No one except Julian and Camden West.
Eleanor made her way downstairs, paused in the hallway outside the drawing room, drew in a deep breath, then swept inside and closed the door behind her. “Mr. West. What a pleasant surprise.”As pleasant as a sliver in one’s thumb.“To what do I owe the—”
He stood with his back to the door, facing the fireplace, but at the sound of her voice he turned, and just like that, Eleanor’s thoughts scattered like an overturned tray of hairpins.
Goodness, he was handsome. It was his eyes—they were a remarkable shade of green, rather dark, like moss. She’d never seen eyes quite that color before, and he had a headful of thick, chestnut-colored hair, streaked with gold from the sun.
Eleanor bit her lip. He appeared remarkably . . . sturdy. His shoulders were half the length of the mantle, for pity’s sake, and he wasn’t thin or gangly like so many men of such imposing height. Perhaps he padded his coats? Yes, that must be it. The chest and the arms, anyway.
Eleanor’s gaze dropped to his tight, buff-colored breeches. He must pad those, as well.
Her face heated.My. That is a great deal of padding.
“You’re kind to see me, Lady Eleanor.”
He bowed politely, but Eleanor didn’t miss the hard glint in his eyes, and it snapped her back to herself as if cold water had been thrown in her face. It mattered not one whit what he looked like. Lions were handsome, too, but they could still claw your belly open and feast on your entrails.
Camden West was a villain, and anyway, it likely took him hours in front of the glass to coax those silky waves of hair to fall across his forehead in such a fetching, boyish manner.
“Mr. West. Why do I feel certain this isn’t a social call?” She may as well get right to the heart of the matter. The sooner he told her what he wanted, the sooner she could be rid of him.
His green eyes narrowed at her frankness, then crinkled at the corners in what could have been appreciation.
Eleanor hoped it was a digestive complaint. She didn’t need or want Camden West’s admiration.
“Perhaps I’ve come to inquire after your sister’s health?”
She considered him for a moment, then shook her head. “No. I think not. But since you make the pretense of concern, I can tell you she’s more upset than I’ve ever seen her, and she hasn’t left her bedchamber all day. A tidy night’s work for your cousin. I do hope he’s pleased with himself.”
“He isn’t, though I doubt you’ll believe that. But I didn’t come to discuss my cousin, or to inquire after your sister.”
“Indeed? Then I fail to see why you’ve come at all.”
He studied her face for a moment, then let out a low laugh. “The gossips didn’t exaggerate about you.”
Her eyebrows rose. She could just imagine what he’d heard about her. “Gossips always exaggerate. Do you make it a habit to listen to them, Mr. West? How disappointing.”
“I’m distressed to have disappointed you, my lady, but gossip occasionally proves a useful source of information.”
“Certainly, if you’re not troubled by a small thing like the truth. A gentlemen never listens to gossip.”
He shrugged. “I’m not a gentleman, Lady Eleanor. By the time we finish our conversation, I’m sure you’ll agree that’s true.”
“I agree even now.”
He smiled. “Just as I’d heard. Cold.”
Eleanor cleared the sudden lump from her throat. She knew the gentlemen thought her cold—they’d dubbed her Lady Frost, after all. Still, to know it was one thing. To hear it from a pair of full, handsome lips quite another.
But she didn’t have any use for his lips, full or otherwise, and she’d do well to remember it. “Not cold enough, for you’re still here.”
The handsome lips parted on a laugh. “You do have a certain frigid charm. I’ll give you that.”
She bit back a sharp retort. It would only encourage him, and she’d rather he make whatever demand he intended to make so she could refuse, and be rid of him. She didn’t care for this conversation, or the cat-in-the-cream smile on his face.
“Why are you here, Mr. West? You haven’t come to enquire after my sister, and you haven’t come to offer an apology for your reprehensible behavior. So, what do you want?”
There. She couldn’t be any plainer than that.
