Or for the fact that my charade was almost up.
He set his hand beside mine, the outside flush with my own hand, and it was all I could do to remember to breathe. For the last few weeks,I had denied the growing attraction I felt toward Lord Camden. After our time in the stables, I had seen a different side of him. He’d been a friend to me. But weren’t we too different? Could I really care for him? The racing in my chest answered for me: My heart did not need all the answers to grow attached.
It simply did.
Lord Camden leaned close again and whispered, “What flirtatious words do you have for me?” He, of course, had not had to say anything to make my pulse accelerate. His slow, playful smile was irritatingly perfect.
I batted my lashes like an obvious debutante and kept my own voice low. “This is not a one-way challenge, my lord. You’ll have to concentrate on your own wooing.”
“I suppose you have a consequence for me as well?”
“But of course. I’m not the only one at risk for singing a solo tonight.”
Lord Camden slowly shook his head, his eyes not leaving mine. We stared at each other for a long moment, his hand still pressed against mine, while the rest of the table and people seemed to disappear from the room.
Lord Camden pulled away a moment later, as dinner had officially ended, and the women separated into the drawing room. He winked at me as I stood. I resisted swatting his arm, but only just. Instead, my hand fell on his arm. This was as good a time as any to surprise him, make him laugh, and win the challenge.
I slowly shut one eye of my own, winking back at him.
Me. A proper young lady.
I winked.
At a man!
And my lack of skill at it had turned a simple, teasing wink into a slow, sultry moment. It should have been no surprise then when LordCamden did not laugh. His eyes intensified on my own, sending warmth shooting through every limb and making my heart race. I had no idea looks could be so powerful.
I had to focus on more than Lord Camden’s compelling gaze, or my embarrassment from turning into a brazen flirt would pale compared to the humiliation of having my true identity exposed and my lies laid clean for all and sundry. But despite my mind screaming for me to pay attention, it took great force to lift my hand from his firm arm and for my body to turn away from Lord Camden. With more deliberate effort, I moved my feet toward the door. I kept my face averted as I passed Mr. Goodwin, though I doubted he would recognize my flaming red cheeks.
I swear, I would never wink again. It was a shameful, scandalous endeavor for a young lady of good breeding to ever consider. My behavior horrified me. What on earth had I been thinking?
Finally, I slipped into the safety of the adjoining room.
Augusta found me at the door. “Dear me, you look overheated.” She batted her fan on my face, and the cool air was a sweet relief. She led me to the same sofa we had sat at during tea, while the others settled around us in various places. Lady Camden strolled by us, giving us a look that said she was watching us, but then followed her friends to the other side of the room—two women and a man who had monopolized her time at Lady Timbrell’s tea party—Mr. Bastion. Whoever he was, he seemed quite attentive to Lady Camden, and she seemed to appreciate it.
Was it too much to hope that she would remain preoccupied? I did not want her following through on her threat and watching us. What if she caught on to Lord Camden’s challenge and our game of pretend?
Augusta bent her head close to my own. “What do you make of Mr. Abramson?”
Oh, drat! I should have paid more attention to him so I could answer honestly. I was a terrible friend. “His appearance is pleasing,” I finally said. Not nearly as handsome as her brother, but then not many compared to his classic looks.
“Not just handsome, but kind too,” Augusta added.
“That is an important quality.”
Augusta sighed. “Yes, but I do not think my brother would approve of me spending too much time with him.”
“Lord Camden did seem to have a strong reaction when he greeted his friends.”
“And their reaction in return was not very mannerly either,” Augusta huffed. “I cannot understand it. I can hardly predict anything where my brother is concerned. Not since . . .”
My brows quirked. “Since what?”
Augusta lowered her voice. “His accident.”
My curiosity on this matter heightened. Perhaps there was another way to get Lord Camden to tell me about it—one that did not involve me admitting to running away from my fiancé. I did not want to know merely to know, but because learning about him mattered to me. There were so many pieces to him that would not connect until I knew more of his story.
A few minutes later, the men joined us—Lord Camden in the lead. He slipped onto the sofa cushion beside me, and it felt like history was repeating itself. I did not have time to relive our last moment on this sofa during tea because I knew Mr. Goodwin would not be far behind. Fumbling with a curl on my forehead, I attempted to block the full view of myself. Why had I not brought a fan?
