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“Does she?” Sir Edward said sweetly. He turned to Star, “As it happens, I was not far from here when…when two things occurred to stall me. I was made aware my suit was ill advised, and my hired coach broke down.”
“Well how horrid for you,” Georgina said.
“Indeed, a broken heart and a broken coach…” Star could not help but giggle.
“He only thinks he has a broken heart,” Jules put in.
“Broken heart, indeed! What utter nonsense,” Sir Edward said languidly. “I have relinquished such romantic notions to those younger and less experienced. If I have suffered anything, it has been an irritation of nerves because I am used to getting my own way and have recently been balked. The feeling…shall pass.”
“I applaud you, sir,” Georgina said with genuine approval.
“Georgie!” Star laughed. “You cannot mean that? It is no such thing. He sounds very much like one of Byron’s poetic heroes. I think Rye will enjoy him, don’t you?”
“I am nothing like Byron or his Child Harold, or any of his poetry!” Sir Edward objected.
“Now hold on a moment. Here you are a London beau…” Jules offered.
“Up to every rig,” Star interrupted to add.
“Yes, and dressed to the nines,” Georgina concurred.
“Definitely, Byronic in demeanor!” Star stuck in on a laugh. “Won’t the women of Rye swoon?”
“Yes, indeed. If he has a fortune and our Rye society discovers this? Oh my,” put in Georgina.
Both ladies began to giggle and when Jules exclaimed, “Right you are!” Sir Edward made an unintelligible sound.
“I hope you are all enjoying yourselves at my expense,” Sir Edward said as he pulled a face at the assembled company. A slow smile forced its way onto his countenance, however, and Georgie dimpled at him.
“You are a jolly good sport,” Georgina said.
“Yes, and I hope you will continue to be, when the mamas of marriageable chits have at you,” Star added.
“And the widows… let us not forget the widows!” added Georgina.
“Ah, do tell me about the widows.” Sir Edward could not resist saying and a devilish glint lit his hazel eyes as he looked directly at Star.
She met his glance and almost caught her breath. He was of course, being outrageous, but they had goaded him after all.
“And the lovely Rye debutantes,” she said softly. “Will no doubt, frighten you to death and send you flying back to London.”
“Not,” said the victim of these jibes, “if they are in any way like you, Miss Berkley,” he returned gallantly.
Star laughed and got up to move in his direction, her hands reaching for his, “Oh, that was sweet and here we have been anything but. Do not be angry, sir. We really mean no harm.” His hands had clasped hers and a shudder of sensation swept throu
gh her.
Their eyes met.
Did the world suddenly stop all around her? Had everyone ceased to exist? Was she alone in a room filled with stardust? Why, oh why did her knees feel as though they were about to crumble into dust? What, was happening?
Sir Edward released her hands so sharply that she was momentarily dumbfounded. His touch had sent rivulets of sensation scurrying through her to all nerve endings, but before she was even able to wonder about this, he had dropped her fingers as though stung by them. Devoid of the capability of logic she watched him step back with a look of confusion.
“I am very pleased to have been the one to entertain you,” he said, breaking through the moment. She looked into his warm hazel eyes and composed herself.
“One day, sir, you will find yourself in the position to do the same to me and I shall be happy to pay the bill. It is only fair after all,” Star came back to a sense of self and managed to answer him softly.
“Fair-minded, are we?” he inclined his head. “We shall see if that is so, when the time comes.”
