hurried away to consult with Danielle, and was back moments later with a robe hanging over one arm. She was about to open her mouth to speak when Miss Adeline squawked, “J’adore le duc.”
Thomas choked down a bark of sheer, shocked laughter. Silence fell over the rest of the party, and Delilah’s face went up in flames. It was obviously something she’d said just before, and Miss Adeline had repeated.
“I, er,…” Delilah rushed the bird back to his perch so fast, feathers went flying in every direction. She all but dumped the bird, then hurried back to Branville with the robe. She’d extended her arm to give him the robe when she tripped over one of the boxes of decorations and flew straight into Branville’s arms. The dukecaught her, but apparently her hand had become entangled in his waistcoat. As she pulled away, she ripped his shirtfront straight down the middle.
The shirtfront flapped open, and Branville’s chest was partially bared to all present. Poor Delilah’s face was nearly purple. She pulled away from Branville and stood gaping at him as if she’d shot him.
“I beg your pardon,” she said, pushing the robe toward him so he could cover himself.
“I daresay this is a first,” he said with a laugh, but his cheeks were decidedly red.
Lucy lunged forward. “My apologies, Your Grace. If you’d like to repair to the salon, one of the servants can bring you one of Derek’s shirts to change into.” She stepped in front of her guest to shield him from prying eyes while he pressed the robe to his chest.
“Yes, um, perhaps that would be best,” the duke said. “Excuse me, won’t you?” he added to the rest of the party before hurrying out of the room on Lucy’s heels.
Delilah slunk over to the corner, pressed her back to the wall, and slid down to sit on the floor. What had she done? Her mother was always telling her what a clumsy oaf she was, but usually she injured herself or inanimate objects. She’d never tripped and ripped a duke’s shirt half off before. And not just any duke, but the duke she was trying desperately to impress.
She briefly considered going to the salon to find him and apologize again, but quickly thought better of it. No doubt she’d only embarrass the man further by walking in on him while he was changing his clothing.
Instead, she concentrated on planning what she should say to him when next she saw him.You look better with a full shirt.No, that would only call attention to it.
I should have ripped off the entire thing.No. Too bold. Although from the slight glimpse she’d got, the man did have a fine physique. And wasn’t Lucy always telling her to be bold?
I’d wager you’ve never had your shirt ripped off before.Too obvious.
Perhaps it would be best if she simply acted as if it had never happened. She’d begged his pardon, what more could she say?
A shadow fell across her, and she looked up to see Thomas standing over her, his face inscrutable. Normally Thomas would give her a ribbing for such a performance, but he squatted down and chucked her under the chin. “You’re being hard on yourself, aren’t you?”
Thomas always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. “Yes,” she admitted in a small voice that she hated.
“You shouldn’t, you know,” he replied.
“Why shouldn’t I?” she mumbled.
“Because it won’t change what happened.”
She leaned her head back against the wall and blinked at him. “I suppose you have a point.”
Thomas turned and lowered himself to sit next to her with his back against the wall too. “If it makes you feel any better, I can rip my shirt half off too and pretend it’s the new rage.”
Delilah had to smile at that. Then she let her head drop. “I made a complete fool of myself in front of Branville.”
Thomas pushed his shoulder against hers. “No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did.”
He shrugged. “So what if you did?”
“So what? I’m trying to impress him.”
Thomas pulled up his knees and propped his wrists atop them. “He should be trying to impress you.”
A half-smile popped to Delilah’s lips. “You’re only saying that because you’re my friend.”
“I’m saying it because it’s true, but look on the bright side. At least Miss Adeline didn’t bite him. That was a success.”
