Page 4

Two

HefferwickshireHouseDrawingRoom

AN HOUR LATER

Altheliapretended to listen to Grandmama prattle on for the umpteenth time about when she snubbed a Russian prince. However, the somber man perched awkwardly on the much too small Mahogany parlor chair, thoroughly enjoying Mrs. Tastespotting’s biscuits, sandwiches, and dainties, kept drawing her attention.

Thecheery fire snapping and crackling in the hearth dispelled the chill to the room’s outer edges though long shadows outside crept inside the drapery-shrouded windows. It had been an unseasonably cold December, but the snowfall remained slight and shouldn’t impede her brothers’ journey to Hefferwickshire for Christmas.

Mr. Lockington munched away happily as if his tree-trunks-for-legs were hollow.

Atleast she thought he was happy.

Sodifficult to tell with his guarded expression.

Hehadn’t exactly smiled, but occasionally, the corners of his mouth twitched upward, and his glacial eyes glinted with a hint of warmth.

Perhapshe wasn’t the giant ogre she’d first thought when he’d turned frosty green eyes upon her at her unrestrained and admittedly rude outburst in the foyer. Likely, he often received such unwelcome speculation about his size.

Butreally.

Howcould she not stare, utterly flabbergasted?

Hewas enormous.

Notjust tall, several inches over six feet, but also big boned. Althelia suspected from the way his suit pulled taut with his movements, honed muscle covered his frame.

Leonidasclaimed he and OwenLockington had been friends for years, but this was the first time she had met the man. Her brother warned the family that Mr. Lockington was a rather serious, brooding fellow but kind to his core, and though large and rough around the edges, he possessed unexpected gentleness and humility in a man so big.

Atleast Mrs. Tastespotting would be delighted that her Christmas dainties were well received. Mr. Lockington wolfed them down as if he hadn’t eaten in a week, which Althelia suspected, kept him from having to speak.

Shedropped her attention to his enormous hands, then his equally gargantuan feet. In contrast to their great size, which suggested clumsiness, he moved with an animalistic grace she felt certain he wasn’t aware of.

Atone time, not so long ago, he would have terrified her.

Beforestaying with her American cousins, she’d been a timid, blotchy-faced dumpling, afraid of her own shadow. Her complexion had cleared, and she lost weight in Boston, Massachusetts. She still watched what she ate, afraid she might become overly round once more.

Ofmore import, those two-plus years in America had transformed her into a confident woman who had vowed never to be intimidated or taken advantage of by anyone again.

Truthto tell, Mr. Lockington did make her a bit nervous, but this was a curious sort of unease—something she hadn’t experienced before and, therefore, could not identify as yet.

Sheglanced up, disconcerted to find Eva, her cousin visiting from America, observing her far too acutely.

Evacurved her mouth into a mysterious smile.

Noone knew Althelia like Eva did, and that seemingly innocent, entirely bothersome upward sweep of her cousin’s mouth portended trouble.

Altheliaspeared her a chastising look that warned, I don’t know what you are up to, but stop your meddling.

Neverone to be shushed easily, Eva merely selected a piece of pound cake before cocking her head. “So, Mr. Lockington, how is it that you know Leonidas?”

Mr. Lockington raised his inscrutable gaze and set his half-eaten cherry tart back on his plate. Clearing his throat, his jaw rigid as steel, he glanced around, obviously uncomfortable having everyone’s attention focused on him. “We met at university.”

“Leonidas told us that.” Unforgivably snoopy—one of her less appealing American traits—Eva fluttered a hand glibly and, without a hint of compunction, asked, “Buthow, exactly, did you become acquainted?”

Mr. Lockington veered a speaking glance toward Leonidas. “The first week.”

Eitherhe was as obtuse as a parsnip—which Althelia seriously doubted given the keen intelligence in his unique eyes, or Leonidas and the behemoth shared a secret.