Greydon lifted his hand and twirled the piece of hair in his finger that had fallen next to her cheek. “May I kiss you?”
“Yes!” she rushed out. As the word left her mouth, she felt her face growing warm at the mortification that she’d responded so quickly and so enthusiastically. She was supposed to be a lady, after all.
With an amused look on his face, he joked, “I can see you are still indecisive.”
“A gentleman wouldn’t tease me at a time like this,” she chided breathlessly as she felt his warm breath on her cheek.
“I thought we had decided that I am no gentleman,” he said as he lowered his head.
Just as his lips brushed against hers, Malcolm’s irate voice came from next to them. “Unhand my sister, Rushcliffe!” he exclaimed.
In a quick motion, Greydon moved to create more distance between them.
Malcolm’s eyes were sparking with anger as he declared, “I have no choice but to challenge you to a duel.”
Greydon didn’t want to laugh, but it was lunacy on his friend’s part to challenge him to a duel. He was a skilled marksman and Malcolm was most assuredly not. Although, he understood where Malcolm’s anger was coming from since he had been caught kissing his sister in the gardens with no understanding between them. Not that he hadn’t tried for one, but Enid wasn’t ready.
With a shake of his head, Greydon said, “I am not going to duel with you.”
“Are you and Enid engaged?” Malcolm demanded.
“We are not, but not for a lack of trying on my part,” Greydon replied.
Malcolm took a step closer to him, his eyes narrowed. “I cannot let you dishonor my sister so horrendously by kissing her without an understanding in place.”
“I can assure you that I meant no disrespect.”
“What was your intention, then?” Malcolm asked. “Were you hoping to have a dalliance with my sister?”
Greydon’s jaw clenched. “You forget yourself. I would proceed with caution,” he said, his voice holding a warning.
“No, it isyouthat forget yourself,” Malcolm growled.
Enid stepped in between them and chided, “Are you both quite finished?”
Malcolm scoffed. “Stay out of this, Enid.”
“Stay out of this?” Enid repeated. “Surely you can’t be serious.”
“Rushcliffe went too far and—” Malcolm started.
“I kissed him,” Enid declared.
Greydon went to object, for he was fairly certain it had been him that had instigated the kiss, but Enid shot him a look to be quiet.
Malcolm turned his heated glare towards her. “Why would you do such a thing?” he asked. “Do you not care for your reputation?”
Enid gave him a knowing look. “I daresay that my reputation cannot sink any lower.”
“Regardless, you cannot go around kissing people,” Malcolm said.
“I was not kissing ‘people’,” Enid drawled, “I was kissing Greydon.”
Malcolm’s eyes shot back up to him. “You are calling each other by your given names now?”
Placing a hand on her hip, Enid spoke up before Greydon had a chance to reply. “I gave him leave to,” she announced.
“What would Father say?” Malcolm asked.
