“You wish to be friends with me?”
He lifted his shoulders. “I like how you negotiate,” he replied. “I don’t have many friends, you know. Harbury, of course. Caroline. Emily.”
“And me?”
And you.Something settled inside of him. “If you choose.”
Her gaze probed him. Could she see that her answer had become important?
She slid her gloved hand into his. A second jolt tingled in his fingers, as if he’d touched a glowing coal. She blinked down at their joined hands and then released him.
Reluctantly?
“I’ve just been warned to take care where you’re concerned.”
He frowned. “I thought as much.”
She glanced askance at Neville. “I’m not very good at following directions.”
His frown transformed. “Nor am I.”
“The warning,” she said under her breath, “was lately delivered. I told you the truth before. Godmama has not made any specific, disparaging statements about you or your family…other than referring to you asthatRedver.”
“That Redver, am I? Are there others who share such a distinction?”
“Harbury, for one, at least since the Almack’s incident.” She paused to make sure her godmother was still deep in conversation with her son. “And she also mentioned that Pennington.”
He didn’t have time to completely mask his reaction.
“You do know what she meant, don’t you?”
“Yes, I know.” His gaze moved to Harbury and Cassandra. “As it concerns your sister, I will tell you the story. But not tonight.”
“Beast!” Her eyes sparked. “The suspense will drive me to my salts.”
He chuckled softly. “You’ve never needed salts. You’ve too strong a constitution.”
“I will take that as a compliment.” She appeared pleased.
“I meant it as one.”
She flushed prettily as she nodded with gratitude. Their gazes locked. Again, he had the feeling she was someone he knew. Knew and liked.
“Allow me to give you one in return?” she asked.
“Please do.”
“You’re…” she hesitated. “…not at all what I expected, Lord Redver.”
Not much, by way of flattery.
But the true praise had been in the softness of her voice, the gentling of her expression. His heart fluttered in a way that felt akin to panic, a premonition that took the form of a question—what wouldn’t he do to win her sincere approbation?
“That wasn’t a compliment, Miss Wainwright. That was a challenge.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Perhaps I meant it to be both.”
“Redver,” Lady Asquith called. “Do come over here and settle a dispute between Blackwell and Neville.”
