wig tilted precariously to one side.
The duchess’s crystal blue gaze traveled over Rose in such a thorough fashion that Rose wished she’d taken the time to fix her hair.
Her face heated, Rose dipped a hurried curtsy. “Your grace, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The duchess cocked her head to one side, a puzzled look in her eyes. “ You are Miss Balfour?”
“Yes, your grace.”
“Miss Rose Balfour.”
Rose looked from one lady to the other before she said in a firm voice, “Yes, your grace.” There was a flicker in the blue eyes and Rose felt as if she’d disappointed the duchess in some way. Rose smoothed her skirts, the dogs prancing about her feet as if they could sense her unease. “My gown is sadly crushed from my journey, but I was determined to thank you immediately for your gracious invitation.”
The duchess managed a smile, though she by no means looked welcoming. “I’m glad you joined us so quickly.” She gestured to the lady on the opposite settee, who sat watching Rose as if at a play. “This is Lady Charlotte, my companion.”
Rose turned to the other woman and was instantly reassured by the woman’s warm smile and twinkling gaze.
“How do you do?” Lady Charlotte’s soft voice made Rose think of warm cookies.
Rose curtsied. “I’m well, thank you. I hope you’re the same.”
“Oh yes.” Lady Charlotte set aside her knitting and patted the settee beside her. “Come and sit for a few moments before you retire to your bedchamber.”
“Yes, do sit,” the duchess agreed. “When we’re done here, MacDougal will take you to your room and have a bath brought. I find a nice hot bath so refreshing after travel.”
“That would be lovely.” Rose sat beside Lady Charlotte and instantly Weenie and Beenie jumped into her lap. She had to hold them in place, since there was barely room for just one, and she laughed at the armful of squirming puppies.
“Oh, you bad dogs,” the duchess said. “How rude of them! Weenie! Beenie! Stop bothering our guest.”
“Oh, they’re fine.” Rose chuckled and said to the dogs, “I can see that I’m going to have to pick one of you to claim my lap, and it’s too difficult to choose, so you’ll both have to get down.” She gently placed first one and then the other onto the floor.
The duchess smiled a little, which softened her face considerably. “They’ve taken to you. They don’t normally do that with strangers, do they, MacDougal?”
“No, yer grace. Never, tha’ I can remember.”
The duchess watched Rose as she petted Beenie’s head. The dog grunted blissfully. “Miss Balfour, I’m delighted you decided to visit us.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Rose lied, trying to keep her smile locked upon her lips.
Margaret heard the lie and was surprised. She’s more excited about the dogs than at being at Floors Castle. Interesting. I suppose that means she’s not a social climber. Margaret eyed her guest a bit longer. I never expected her to be so plain, either.
Miss Balfour was as far removed from the women Sin usually pursued as one could imagine. The gel’s unruly black hair was held in place by a number of pins, half of which were sticking out, while the other half struggled to remain in place and failed miserably. She was brown, too, rather than the milky pale preferred by society, and far too thin for the day’s fashion of draped gowns, which were more suited to women with bosoms and hips. Why, she’s no more than a thin, wiry scamp of a gel. She’s far from Sin’s usual bits of fluff, which makes this even more interesting.
Charlotte broke the growing silence. “So, Miss Balfour, tell us more about yourself.”
“What would you like to know?”
“Everything,” Margaret stated baldly.
Miss Balfour blinked, but Lady Charlotte added with a kind smile, “What do you like to do, dear? When you’re at home, that is?”
“I ride a lot, and read. My mother is no longer with us, so it’s
The duchess’s crystal blue gaze traveled over Rose in such a thorough fashion that Rose wished she’d taken the time to fix her hair.
Her face heated, Rose dipped a hurried curtsy. “Your grace, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The duchess cocked her head to one side, a puzzled look in her eyes. “ You are Miss Balfour?”
“Yes, your grace.”
“Miss Rose Balfour.”
Rose looked from one lady to the other before she said in a firm voice, “Yes, your grace.” There was a flicker in the blue eyes and Rose felt as if she’d disappointed the duchess in some way. Rose smoothed her skirts, the dogs prancing about her feet as if they could sense her unease. “My gown is sadly crushed from my journey, but I was determined to thank you immediately for your gracious invitation.”
The duchess managed a smile, though she by no means looked welcoming. “I’m glad you joined us so quickly.” She gestured to the lady on the opposite settee, who sat watching Rose as if at a play. “This is Lady Charlotte, my companion.”
Rose turned to the other woman and was instantly reassured by the woman’s warm smile and twinkling gaze.
“How do you do?” Lady Charlotte’s soft voice made Rose think of warm cookies.
Rose curtsied. “I’m well, thank you. I hope you’re the same.”
“Oh yes.” Lady Charlotte set aside her knitting and patted the settee beside her. “Come and sit for a few moments before you retire to your bedchamber.”
“Yes, do sit,” the duchess agreed. “When we’re done here, MacDougal will take you to your room and have a bath brought. I find a nice hot bath so refreshing after travel.”
“That would be lovely.” Rose sat beside Lady Charlotte and instantly Weenie and Beenie jumped into her lap. She had to hold them in place, since there was barely room for just one, and she laughed at the armful of squirming puppies.
“Oh, you bad dogs,” the duchess said. “How rude of them! Weenie! Beenie! Stop bothering our guest.”
“Oh, they’re fine.” Rose chuckled and said to the dogs, “I can see that I’m going to have to pick one of you to claim my lap, and it’s too difficult to choose, so you’ll both have to get down.” She gently placed first one and then the other onto the floor.
The duchess smiled a little, which softened her face considerably. “They’ve taken to you. They don’t normally do that with strangers, do they, MacDougal?”
“No, yer grace. Never, tha’ I can remember.”
The duchess watched Rose as she petted Beenie’s head. The dog grunted blissfully. “Miss Balfour, I’m delighted you decided to visit us.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Rose lied, trying to keep her smile locked upon her lips.
Margaret heard the lie and was surprised. She’s more excited about the dogs than at being at Floors Castle. Interesting. I suppose that means she’s not a social climber. Margaret eyed her guest a bit longer. I never expected her to be so plain, either.
Miss Balfour was as far removed from the women Sin usually pursued as one could imagine. The gel’s unruly black hair was held in place by a number of pins, half of which were sticking out, while the other half struggled to remain in place and failed miserably. She was brown, too, rather than the milky pale preferred by society, and far too thin for the day’s fashion of draped gowns, which were more suited to women with bosoms and hips. Why, she’s no more than a thin, wiry scamp of a gel. She’s far from Sin’s usual bits of fluff, which makes this even more interesting.
Charlotte broke the growing silence. “So, Miss Balfour, tell us more about yourself.”
“What would you like to know?”
“Everything,” Margaret stated baldly.
Miss Balfour blinked, but Lady Charlotte added with a kind smile, “What do you like to do, dear? When you’re at home, that is?”
“I ride a lot, and read. My mother is no longer with us, so it’s
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