Page 12 of Courting the Country Miss

“I suspect you’re mocking me, Miss Wentworth.”

“Now, why would I do a thing like that, Mr. Barrett?” She batted her lashes, all innocence except for that gleam in her eye.

She probably agreed with Richard. She usually did, though gentler in her approach.

She touched his brow. “My, what a scowl. Either Richard gave you a proper whipping or you’re hungry.”

He laughed as the comfort of her companionship soothed the last of his ruffled feathers. “Do you know me so well?”

“We’d best feed you lest you start tearing into the roses.”

“I’d settle for a tree branch.”

She steered him back the way she’d come. “We had luncheon al fresco. I’m certain there’s plenty left.”

“Al fresco this time of year?”

“We decided to take advantage of the fine weather today, although it is a bit cooler than I prefer for outdoor dining.”

Voices drifted on the garden-scented breeze, guiding them to a wide lawn underneath a lilac tree. A few guests remained lounging on chaises and chairs, nibbling at cheese or fruit or drinking wine, all the while chatting with Colonel and Mrs. Sherwood. Neither Richard nor Elizabeth mingled with the diners.

At Tristan and Leticia’s approach, a servant brought them a basket. Within moments Tristan devoured ham, grapes, apples, bread, and cheese.

As he reached for a meat pie, she said, “Those have mushrooms in them.”

Only a good friend like Leticia would think of such a detail as warning him off from a food he disliked. Another knot in his stomach unwound and relaxed. He shook his head. “I don’t understand why people would ruin a perfectly good dish with such nasty little things. My thanks for the warning.”

“They were delicious; I had two.” Leticia smiled at their old debate and smoothed her skirts. “You missed a fascinating walk.”

With his mouth full, Tristan raised his brows.

“Miss Wynn tried to feed the ducks but they overwhelmed her and nearly knocked her down. Then the geese got involved, and when she ran out of food, they started pecking her, on a, er…rather embarrassing location. Her mother started shrieking and waving so madly to chase them off that she ran into her daughter and they both fell into the pond.”

Tristan snickered.

“Miss Wynn’s brother started laughing so she whacked his arm with her reticule. He said, ‘What do you want me to do, challenge the goose to a duel?’ And she said, ‘Yes, that, at least would have been gallant. That goose is the very devil!’”

Tristan chuckled.

Leticia leaned back on her hands and smiled up at Tristan with such an impishness to her expression that it transported him back to their childhood when Leticia wasn’t quite so pretty.

She cocked her head to one side. “I don’t have brothers, of course, but I’m certain you’d shoot the goose who, er, goosed me, instead of laughing at my discomfort, wouldn’t you?”

Tristan choked and swallowed his mouthful. “I’d laugh first. Then I’d shoot the goose that dared defile you, and I wouldn’t let you fall into the lake.”

“That is gallant.”

“Would you rather be sopping wet, or the object of laughter?”

“I’m accustomed to you laughing at me, so I suppose I’d take that over a spill in a dirty pond filled with cantankerous geese.”

“You didn’t seem to mind a dirty pond filled with cantankerous boys.”

She drew herself up primly and brushed a wrinkle out of her walking gown. “That was years ago. I associate with cantankerous boys on the dance floor now.”

“You associated with several of them last night. Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Yes, and I didn’t need your help, thank you.”