Page 56 of Discovering Her Earl

Once again, he felt the word didn’t encompass the way he felt for her. He was friends with Hale and Kit and even Graham. He felt an almost familial bond with Ben. But this connection he felt with Elaina was something different entirely.

And he was pleased to know she must be feeling it as well.

“I think I understand.”

“I’m certain, that is impossible.”

“Nay. I can feel something from you as well. I feel that you wish to drag me into the study and ravish me.”

Such a comment would have caused gasps and swoons among proper society, but Elaina simply rolled her eyes. He smiled his real smile. He often used humor to keep others from seeing what he didn’t want them to see. But it didn’t work with this woman.

And she hadn’t been wrong. He was nervous about broaching the topic of her previous dislike of him.

Drat the woman. How did she see so much? Or feel it, for that matter. He was well-practiced at persuading other people to believe he was at ease in any situation.

Deciding it was best to get things underway, he pushed his chair away from the table and stood with his hand extended to her.

“Would you care to join me for a stroll in the gardens?”

He almost expected her to point out that the evenings were chilly and reject his offer, but instead she placed her hand in his and stood.

Rather than drag it out, he got right to the point.

“In an effort to continue our journey pleasantly, I wish to know why it is you disliked me so much. I know it’s me and not your general countenance, for you are pleasant to everyone else. Do I not even deserve to know what I’d done to earn your ire?”

If she was shocked by his ambush, she didn’t show it.

“Very well.” She crossed her arms. “It was my very first ball, five years ago at my come out.”

“You had a come out?” As soon as the words were out, he realized he’d made a grave error.

“Yes. The woman who plays in the dirt had a Season.” Sarcasm oozed from every word.

“My apologies, please go on.” He was suddenly reluctant to hear the rest of her story. If she had come out at seventeen or eighteen, he would have still been under the rule of his father. He hadn’t been the best person back then. In fact, he’d been a complete bounder.

“You will not be surprised to know that most men do not prefer me,” she announced, surprising him.

“Why not?” He honestly wanted to know the answer. Other than her antagonism, he found her intelligent and funny. And yes, she was pretty when she wasn’t scowling at him. As she was now.

“Don’t insult me.”

“I mean no insult. I truly wish to know why you think men do not favor you.”

“It is not something I think. It is true. I am taller than many men and they do not care for it. When I saw you at the ball, I fancied myself in—interested in you.”

“Because of my height?”

“Yes. I thought perhaps a man of your stature might find a taller woman a convenience.”

He thought he knew why, but it didn’t stop him from making her explain, despite her squirming.

“A convenience?”

She blew out a resigned breath and gestured toward her lips.

“For kissing. You wouldn’t need to bend down so far to reach. It was ridiculous and soon—”

He stepped closer, enthralled by her courage and awareness of herself, even if she got many things wrong. Even if he had not noticed until now.