I whirled to face her, surprised at the devilish grin on her face. “Kate!”
“I saw it in your eyes.” She fanned her face with one hand. “I daresay I saw the same thing in his.”
I scowled down at the cobblestones beside my feet. “I suppose I should hope for that, though I have a difficult time believing it.”
“That he will kiss you?”
“No! That his pursuit of me is genuine.” I didn’t dare imagine how I would react to a kiss from Mr. Campbell. It was better for me not to imagine it at all.
“What else could it be? I have no doubt that you will be engaged before Mr. Russell causes any trouble.”
I bit my lower lip. I didn’t have time to fret about Mr. Campbell at the moment. I needed to warn Freddy and instruct him to remain home at all hours. He would not be joining us at the Beresfords’ that evening, that much was certain. My need to secure a proposal had never been greater. I couldn’t afford to be swept up by notions of romance with Mr. Campbell. It would only cloud my judgment, and I needed my wits about me if I was going to secure him in time.
Not only did Freddy’s reputation depend on it, but so might his life.
CHAPTER 13
CLARK
On the edge of the Beresfords’ drawing room, I was cornered by a pair of twin sisters and their mother, all three of whom happened to be single. I was fairly certain the widowed mother intended me for one of her daughters, but the coy glances she cast in my direction implied otherwise. I had always considered myself moderately skilled at attracting ladies, but I lacked practice deterring them.
Mrs. Aldworth, the mother, let out a laugh that could have shattered the windows. “Mr. Campbell, you are far too amusing.” Her two identical daughters laughed as well, and I wasn’t sure which giggle sounded more false. Did Colin and I truly look so alike? It was strange to see another set of twins standing side by side. I had already forgotten which young lady was Miss Aldworth and which was Miss Elizabeth.
Had I said something amusing? I had been trying very hard to act like Colin, and he was rarely amusing. It was no wonder he was so arrogant. Women like Mrs. Aldworth and her daughters made him believe he was the most charming man in the roomwhen he had barely said a word. The public knowledge of his wealth must have put him in this position quite often. I could see how he could become bored by it very quickly. I had only been enduring the Aldworths’ flirting for a few minutes and the insincerity of it was already grating on me.
My gaze drifted up to the doorway just as Miss Sharp entered the room. She wore a soft blue gown with a square neckline and a simple pendant at her throat. Her dark curls were pinned high on her head, her posture poised and elegant as she made her entrance. I couldn’t manage to look away as she took one step forward, then another. She looked inconveniently beautiful, as always. Her gaze swept over the guests slowly, as if she were searching for something.
Then her eyes settled on me and stopped.
Mrs. Aldworth said something, but I missed the sentence entirely. I tore my gaze away from Miss Sharp with no small amount of effort, my heart thrumming with a sudden desire to cross the room. I flashed a polite smile in Mrs. Aldworth’s direction. “Please excuse me.”
Her features crumpled with disappointment as I stepped past her and her daughters. I had told Miss Sharp that morning that I wanted to be her only suitor. I had to ensure that she knew she was the only lady I was interested in courting, even if Mrs. Aldworth felt slighted by my abrupt departure.
I halted my thoughts, reminding myself that this courtship wasn’t real.
It couldn’t be.
At the end, I would have to reveal to Miss Sharp that I couldn’t give her the fortune she desired, and that the entire thing had been arranged by my brother. The thought made my stomach ill, so I chose not to think of the end. This was still the beginning—perhaps the middle—and something inside me wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.
“Good evening, Miss Sharp,” I said as I stepped up beside her. Her dark eyes flickered up to mine. There was a constant edge of curiosity and doubt in them, as if she still couldn’t quite believe that I was willingly approaching her.
“Good evening.” She turned to face me with a soft smile.
I felt suddenly shy, which was not a common occurrence. What the devil was wrong with me? I had resolved not to act like Colin in her presence, but I was at a party with people whom Colin knew personally. They would be observing my every action, yet I couldn’t help but smile back at Miss Sharp. Her chaperone for the evening, Mrs. Ollerton, stood nearby, but she had engaged herself in conversation with another woman in attendance.
“I trust you had an enjoyable day?” I asked. “Are you feeling much improved?” After seeing her that morning on the brink of fainting, I had been concerned that she wouldn’t attend the party at all. The man she had been speaking to seemed to have unsettled her, though she hadn’t admitted it. Who was he? I had only watched their conversation from afar, but I had seen enough to know that she hadn’t been comfortable. Not in the slightest.
“Yes, I feel much better.” She looked down at the floor before her gaze traveled behind my shoulder. “You left those ladies quite disappointed. Perhaps you should continue your conversation.”
I knew she was referring to the Aldworths. I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that they were glaring at Miss Sharp for stealing my attention. Was this Colin’s experience at every event he attended? I felt like a slice of bread on a beach full of seabirds. “I would much rather disappoint them than you.”
She raised her eyebrows. “What makes you assume I would have been disappointed?”
I grinned. “I saw you searching for me when you entered the room.”
She scoffed, tugging at one of her gloves. “I was not.”
“I was searching for you.”
