“Of course you can,” George told her jovially. He reached for her hand, then took the grub and began to lower it onto her palm.
She swallowed. Her jaw tightened. The grub almost touched her before she jerked back so violently she landed on her bottom. “I can’t!”
George tilted his head. “Can’t what?”
Exasperation puckered her lips. “I don’t like grubs or worms or slugs or anything else related to such disgusting creatures.”
“I thought not.” He tossed the grub aside, brushed his hand on his trousers, and offered it to her. She glared at it as if it were soiled. George chuckled. “You wanted me to dislike you so you decided to turn yourself into the sort of strange woman you thought I’d lose interest in right away.”
She hesitated a second before accepting his hand. Contrition was evident in her eyes when her gaze met his once more. “I’m sorry.”
He pulled her to her feet. “No matter, although to be honest, your little farce has had the opposite effect from the one you desired.”
“What?”
“You’re amusing and intriguing.”
She stared at him as if in baffled confusion. “I lied.”
“Let’s call it a fib, shall we? Besides, we still don’t know each other well, so you owe me no loyalty, though I would like to know what your real interests are.”
“So you can get to know me properly?”
“Naturally.”
“I fail to see the point.”
“For one thing, you’re stuck here for the next few days. Would it not be more enjoyable if we tried to get along?”
“Maybe,” she agreed after an infernally long pause.
“So then?”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. If you must know, I love gardening. I’m actually cultivating a new species of roses at the moment.”
“What about embroidery?”
She scrunched her nose. “I’d rather read.”
“I’m relieved to hear it.”
“Are you really?”
“Yes. Embroidery never made much sense to me. I’m afraid I’ve never seen the point, but if you’re reading then you’re at least nurturing your mind.”
“What a curious perspective you have.”
“Why? Because all young ladies ought to sit about monogramming handkerchiefs?”
She smiled and his heart expanded. “That is the general opinion.”
He offered his arm. When she accepted, he started to guide her around the lake at a stroll. “What else do you like to do?”
“I’m fond of chess and card games.”
“What about billiards?”
“I enjoy it though I’m not especially proficient.”
