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“It can?”
“On occasion,” Finn said with a shrug. He stopped and regarded Ashley with seriousness. “You like this chit?”
“She’s not a chit,” Ashley began. But Finn just smiled. Damn his brother for knowing him so well. Ashley didn’t know how to continue. But his brother would certainly understand his reticence.
“What do you know of her?”
Finn was a bit of a sleuth. “She’s quite unique,” Ashley said. Give Finn an inch and he’d take a mile. He’d know more about Sophie than Ashley did within days. He clamped his lips shut.
“I don’t want her shoe size, Robin,” he said.
Tiny. Her feet were tiny.
“Specifics, Robin,” Finn snapped.
“One grandmother, with whom she’s traveling. That’s all I know.” Aside from the fact that she had flashing hazel eyes that reminded him of a golden meadow, then a forest at dusk. Damn, it had been too long since he’d had a woman.
“I’ll get right on it.”
“I don’t want her to know,” Ashley started, resigning himself to the fact that Finn would put his nose in where it didn’t belong. And that he would do so with glee.
“You don’t want her to know you like her? I’m afraid it’s too late for that. Because you’d not leave the safety of your chambers to visit some lady you’ve no interest in.”
“I really dislike you at times,” Ashley said.
Finn clapped him on the back. “I know. I feel the same way about you.”
Eight
Sophia woke early the
next day, despite Margaret’s grumblings about having been kept up all night and then being expected to rise at the crack of dawn.
“And I returned His Grace’s clothing to his valet,” Margaret said, her voice full of censure. “Though I’ve no idea why you ended up in his clothing at all.” She sniffed with disdain.
Sophia rolled her eyes. “I didn’t end up in his clothing.”
“Then it was my imagination that you were wrapped up in his dressing gown this morning?” Margaret snorted. “I thought Simmons was going to kiss me when I returned it, he was that excited. It was all I could do to evade the man’s grasp. He has an affinity for the duke’s clothing.”
“Perhaps he takes his job seriously?” Sophia taunted. Margaret had been with Sophia’s family since long before Sophia was born. She had been her mother’s maid at one time, though Margaret never spoke of her. Servants in their land were different from servants in England. They took much more liberty and weren’t held to societal standards.
“He certainly takes the duke’s clothing seriously. You’d think the man had spun the threads himself.”
“I don’t think men here do that sort of thing,” Sophia said absently, as she appraised the upsweep Margaret was making of her hair. She’d left just enough trailing to tickle Sophia’s neck. But the rest was piled atop her head in an artful arrangement. One Sophia would surely ruin as soon as she left the room.
“Are you certain I can’t wear it down?” Sophia pressed lightly on the tips of her pointy ears to ensure they were hidden in the mass of hair. The duke would get quite a surprise if he noticed that particular trait. It was one of the only pieces of evidence that marked her as fae.
Margaret batted at her hands. “No one can see them. So, stop your fussing. I know you’d rather wear it down, but you can’t go out looking like a gypsy, no matter how much you’d like to,” Margaret warned. “The duke wouldn’t like having another hoyden under his roof.”
“Another?” Sophia turned to face Margaret. “Who’s the other?”
“His daughter, from what I hear below stairs. She’s quite a bit untamable.” Margaret poked at Sophia’s curls and grimaced. “A lot like your hair.”
“I sincerely doubt anyone will be up at this hour,” Sophia said with a toss of her head, which threatened to dislodge her coiffure. She patted at the tightly restrained curls. They’d be down around her shoulders within an hour. At least then she wouldn’t have to worry about her ears.
“His Grace has breakfast every morning with his daughter around this time, before he goes riding,” Margaret said cryptically.
Sophia had planned to spend the morning snooping. But if Lady Anne was up and about, and the duke would be going out, she might be able to spend some time with the girl instead. “Thank you for the information.” She pulled on her gloves and started for the door. “You haven’t seen Ronald lurking about, have you?”
