“Remarkable, and quite beautiful,” Lord Wrexley murmured.
Iris’s gaze lifted to his. They were strolling across the terrace, and there was just enough light for her to admire his smooth, dark hair and the confident smile toying with his lips. They didn’t make her ache like Lord Huntington’s lips did, but Lord Wrexley was very handsome, and it was foolish to ache over a gentleman who wanted someone else.
This afternoon, in the stables, it hadn’t felt as if he wanted someone else, but tonight it couldn’t be clearer his admiration for Honora hadn’t waned.
“Miss Somerset.” Lord Wrexley drew her closer to the edge of the terrace, toward the garden, and away from the light from the house.
Iris froze, unsure what to do. She shouldn’t let him kiss her, but if she didn’t, then she’d have only the memory of Lord Huntington’s kiss when she was alone in her bedchamber tonight.
Lord Wrexley’s face was lowering to hers, his gaze on her mouth. “May I—”
“Iris! There you are. I’ve been looking for you this age.”
Iris jumped, and a low growl tore from Lord Wrexley’s throat. He was staring over her shoulder, his full lips turned down in a frown.
Iris whirled around to find Lady Annabel standing at the top of a shallow flight of stairs, one of the terrace doors standing open behind her. The fire behind her toyed with the folds of the delicious flame-red gown that had rendered Iris nearly speechless with envy at dinner this evening.
Lord Wrexley cleared his throat. “You startled us, my lady. I didn’t realize you were there.”
“Yes, that’s clear enough, my lord. Come with me at once, Iris.”
She held out an imperious hand, and Iris didn’t even think to disobey her. Before she could mount the stairs, however, Lord Wrexley caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her gloved fingertips. “Good night, Miss Somerset.” He bowed, then leaned toward her and whispered, “Don’t forget our ride tomorrow. Meet me in the stables before dawn.”
He cast one inscrutable look at Lady Annabel, then bowed once more to Iris, and melted into the shadows of the garden behind him.
“Well, thank goodness he’s gone. Come along.” Lady Annabel didn’t wait for an answer, but disappeared into the dim room beyond. Iris followed her, her breath catching with pleasure when she entered the tiny sitting room. It wasn’t grand, but so cozy, with a rich blue and gold carpet, plump leather chairs, and a fire burning low in the grate.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Lady Annabel sauntered over to the desk to fetch a carafe of wine and two glasses and motioned Iris into one of the chairs. “It’s Charlotte’s favorite room.”
“I can see why it would be.”
Lady Annabel poured a generous measure of rich red wine into one of the glasses and passed it to Iris, then sat down with her own glass. Iris expected a scolding, but Lady Annabel only traced one finger over the rim of her glass and observed her with a thoughtful expression.
The silence went on so long Iris began to squirm. “Lady Annabel, I—”
“Not yet. After you finish your wine.”
The wine was as delicious as she remembered, but Iris gulped it down with haste, anxious to end the unbearable silence.
“Lady Annabel,” she began again when her glass was empty. “I—”
Lady Annabel beckoned with her fingers for Iris’s glass, filled it again, and handed it back. Iris’s head felt a bit wobbly on her shoulders, but she took the glass and brought it to her lips.
By the time she’d half-emptied it, she felt quite a bit more cheerful about the situation. It was just a little walk on the terrace, after all, and nothing improper had occurred. He hadn’t even kissed her. Why, it was nothing—
“Now, suppose you tell me what you were doing alone on the terrace with Lord Wrexley.”
Lady Annabel was watching her, so Iris tried to arrange her face into a properly scandalized expression and opened her lips to plead ignorance, or beg for forgiveness, or do whatever it was a lady did when she was caught on a dark terrace with a gentleman.
“Well, I was going to let him kiss me, to see if I liked it as well as I did when Lord Huntington kissed me, but—”
Iris slapped a hand over her mouth. Oh, dear God. Had she said that aloud? Goodness, this was humiliating. Perhaps more wine would help. She raised her glass to her lips and peeked over the rim to find Lady Annabel watching her with an amused expression on her face.
“Well? Did he kiss you?”
Iris took a few more sips of wine to loosen her tongue. “No, but he was about to. I don’t mind saying, my lady, I was relieved to find him so eager.”
“I don’t know many gentlemen who wouldn’t be eager in that situation.”
