Page 52 of Romancing the Artist

His lips curled briefly upward in a smile, then he stepped away from her.

A sharp sting of regret pierced her chest.

“There. Her Royal Majesty is now free of nature’s baubles, with the exception of her crown.” He turned from her and went to the garden wall, where her bonnet still rested with its ribbons hanging down the stones. She pulled in a quiet breath, trying to compose herself while his back was yet turned.

He picked up her bonnet, still facing away from her as he said, “I apologize for the delay. We were ready to leave when my cousin decided he wished to join us. Good manners required that we wait while he readied himself for the outing.”

Had she wanted him to kiss her?

Caroline swallowed and reasoned with herself quickly. Of course she hadn’t wanted that. She was an artist. It was quite natural for her to admire the human form. Natural to study Edward so closely. It was habit by this point, really.

Calm. She had to be calm. What had he told her? Something about Claude making the Everlys late.

“That explains the delay, of course.” She tucked her hands behind her, fingers twisting together. “I suppose we better not compound today’s tardiness with our own. We ought to join the others.”

Edward turned and held her bonnet out to her. “Yes. And I will be forced to introduce you to Claude.”

She accepted the hat with one hand, then slipped the other through the crook of his arm. “Lead the way, knave. Your queen follows.”

“Queen of the Sprites.”

She wrinkled her nose at him but didn’t rise to his teasing. If he meant to keep calling her that, the surest way to satisfy him would be to continue her protests. Before the two of them could take so much as a step, a man came through the garden door, without a hat on his bright copper hair, and wearing an expression of boredom. Caroline briefly tightened her hold on Edward’s arm as his muscles went tight with tension.

She was about to meet Claude Everly.

* * *

It was a very good thing—divine intervention, surely—that Edward hadn’t kissed Caroline. Even though she’d looked as though she would not have minded. Even though his lips had been inches from hers. Because he would have still been kissing her when Claude arrived.

Somehow, Edward was quite sure of that. Because a single kiss with someone as passionate as his artistic sprite would kiss as beautifully as she painted. He had no doubt of that.

And no more time to spend thinking on it, as his cousin approached them.

When Claude had declared a sudden interest in joining them for the picnic, Edward had tried to leave ahead of his family on horseback. But his mother insisted they all wait for Claude to do whatever it was he needed to prepare for the outing.

Meaning, Edward hadn’t had the chance to ride ahead to warn his sister of the addition to their party, and he certainly hadn’t had the time to prepare Caroline for this first meeting. He’d told her about his relationship with Claude, of course, but hadn’t anticipated an informal gathering would be the first time they had a conversation.

If anyone discovered their ruse, it would likely be his cousin, given the man’s predilection for causing Edward trouble.

“Edward, Cousin Grace sent me to fetch you. Your sister fears you have forgotten your errand to fetch Miss Clapham. I assume this lovely creature is the artist I have heard so much about? Do introduce us.”

It took some strength of will to maintain a polite tone of voice, but Edward somehow managed it. “Miss Clapham, this is my cousin Claude Everly. Claude, Miss Clapham is a guest of Lord and Lady Inglewood.” That reminder might keep Claude in check.

“A pleasure, Miss Clapham.” Claude bowed.

Caroline darted a glance at Edward as she curtsied in return. “It is good to meet you at last, Mr. Everly.”

He bestowed a charming smile upon her, a keen interest in his expression. “As I said, I have heard much about you. I must confess that I envy Edward’s good fortune in having such a charming friend. Although it surprised me to learn you have asked him to act as the model of a mythical Titan. You must be talented, indeed, to have the confidence to render him as anything other than what he appears.”

Before Edward managed a retort, Caroline laid her other hand on his arm. Steadying him.

“I am the fortunate one. Most men are reluctant to volunteer for such projects. Your cousin is quite generous with his time.”

“Truly?” Claude’s eyes glittered as he turned them on Edward. “Is that all he is generous with, I wonder?”

Edward’s hand balled into a fist, but Caroline spoke with a deliberately cheerful tone. “Mr. Edward’s kindness and support have been invaluable to me. He has a marvelous respect for the arts.” She nodded to the house. “We should return to the others before they send out yet another search party, should we not?”

Edward nodded at once, adjusted her hand upon his arm to give it a thankful press. “Absolutely. I must prove myself successful in my retrieval of you, Miss Clapham.”