Page 47
She turned. She hadn’t realized he’d stayed behind, too.
“Or,” he added, “are you now simply dedicating yourself to the comedic arts?”
She stiffened. “I wasn’t acting.”
“Weren’t you?” His gaze roamed over her person, lingering on the hat, and then on the pelisse.
“I was nervous. I thought Lady Amelia might be nervous too, so I tried to make her laugh. Why must you assume the worst of me?”
His brow furrowed. “Not my intention... assuming the worst.” His gaze softened. “I’ve never seen her so quickly at ease. What did you say to her?”
Lenora lifted her chin. “I merely suggested I wished to become one of the exhibit’s rare birds of splendid plumage. And I might have agreed to fight the emu for the chance.”
His dimple appeared again; Lenora’s heart thumped hard.
She looked away. “Truthfully, my aim was to be gracious. Inviting.” As she would be as his wife. Perhaps she had been acting. “Regardless, I ended up being neither.”
“And yet, you almost made Lady Amelia smile. I commend your efforts.”
“You do?” She slanted him a suspicious glance.
“Yes, actually.” He considered the Hampton siblings. “She is not close with many people. Most young ladies feel too intimidated to befriend her.”
“Truly? But she is beautiful.”
Again, Asquith did not deny the description. “Perhaps too beautiful?”
Lenora frowned. “What an unfair thing to say.”
“I didn’t mean— Of course, looks are superficial. However pleasing, looks have nothing to do with...”
“With?” she prompted.
“Merit.” The word seemed to snag in his throat.
She tried not to read too much into that snag. “Well, I intend to befriend Lady Amelia. And I’m sure, come the Season proper, Millie will like her, too.”
“Don’t tell me you intend to add yet another honorary Wainwright to your ranks!?”
Her lips twitched. “Scared?”
“Terrified.”
“Perfect.”
He offered her his arm. “I am sorry I accused you of acting.”
“I genuinely like Lady Amelia.”
He inclined his head. “You should be genuine more often. And, if you must act, act for fun, or for family theatricals, not to deceive.”
Deception. Fun. Family theatricals. She stiffened. He hadn’t any idea why she took on the mannerisms of others, did he?
He didn’t know her at all.
She made a move to depart, then halted. Flouncing away in a pique was not going to help him understand.
She turned back. “Friends tell each other the truth?”
