Page 30 of Lady Arabella’s Reluctant Hero

"Smile," Arabella murmured at his elbow.

"I am smiling," he said through a smile.

She leaned into him, so close he got a whiff of the clean citrus scent that he'd come to associate with her. "That is not a smile, Lord Alderton. That is the expression of a man who has just bitten into a lemon."

He nearly choked on a laugh. Her description was likely apt. "I was attempting a relaxed amiability."

"It looks more like a stiff grimace," she shot back. "Try again."

He fought a laugh. Mainly because her tone was filled with an amusement that was wry and…oddly disarming.

It was also contagious. Whenever she turned to him with that glint of wicked humor in her eyes, he felt on the verge of laughter before she'd even said a word.

And that glint was there now as she studied him.

"Better," she said. "Now look at me as though I am the most interesting woman in this garden."

He turned his face fully toward her.

"You are the most interesting woman in this garden," he said.

She blinked once. "Lord Alderton, that was…quite good, actually."

He grinned. "Was it?"

"It nearly persuaded me." She wagged a finger. "Nearly."

He grew solemn. "I shall endeavor to do better."

Her lips twitched. "Please do."

They shared a small smile before they both looked away.

"Arabella!" a female voice called. "Over here!"

The first true assault of the afternoon came in the form of Miss Cecily Vaughn and Miss Henrietta Devereaux, who appeared at the edge of the rose garden in matching parasols and matching expressions of barely suppressed bewilderment.

"Arabella." Cecily's wide-eyed surprise was far too rehearsed to be genuine. "We did not know you would be here. How delightful."

Arabella's response was markedly less enthusiastic. "How kind of you, Cecily."

Henrietta said nothing. She merely inclined her head a fraction in John's direction. The last time she'd seen him, he'd been on the wrong end of a thinly veiled accusation. It was a false accusation, of course, and John knew full well he had nothing to be ashamed of.

And yet he fought the urge to tug at his cravat under her scrutiny.

"Lord Alderton." Cecily turned to him with a smile. "I had heard— That is, people have said the most outrageous things, but you do seem perfectly amiable. Doesn't he, Henrietta? I am so glad it was all a misunderstanding."

John looked to Henrietta. "It was indeed a misunderstanding."

Henrietta's smile was…

Well. Arabella really ought to give Henrietta smiling lessons next when she was through with him.

"Oh, I am so very glad," Cecily cooed.

Henrietta examined her parasol with great interest.

But any awkwardness dissipated when Arabella spoke next. "Henrietta, I can see you have not yet decided what to make of Lord Alderton. Allow me to save you the trouble." She tilted her head a fraction to give him a coy look. "You were entirely correct to think poorly of him. He has been making a thorough nuisance of himself all Season. He's been calling, sending notes, appearing at every event I deigned to attend." She gave his arm a playful swat with her fan. "One can hardly blame a man for being persistent, I suppose. Though I had certainly tried."