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“Those tight fitted britches look absurd on you. You are too tall and lanky for ‘em,” said Vern still grinning mischievously. “And your hair! What have you done my man, pomading it into a roll like that?”
“You have never had any sense of…”
“Brummell would not approve,” Vern announced.
“Tis m’own style…thought I’d…”
“Don’t think, brush it out, Miles, you look like a damn quiz,” Vern interrupted him with a laugh and then coughed for a few moments.
Miles frowned as his friend’s coughing fit subsided and sighed before responding, “I am here to make you feel better. I heard you were not up to par, but if you are going to continue to insult me, ‘ole friend, I shall leave you to wallow on your sickbed alone.”
Vern grinned as he saw the twinkle in his friend’s light brown eyes. “Not quite stout yet, but I shall be. I am surprised to see you here. Thought you wouldn’t come around till you were pretty sure you’d be safe from infection.” If he had the strength he would have punched his friend’s arm with the words.
“Well, as to that, you need to rethink, for here I am,” Miles said and then more gravely, “How are you, Vern. You look…drained.”
“I am coming along…”
A knock sounded at the door and Vern called out, “Come in then.”
Dilly appeared in the doorway. She looked toward Miles who was well known in the Berkley household and blushed a bright shade of pink before she lowered her eyes and dropped a curtsy in the open doorway. Taking a tentative step forward she held out an envelope, but as it was clear she did not wish to enter the bedroom any further. Vern’s eyes narrowed as he regarded his friend.
“Bothering young Dilly here, have you?” Vern said on a note of disapproval.
“How can you say that? Have I bothered you, lovely Dilly?” Miles returned, going forward to take up the envelope and flip it toward Vern.
“Oi just came up to bring ye that…now. Oi’ll be going then…” Dilly said ignoring Miles altogether.
Vern smiled kindly at her, “Thank you, Dilly.”
She bobbed her head and ran out and they heard her steps take the long hallway outside the room with some speed. Vern turned to his friend and said, “Whatever have you done to make her act like that?”
Miles shrugged, “Done? Why no more than tell her how beautiful she looked when she bumped into me earlier.”
“Bumped into you?” Vern said one brow up.
“Well she came out of nowhere and all I did was put an arm around her to steady her….”
“Tried kissing her, didn’t you, Miles?” Vern demanded. Damn. He had thought to ask Miles to escort his sister and Georgie to the ball. Now, he was quite certain that would be a very bad notion.
“Well, only a little kiss…nothing to make her quake,” Miles answered with a twinkle.
“Scoundrel! Leave her alone. She is shy and Star adores her and besides that, we only have four servants and can’t afford to lose her.”
Miles sighed, “Aye aye, my lord, aye aye.” He shrugged his shoulder and added, “Besides, that is just a bit of dallying. You know there isn’t a maid alive that interests me save your sister.”
“Gammon. You mean there isn’t a maid alive who doesn’t interest you.” Vern snapped, but softened the words with a boyish grin. “Who knows why you have this sudden desire to marry my sister. You have known her all your life and never before gave a hint of such feelings.”
“Ah, never say you have warned Star off me?” Miles returned grinning amiably.
“Certes! Don’t have to. M’sister isn’t a fool. She has your measure. She knows you are just going through one of your phases. Today it is her, tomorrow another.”
Vern dodged the pillow Miles flung at his head and grinned.
“Go to the devil!” Miles shouted in lively accents. “What Star needs is a man just like me. If Star would look my way, I swear to you Vern, my playing days would be over. I would never even look at another pretty again.”
“Damn, but you make me sick when you talk like that.” Vern shook his head.
“Well, but it is true, I swear it and besides…I’d settle handsomely on her…which would help you…” Miles suggested hopefully if albeit warily.
