She smiledviciously. “I feel Sutton is about to lose two hundredpounds.”
Visiblyrelieved, a sunny smile lit his face. “Ah. Good. Good. I toldFarlisle it was bad business, but he assured me all will be well.”He leant forward conspiratorially. “Sutton deserves whatever’scoming.”
Amused, sheinclined her head. “He does indeed.”
“You’re good for him, you know.”
She glanced athim in surprise. “Pardon?”
“Youmake him smile. Farlisle. He doesn’t smile much, not since Harborpassed. Soccer and you, that seems to be the total ofit.”
She didn’t knowwhat to say.
The corner ofLord Ashburton’s mouth kicked up. “It’s good,” he assured. “Heshould smile more. He can’t go through life being so grim all thetime.”
She looked downat her hands. She didn’t know what to think.
“Will you be here Saturday next, Lady Seraphina? Perhaps wecan hurl insults at Farlisle together.”
Would she attendnext Saturday? It was not a requirement of her plan to win thewager. There was no one to see them, bar Lord Ashburton. No one tocomment on their supposed courtship, to report back their closenessto the Duke of Sutton.
On the field,Stephen glanced over, and his smile warmed her.
Softly, shesaid, “I will.”
Chapter Eleven
AWOMAN IN AN ORANGE dress pretended badly she wasn’tstaring at their box.
Stephen returnedher stare however, as he was higher up and concealed by shadow, hewould wager he was doing a much better job of hiding his interest.She was young, perhaps not much more than seventeen, and the richbrown of her skin and her cloud of black hair suggested she hailedfrom a place far more intriguing than England.
The woman by herside, also of the same colouring, snapped her fan open and spoke ina clear rebuke. No doubt she deemed the girl’s behaviourunladylike, judging by the very proper way she held herself. Thegirl merely grinned, her exuberance obvious even from this vantage,but she turned her gaze from the box.
Exhaling,Stephen turned his own gaze from her. The intermission betweenperformances seemed to drag on more each time he attended thetheatre, and he could feel himself becoming antsy, the muscles inhis legs twitching. He found it difficult to sit still at the bestof times, let alone when his brain was unoccupied, however hecouldn’t pass up the offer from Ash to occupy his box while hisfriend was out of town, especially as it fitted in with Sera’sschedule.
She satstraight-backed in her chair beside him now, her profile in relief.Every so often, she would glance at the woman in the orange dress.Then she’d glance at Oliver’s box. Then stare straightahead.
Four boxes down,Oliver sat with Lydia Torrence. It appeared they were friendsagain, but his brother gazed upon her like she was the answer toevery question. Oliver hadn’t noticed him, and Stephen intended tokeep it that way.
His gaze driftedto his brother and Lydia Torrence. “Who do you study?”
Sera started. “Ibeg your pardon?” she asked haughtily.
The corner ofhis mouth twitched. She always pretended arrogance when she didn’tknow how else to react. “My brother or Lady Lydia. Who do youstudy?”
The faintestblush lit her cheeks, but she raised her chin and glared.“Neither,” she said, her tone implying he was insolent for evenasking.
At her response,he couldn’t help his grin.
“Don’t smirk. It’s unbecoming.”
He didn’t reply,but he did continue to smirk.
Breathexploding, she crossed her hands in her lap, her concession toannoyance, he supposed. “You are maddening, yourealise.”
“Ido.” She sniffed, and his grin widened. He didn’t know when ithappened, but he loved spending time with her.
She’d come toseveral of his football practices and matches since the first, andhe’d squired her about town as per their agreement, but he foundhimself looking forward to the next time he would see her, and whenthey were together, he enjoyed every moment. They spoke ofeverything and nothing, and he found her company the one he wantedmost.
