Page 54 of A Highland Lass for the English Duke

However, it was hard to be certain because whenever Will leaned in close, Lissie would suddenly become coy, picking up her skirts and daintily edging away. Worse still, she was getting attention from every man in there. Will only had to turn away when he caught some other gentleman giving her the silent eye. Or not so silent in some cases.

"Lissie," Trenton yelped, flagging down Lissie from the other end of the hall. Instantly, Lissie's eyes turned to him, and she grinned.

Will's forehead pinched in a frown as he fixed Trenton with his best stare. For a while, Trenton wore an expression that mocked him, inviting Will to come and get him, but then he quickly turned away as the dancers brushed past them.

And Lissie… Well, Will couldn't help catching her eyes steal over to him before flitting back. And her smile.

It perturbed Will more than he wanted to admit, seeing Lissie smile at Trenton. Jealousy kicked him in the guts; sly, cold, and twisting. Out of nowhere, an image of them together leaped into his head. And before he knew it, he was questioning himself.

Does she even like me?

And it wasn't just Trenton. There were half a dozen men here who would easily have swapped places with him. More than ever, Will wanted to have it clear between them, to simply ask Lissie what she wanted. But he never got the chance.

As they watched the show, Will's thoughts gnawed uneasily at him. And it was they, not the acrobats, who were the real floor show. At every turn, there was someone watching them; Lady Caroline, Lettie, Trenton…

There was no end to spectators that evening. And if that was not enough, Lady Agnes—who had sealed herself hermetically, like a third limb, to Lissie—was never far behind.

"Come on, my dear, pick your chin up from the floor. You are drooling like a gun dog!" chirped Lady Agnes, but her voice was tart. "And do try to look as if you are used to this. It's plain for all to tell you have never been in society before."

Will had smarted, but it would have been unseemly to upbraid a lady such as Annice in front of everyone. All the same, it did not stop him from wanting her to shove off at the first eventuality.

Finally, as the night drew to a close, he had his chance.

As the mummers performed their last and the assorted dancers had taken a bow, Will turned to Lissie. Just as she came near and hovered so close that it made Will's heart genuinely bumpy, a shrill voice intercepted him.

"Elisabeth, my dear, the wagoner is calling. We must make haste. Come, bid Lord Sudbury farewell and thank him for the sumptuous fare."

Annice smiled perfunctorily at Will. But as Will returned the gesture, his mind was reeling, thinking up some way to keep Lissie for himself. At least for a bit.

Lissie herself looked less than keen to be leaving.

"Och, so soon?" she asked glumly.

For a moment, her eyes sped over to Will's, connecting very briefly. It was still too soon to tell exactly what she thought of him. But as Lissie brought her eyes closer, this time gazing at him for some time, Will got a little shiver. She was still watching him. She had not made up her mind. Anxious she should not turn him away, Will pitched up.

"Permit me, my lady," he said, casting an apologetic glance at Lady Agnes.

Annice's eyes pinned him to his chair like a quill. Will cleared his throat bravely.

"I heard you tell the lady that the wagoner is ready, but she has barely looked about this grand abode."

She stared, but he blinked it back and refused to budge. This time, he was not in the mood to be told what to do. Annice smiled, but in a way, that made Will think she had some new form of torture just waiting to test out on him.

"We must not outstay Lord Sudbury's welcome," she said pertinently. Her poison smile never slipped. Such a sight would unnerve a lesser man, but Will stood firm.

"No doubt," agreed Will wholeheartedly. He knew women like Lady Agnes. He had had a lifetime of trying to please his mother. "But that, I can assure, will categorically not happen. Lissie is here on his invite. And, furthermore, he has invited me to extend the hand...to all in the family!"

By now, Will was just plain making it up, but it was having the desired result. Both Lady Agnes and Lissie were looking up at him.

"And I have been instructed by his lordship to give Elisabeth here a tour of the grounds. And of course, afterwards, I will return her forthwith to you!"

Lady Agnes smiled at Will. She appeared to be thinking. Although her grin never changed, Will detected a flash of annoyance. Then she smiled again.

"Very well," she said, through barely parted lips. "You may accompany Elisabeth home. But I expect her back as your little activities here come to an end."

And before Will could utter another word, she turned and marched away, leaving Lissie and himself standing face-to-face in front of the hall.

Will smiled at her.