Beautiful.
Unimaginably glorious.
Like an ethereal goddess come down from heaven to grace the world of mortals with her divinity.
“. . . green.”
Luna’s brow tightened. “Green?”
“Erm. Yes. The dress. It . . . it’s very . . .” His gaze swept over her again, taking in the way the shimmering satin hugged her curves. His throat promptly closed up.
“Did you come all this way just to tell me that?” Her head tilted a little to one side. “That I look green?”
“Erm.”
“And what about Bryony’s fellow? Hmmm?” She waved one hand in an expressive gesture. “The chap who was in here with you? Did you scare him off with your antics?”
“Erm.”
She looked away from him then, spotted the marigolds lying on the armchair seat, and pointed. “What are those for?”
“Well, actually,” Nigel rubbed the back of his neck, “they’re for Bryony.”
Luna blinked. “They’re some of ours, aren’t they? From the shop?”
“Yes.”
She blinked again.
Then he watched the knot in her brow melt away in a sudden expression of understanding. She turned back to him, her painted lips parted. “Oh!” The voice emerging from her throat was a little higher pitched than usual, and, though it was difficult to discern fluctuations of complexion behind all that packed-on white powder, Nigel thought perhaps that she flushed. “Oh,so . . . soyou’rethe pretty boy who’s been pining away for Bryony all evening!”
“Pretty?” Nigel echoed. Then, “Boy?”
Luna shook her head, and her mouth broke into an enormous smile, followed by a laugh which . . . well, if Nigel didn’t know her so well, he would think she was highly amused by this sudden turn of events. It was a laugh which sparkled: bright and brittle and clear, like bubbles of champagne caught in prismatic crystal. She positively brimmed over with mirth.
Only Nigel did know her. Very well indeed. He knew her laugh, all her different laughs. And he knewthislaugh was not sincere. Something about this situation was extremelynotfunny to her. But what?
“Well!” she cried through a little hiccupping gulp of sound. “I’msosorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but Bryony is working tonight. Though I don’t believe she’s on the late shift, so she should be home soon-ish. If she hasn’t scored another date already, that is. Not that you should let that discourage you! Bryony dates lots of fellows, but I happen to know for a fact that she’sverykeen to go out with you.”
“She is?”
“Oh, yes.” Luna laughed again, more of that on-the-verge-of-cracking brightness. “Why, we talked about you just the other day.”
“You talked about me?”
“Bryony was bemoaning the fact that there are no good men left in the world who aren’t either aged or infirm.” She pressed a hand to her heart and squeezed out yet another of those thin giggles. “And I said to her, ‘What about Mr. Grimm? He’s a good man. He’s so very conscientious and kind, and he wouldnevertake advantage of a girl. Why, one always knows one is completely safe with him.’”
Nigel’s brow knotted. He couldn’t decide if this description of him was complimentary. Or even accurate, for that matter. “And, erm, what did Bryony say to that?”
“Oh, she agreed. She said right away that if you were to turn up on her doorstep, she would go out with you in a heartbeat. All you have to do is”—her gaze flicked up to meet his. And her smile, so broad just an instant before, vanished suddenly, even as her voice dropped low, speaking the final word in a deep, almost guttural register—“ask.”
Nigel studied her. Desperate to read something in her face, in her eyes. Perhaps he’d have better luck if she wasn’t wearing all that makeup. Perhaps then he’d be able to discern if what hethoughthe might be hearing in her voice was true. If she was not actually speaking for Bryony in that moment at all.
If she was truly speaking for herself.
He wanted to believe it. More than anything. But if he was mistaken, if he said, or—gods help him—didthe wrong thing right now, in this fragile moment, he risked so much. Too much. Too many lives, too many hearts. Too many perilous futures.
He felt the moment passing. He had to do something. Now. Quickly. Because if he continued to look into her eyes for even one moment more, he was going to make an absolute fool of himself, grab her in his arms, and kiss her like there was no tomorrow!
