Phee turned to her. “What? What’s fascinating?”
Lady Fosberry was watching her, a speculative look in her eyes. “Why, you and James, of course.”
Phee drew herself up with a sniff. “Nonsense. There’s not a single thing I find fascinating about Lord Fairmont, I assure you.”
“Indeed? Well, he doesn’t seem to feel the same way about you.” Lady Fosberry nodded toward the window. “He’s still staring at you.”
Shewasn’tgoing to look. No, not a single glance, dash it. Lord Fairmont could save his mocking smiles for someone who appreciated?—
The bell above the shop door tinkled, and bootsteps crossed the wooden floor, stopping in front of her. They were exceptionally fine boots— black, and cut high, to just under the knee, and set off to perfection by a pair of tight, buff-colored pantaloons.
“Miss Templeton.”
Goodness, the man was everywhere, it seemed. She let out a sigh, but there was no avoiding it, so she raised her gaze to his face, and, dash it, there went her lips again, curling upwards of their own accord. “Lord Fairmont.”
“What luck, that we should run into you. I daresay you’re shopping for Lord Powell’s ball. Will you show me your purchases, Miss Templeton?”
“You’ll have to excuse me, Lord Fairmont. I haven’t made any purchases.”
“What, you’ve come all the way to Bond Street, and haven’t made a single purchase? I don’t believe it.”
My, he was enjoying himself, wasn’t he? “I do hate to disappoint you, my lord, but?—”
“Oh, but Phee, you’ve promised you’ll have these blue ribbons.” Harriett tugged on one end of the ribbons in Phee’s hand. “You’d better take them now, because I saw Lady Henry eyeing them.”
“Blue ribbons? How shocking.” Lord Fairmont’s lips twitched as he gazed down at her, his eyes twinkling. “Were they out of gray ribbons, Miss Templeton?”
“Gray!” Harriett repeated. “Don’t be ridiculous, James. Who wants gray ribbons? No one wearsgrayto a ball.”
“No? I’m enormously relieved to hear it. These blue ribbons are very pretty. Dare I hope, Miss Templeton, that you intend to wear midnight blue to Lord Powell’s ball?”
“I-I haven’t yet made up my mind what?—”
“She does, indeed!” Harriett clapped her hands. “A beautiful midnight blue velvet and silk. I can’t wait to see you in it, Phee. I’m certain you’ll look like an angel.”
With that, Harriett pushed the ribbons into Phee’s hand, then rushed off to join Gilly at the counter.
“May I see them?” Lord Fairmont held out his hand.
She glanced at Harriett’s retreating back, then down at the ribbons clutched in her fist, and at the glossy toes of Lord Fairmont’s boots— anywhere, but at his face, because —oh, it was absurd, but she didn’t want to show the ribbons to him, because…
They were too much for her, too colorful, and somehow, they made her ashamed.
“Miss Templeton.” His voice was soft. “Show me the ribbons.”
She could hardly refuse, could she? Indeed, she was being ridiculous.
So, she held out her hand. He plucked them from her fingers and ran his thumb over them. “The color,” he murmured after a moment. “I think they’re…” He held the ribbons up to her face, close to her cheek. “Yes. They’re the exact same shade of blue as your eyes.”
Was he poking fun at her? She glanced up at him from under her lashes, half-dreading what she’d find in that sharp gaze.
But there was nothing ugly there, nothing mocking.
What she did see there made her catch her breath.
“An angel, indeed.” He closed his fingers around her wrist, drew her hand toward him, and pressed the blue ribbons into her palm. “An angel, with midnight blue eyes.”
Then he was gone, the bell on the shop door tinkling as he went out, leaving her gazing after him as he made his way down Bond Street, a handful of blue silk ribbons caught in her fist.
