wary. The typical reaction to his presence.
“I came.”
She laughed at him again in delighted astonishment. “Roger was right. You are very full of yourself.”
“I merely state the facts, madam. I have never darkened the door of a garden party before.”
She gave him a coy little curtsy. “I am honored.” But also cautious. Why was he so interested in her? After a moment of silence as they walked past the French doors leading out to the real garden, which was still dormant and chill, she prodded, “I thought you made a practice of playing catch-up, finding lost people and things and such.”
“I do, but that is not the same thing as chasing you around ballrooms.”
“I am more easily caught, I suspect, since I am hardly running away. I sought you out today.” Because she found him equally fascinating, though she was not as brave as he and wouldn’t admit it. He was too smart, too observant, and far too unsettling for her peace of mind. A dalliance with a well-known rake such as Sir Hilary was most definitelynot part of her plans.
“You did,” he agreed. “Why?”
“We are acquaintances, are we not?” she countered, feigning ignorance. “When I saw you I felt compelled to offer a greeting. It would have been rude not to. Also, you looked lost.”
“I am never lost.”
“Hmm,” was all she said. She could tell it infuriated him. “I am not interested in a love affair,” he stated bluntly.
Eleanor actually gasped at that and frantically looked around to make sure no one had heard him. “Are you mad?” she whispered roughly, gripping his arm. “Are you trying to draw censure to me? You will destroy my new identity.” Shock caused her to overreact. It was as if he’d read her mind. The crushing disappointment she felt at his declaration was troubling. Surely she didn’t desire such a thing either, did she?
“I am merely trying to put your mind at ease about my motives in seeking you out,” he explained. They were now facing one another. “I wish to know the person who can best me, who can outwit me. What flaw in me has allowed you to do so? There must be some explanation. It can’t be your intellect, which, though by no means small, is not as great as mine. You are passing fair, true, but hardly a beauty of renown. Why do you trouble me so?”
“That was not only blunt, but beyond rude,” she said without rancor. She’d been thinking the same thing. And of course they were both right. “Consider my mind at ease.” She crossed her arms and tapped her chin with her forefinger as if thinking very hard. “My intellect is too weak to help you with this conundrum, Sir Hilary. I am afraid you will have to play catch-up to figure it out. Good afternoon.” Irrational anger made her voice sharp, and she turned away with a flick of her skirts, disgusted with herself and with him. She left him standing there fuming as she went to look for Harry. Oh, he was an infuriating man.
* * *
“What on earth is wrong with Sir Hilary?” Harry asked her as the two were leaving thegarden party. “I offered him a hallo, and got a glare for my trouble as he stomped out the door. I saw you two talking earlier. Did he say anything to you?”
“He is infuriating, and quite self-centered,” Eleanor said under her breath. “We had words and I expected him to leave with dignity. I did not expect him to make a cake of himself over it.”
“Really?” Harry said with glee. “How marvelous! I’ve never seen him so upset by a woman.”
“It is not marvelous,” Eleanor argued. “People will talk. I cannot afford to be the latest on-dit.” How society would laugh if they knew he’d declared her unworthy of him.
“I don’t see why,” Harry said. “The fact is, Enderby has remarried. Surely he will want to keep his new wife, whoever she is, rather than put himself through a thoroughly messy legal battle over your death, or lack thereof. I hardly think a love affair would make your return from the
“I came.”
She laughed at him again in delighted astonishment. “Roger was right. You are very full of yourself.”
“I merely state the facts, madam. I have never darkened the door of a garden party before.”
She gave him a coy little curtsy. “I am honored.” But also cautious. Why was he so interested in her? After a moment of silence as they walked past the French doors leading out to the real garden, which was still dormant and chill, she prodded, “I thought you made a practice of playing catch-up, finding lost people and things and such.”
“I do, but that is not the same thing as chasing you around ballrooms.”
“I am more easily caught, I suspect, since I am hardly running away. I sought you out today.” Because she found him equally fascinating, though she was not as brave as he and wouldn’t admit it. He was too smart, too observant, and far too unsettling for her peace of mind. A dalliance with a well-known rake such as Sir Hilary was most definitelynot part of her plans.
“You did,” he agreed. “Why?”
“We are acquaintances, are we not?” she countered, feigning ignorance. “When I saw you I felt compelled to offer a greeting. It would have been rude not to. Also, you looked lost.”
“I am never lost.”
“Hmm,” was all she said. She could tell it infuriated him. “I am not interested in a love affair,” he stated bluntly.
Eleanor actually gasped at that and frantically looked around to make sure no one had heard him. “Are you mad?” she whispered roughly, gripping his arm. “Are you trying to draw censure to me? You will destroy my new identity.” Shock caused her to overreact. It was as if he’d read her mind. The crushing disappointment she felt at his declaration was troubling. Surely she didn’t desire such a thing either, did she?
“I am merely trying to put your mind at ease about my motives in seeking you out,” he explained. They were now facing one another. “I wish to know the person who can best me, who can outwit me. What flaw in me has allowed you to do so? There must be some explanation. It can’t be your intellect, which, though by no means small, is not as great as mine. You are passing fair, true, but hardly a beauty of renown. Why do you trouble me so?”
“That was not only blunt, but beyond rude,” she said without rancor. She’d been thinking the same thing. And of course they were both right. “Consider my mind at ease.” She crossed her arms and tapped her chin with her forefinger as if thinking very hard. “My intellect is too weak to help you with this conundrum, Sir Hilary. I am afraid you will have to play catch-up to figure it out. Good afternoon.” Irrational anger made her voice sharp, and she turned away with a flick of her skirts, disgusted with herself and with him. She left him standing there fuming as she went to look for Harry. Oh, he was an infuriating man.
* * *
“What on earth is wrong with Sir Hilary?” Harry asked her as the two were leaving thegarden party. “I offered him a hallo, and got a glare for my trouble as he stomped out the door. I saw you two talking earlier. Did he say anything to you?”
“He is infuriating, and quite self-centered,” Eleanor said under her breath. “We had words and I expected him to leave with dignity. I did not expect him to make a cake of himself over it.”
“Really?” Harry said with glee. “How marvelous! I’ve never seen him so upset by a woman.”
“It is not marvelous,” Eleanor argued. “People will talk. I cannot afford to be the latest on-dit.” How society would laugh if they knew he’d declared her unworthy of him.
“I don’t see why,” Harry said. “The fact is, Enderby has remarried. Surely he will want to keep his new wife, whoever she is, rather than put himself through a thoroughly messy legal battle over your death, or lack thereof. I hardly think a love affair would make your return from the
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