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Addington spotted her and gave her a slow smile. Goodness gracious but he had a handsome smile in the most infuriating way possible.
She’d decided as she’d lain awake that she couldn’t verbally spar with him again. He always seemed to have the upper hand. Her plan, if she could ignore his lazy smiles, was to pretend she didn’t give a whit about him so that she could follow him without suspicion. She knew she was grasping at straws, but she had to try something. Her body responded to his and her mind wasn’t prepared for his blasted intelligence. It was part of the reason she’d come down to breakfast so early. She’d wanted to avoid his company. Didn’t drunken degenerates like Lord Addington sleep late?
“Good morning, Lady Rose.” Lord Addington stood in greeting as he spoke.
Rose stopped, cursing to herself. Then she remembered her manners and began moving again, glancing at the other people about the table.
Lord Perrault stood as well and the widow, Lady Crawley gave her a nod.
“Good morning,” she replied as blandly as she could to a man who had kissed her just hours ago.
Lady Crawley sniffed. “What is good about it?”
Lord Perrault gave a little chuckle. “Why rise at all, Lady Crawley, if you don’t enjoy the morning?”
Rose made her way around the table to be seated next to the widow when she saw Lady Crawley give Lord Addington a long look. “I heard morning air would be good for my skin,” the woman replied. “Lord Addington, I know you enjoy the mornings.” Her pause made it clear exactly why she’d woken. She hoped to catch the attention of Lord Addington. “Perhaps you wouldn’t mind taking me for a walk in the fresh air after we’ve broken our fast?”
Rose digested this information. He was a known early riser? How was that possible given his reputation?
Lord Addington gave a slight bow. “My apologies, but I’ve a previous engagement.”
“At this hour?” Lady Crawley huffed.
Rose glanced at the other woman. She was lovely in the way that was in fashion among the ton. Pale blonde hair and ivory skin, the woman was tall and slender making her stand out in a crowd. The lady didn’t ever have a hair out of place. By contrast, Rose had a far more honey colored hair that refused to be stay where it should, much browner skin and a fuller figure. Though her waist was tiny, her curves were rather…full. She smoothed her skirts in an effort to tame her hips as she reached the chair next to Lady Crawley. Wishing, she were taller at the very least, or thinner, or just as well put together as the other woman.
But wishes wouldn’t help her now. As she smoothed her skirts again, she sat. Rose had been careful not to make eye contact with Lord Addington and she kept her gaze cast down at her plate but she felt his eyes upon her. Why wasn’t he assessing the widow? If there was one advantage to breaking fast with a woman who was so much more beautiful, then it was that she should distract Addington so that Rose could observe him. But he watched her all through breakfast and she looked everywhere but at him.
Perrault cleared his throat and Rose watched as Lady Crawley fiddled with her napkin in the silence.
With a sigh, Addington spoke. “I have always risen early, Lady Crawley. I find I quite enjoy the morning.” He paused for a moment. “What of you, Lady Rose?”
Drat. She’d have to meet his gaze now. Glancing up, she found the dark pools of his eyes intently studying her. “I’ve always risen early as well.”
“Even when you’re up late?” One corner of his mouth gave the tiniest quirk up and she held in her gasp. He was trying to ruin her.
Narrowing her eyes, she looked at him for a few moments before responding. “I don’t generally stay up late but on the rare occasion I do, yes, I still rise early. I can’t sleep when the sun shines.”
Out of corner of her eye, she could see Lord Perrault assessing them. “I didn’t realize the two of you were acquainted. I’ve been meaning to make the introduction.”
Heat infused her cheeks as she held in a gasp. How would they explain their relationship?
Addington gave an easy smile. “Her father introduced us just last evening.”
“Excellent,” Perrault said.
Lady Crawley cleared her throat loudly and deliberately. Everyone turned to her. “Now that we’ve established the people who enjoy the mornings, what is it you do at this hour?”
Rose tried to think of an answer that didn’t sound rude. Honestly, what kind of question was that?
Before she could formulate an answer, Lord Addington did. “This morning, Lady Rose and I are touring the gardens.”
She whipped her head around to look at him, her face going slack. Any moment he’d announce he’d been in her room last night. What other explanation was there? But before she could reply another voice answered from the doorway. “We are quite looking forward to it, Lord Addington. Thank you for suggesting the outing.”
She recognized the sound of her father’s voice anywhere. As she whipped her head about she was met by his calm visage. He looked quite pleased. Her father was in on this? Didn’t he know Lord Addington’s reputation? Frankly, if Lord Addington’s behavior last night was any indication, it was one to which he lived up. They’d all gone completely mad.
Will had a small pang of regret as Rose gaped at him from across the table, her eyes wide and her skin pale. She had a reputation to maintain, putting her at an absolute disadvantage in these little conversations they had. Well, technically, he had a reputation as well as a rake and blackguard, one that he also put work into but it was so much easier to make people think ill of oneself. “It is my pleasure,” he murmured, studying Rose.
She did look tired this morning but still as beautiful as she’d appeared in the moonlight. He gave a quick glance over to the widow and the corner of his mouth tugged down. She was not his sort at all. Though her tall and thin figure was fashionable, he found Rose’s curves so much more pleasing. They were absolute perfection both to behold and feel and his thoughts drifted to last night when she’d been pressed up against him. She’d been divine.
