Page 76 of A Most Forgettable Girl

“As married courtiers I daresay we will spend the majority of our time together,” she continued lightly. “I know you have to do your thirty days a year for King and country—”

“Forty,” he corrected her.

“But other than that, is there any reason we should have to be apart?” She caught her breath as she waited for his reply.

“None that I know of,” he answered after a few heartbeats. “Does that please you?” His eyes did not quite meet hers.

“Quite well,” she replied breezily. “After all, there is no one else here presently that I like so well as you.” No sooner had she said it than she felt a flutter of anxiety. She ought not to have admitted that so soon. He would no doubt think her foolish in the extreme.

“Really?” he asked.

“Hal does not count,” she said quickly, “for he is family.”

He opened his mouth and suddenly, Gunnilde knew she had to prevent him from telling her that she did not rank so highly in his estimations. If he said that out loud it would hurt. It would hurt a lot. “I know you don’t feel the same way,” she gabbled, “but with time mayhap—”

“I already like you better than anyone else,” he corrected her. Gunnilde stared at him. “I do not...put myself out to please others or bestow my confidences lightly. However surprising it may be, it turns out I prefer your company above all others.”

“S-surprising?” Gunnilde stammered as she reeled over this confession.

“Yes, for I did not intend to like you. My initial impression of you was poor.”

Gunnilde’s heart sank, and she swallowed painfully. “Oh,” she whispered. Doubtless it was her dumpy figure and too-large teeth that were to blame.

He twisted against the cushions to face her fully. “Why do you look like that? When you know full well you felt the same way about me!”

“No, for I always thought you were beautiful,” she said defensively. She wished she had never started this conversation.

“We were not speaking of looks,” James said impatiently. “But if we were—”

“Yes?” Gunnilde lifted her chin.

“If we were then I would have to admit that I—I noticed your...personal charms long before anything else about you,” he said, turning bright red.

She ought to take exception to his disapproval on sight but shamefully Gunnilde found she did not care about that right now. “Which personal charms?” she demanded with bated breath.

James huffed out a breath. “Gunnilde...”

“Tell me! Please,” she added in appeal.

He met her eyes fleetingly. “Your...person,” he admitted in strangled tones. “Before I did not know...that is, I had no idea that I was attracted to...buxom women.” He closed his eyes as though mortified by such a confession. “It disturbed me at first, how strongly attracted I was to you, for I thought your character was, well...”

“Never mind my character,” Gunnilde urged him, sitting up. “You were attracted to my person? From the outset?”

“To a disturbing degree,” he replied in clipped tones. “I spoke of you to Neville one time, he defended you, of course.” He shook his head. “I think he found me out at once.”

“What did you say of me?”

“I scarcely remember. Something about your manner of dress being improper.” He sent an apologetic glance her way. “Then he told me what the bishop had said about women with horned hairstyles, tempting men from the path of virtue. I told him I could well imagine you did.”

“Tempt men?” Gunnilde asked in disbelief.

“Yes, for you tempted me.”

Gunnilde gasped. “James,” she breathed. It was the single most astonishing and flattering thing anyone had ever said about her. “Did you really say that?”

“I did. I surprised myself as much as Neville,” he added. “Later, of course, I realized that you weren’t just some flaunting siren—”

Gunnilde reached across to stop his lips. He peered over her fingers with surprise. “I’d quite like to sit with the idea of you thinking me a flaunting siren for a while, if you don’t mind,” she said.