I glanced up at the window Colin had been spying through, but it was empty now. What was wrong with me? I wasn’t actually feeling sorry for Colin, was I? I pushed aside my sympathy as if it were a deadly snake. This was the man who was forcing me to impersonate him in order to repay a debt while he watched and entertained himself. He didn’t deserve a shred of compassion from me for havingtoo much money.
“Being rich is not a burden.” I sat up straighter and clapped three times. “I find it quite enjoyable most of the time.” Miss Sharp jumped a little at my sudden clapping, eyes rounding in surprise. I looked toward the back door. As we had rehearsed, a footman emerged with a silver dish.
When he reached the edge of the rug, he lowered the tray until it rested in front of Miss Sharp. The vanilla and orange ices were melting slightly, but still held their shape. I had never tried them before, but Colin’s cook was experienced in making luxurious desserts for his own enjoyment.
Miss Sharp released a quiet gasp. “I have always wished to know what these taste like!”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “You said they were your favorite.”
She shifted to catch a better look at the tray, leaning closer to the white and pale orange scoops of frozen cream. “I have not tried these particular flavors before,” she corrected.
“I see.” I couldn’t help but smile as she examined the ices as if they were a scientific discovery. I was fairly certain that she was aware that her ruse was implausible at this point, but she seemed determined to continue.
Finally, she sat back with a lifted chin. “It is not pineapple, but I suppose it will suffice.”
I shook my head in exasperation as I handed her a spoon, and her lips tugged upward in a grin. She took a spoonful of the orange first, her eyes rounding the moment the spoon entered her mouth. My gaze froze on the delight in her expression. I never would have expected to see such a pure reaction from her, and I found it far too endearing.
“What do you think?” The question was rather unnecessary, but she answered anyway.
“It is tolerable,” she said in a faint voice, taking a spoonful of the vanilla next.
“You are impossible to please,” I grumbled with a laugh.
A laugh escaped her mouth as well, and I was too surprised to speak again. The cold, critical act she had been putting on melted away for a moment as she savored each bite of the ice cream. She would want Colin’s fortune even more now that she knew what sort of desserts she could enjoy on a common spring afternoon.
“Aunt Julia, you must taste this.” With alarming speed, she stood, carrying another spoonful across the gravel path toward her aunt, who watched longingly from her bench. Her aunt had a similar reaction to the dessert, though it wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as Miss Sharp’s.
She returned to the rug with her spoon, taking a few more bites.
“Tolerable?” I questioned.
She sighed in surrender. “I daresay it is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten.”
A drip of cream had escaped the edge of the spoon, hovering on her chin like a raindrop. Without thinking, I reached forward, wiping it away with my thumb. My fingertip grazed the edge of her lower lip, which had been by design, of course. They were very lovely lips. Her eyes met mine, and once again, my stomach flipped like a stranded fish. What on earth was that about?
I lowered my hand, ignoring the elevated rate of my pulse. I had never encountered a set of eyes that could puncture me like hers. I felt like I had been wounded, lying vulnerable under her gaze. She stared at me in surprise, the spoon still hovering close to her mouth. For a moment, I wondered if she had somehow discovered that I wasn’t Colin. The slight differences in our faces were noticeable to me, but had Miss Sharp caught them? Without knowing that Colin had a twin, how could she?
I searched for something to say, but my mind was suddenly blank. I had been trying to charm Miss Sharp by touching her face, not the other way around.
A shriek came from across the garden, and my gaze flew up in time to see Mrs. Cresswell lunging away from the bench as if the very entrance to Hades’s domain had opened up beneath it. She bustled forward with another high-pitched shriek, swatting at the air around her head.
I jumped to my feet, nearly tripping on the tray of ice cream.
Miss Sharp stood lazily, an amused smile on her lips. “A bee, I imagine.”
Her aunt pressed a hand to her heaving chest, searching the air frantically. “Oh, forgive me.” Mrs. Cresswell exhaled shakily. “Something flew past my ear. Judging by the pitch of the buzzing sound, I suspect it was a honeybee.”
Miss Sharp brushed past me, stopping just in front of her aunt. “I told you they mean no harm.”
“How on earth would you know that?” Mrs. Cresswell asked with a shrill laugh. “I do not trust them at all.”
“They are only after the pollen behind you.” Miss Sharp leaned close to one of the roses. As I approached, I saw a small bee crawling across the petals. To my surprise, Miss Sharp nudged a bent finger into the petals, allowing the bee to crawl across it. She moved her hand, lifting the bee gently away from the flower. It continued to crawl across her skin. She lifted it close to her face. “Look how beautiful she is. And entirely harmless.”
Her aunt watched with obvious misgiving, keeping at least two yards between herself and Miss Sharp. “Put her back this instant. She could very well sting you.”
“She will die if she stings me.” Miss Sharp’s dark brows drew together. “Why would she choose to do that?” With complete confidence, she lowered her hand back to the rose, allowing thebee to crawl back onto the petal as if she had done so hundreds of times.
I stood back in shock. I had never met a young lady who would willingly touch insects, especially one who claimed to have such elegant taste.
