More Than a Stranger: A Sealed With a Kiss Novel by Erin Knightley

her perfectly lovely gown, its only sin being that it boasted green trim instead of pink.
    Satisfied that the tray was in order, Mama took a seat beside Evie. “I certainly would have appreciated a bit of advance notice myself, poppet, but such is the mind of a man. I’m merely happy he came now and not a week from now. We would have already been halfway to London by then, and I would have been sorely disappointed to miss him.”
    Evie blanched at her mother’s mention of London. How on earth would she find the opportunity to speak to her mother privately with Richard and his guest causing so much excitement? Evie knew she couldn’t wait much longer, or the opportunity would pass. In the meantime, she must behave absolutely above reproach. She discreetly straightened her shoulders and softened her smile.
    “Ah, here they are; my dear family.”
    At Richard’s greeting, the girls jumped up to greet him, giggling as he hugged all three of them at once. Mama and Evie rose as well, and a moment later Papa entered the room.
    Evie stood back a little as the girls talked animatedly with Richard, their voices rising an octave or two to be heard over each other. Through the cacophony, Evie suddenly felt compelled to look to the doorway. Mr. Benedict stood just outside the drawing room, his eyes leveled directly at her. She sucked in a surprised breath, a tiny thrill racing across the back of her neck.
    The moment their eyes met, he looked away, seeking out Richard instead. As he stepped into the room, the girls stopped talking at once, leaving a vacuum of silence that seemed to echo off the rose-colored wallpaper.
    Jocelyn and Carolyn shared identical looks of wonder, with their eyes wide and lips slightly parted. Beatrice bit her lip and blushed before looking down to her hands. Struck anew by his chiseled features and wide shoulders, Evie knew all too well what her younger sisters must have been thinking. Mr. Benedict shifted under the sudden scrutiny, looking uncomfortable. Richard took it all in stride, extending a hand to his friend. “Mr. Benedict, come meet my family.”
    As her brother made the introductions, Evie stood to the side and observed their guest. He greeted each member of her family graciously, if a bit reservedly. Though his eyes never strayed to hers again, she wondered if he could possibly be as aware of her as she was of him.
    Pasting a generic smile on her face, she didn’t hear a word of the conversation; instead, she let her eyes follow the strong line of his shoulders down his broad chest all the way to his slim waist. She looked away before her eyes could dip lower and barely resisted the urge to fan her cheeks.
    “Evie?”
    Her head snapped up to see her mother looking at her strangely. “Yes?”
    “I said would you like to pour the tea?”
    Drat, how had she missed the question? She smiled brightly at Mama. “Of course.” Cringing, Evie scurried to the tea tray. She really needed to get herself together. She picked up the dainty porcelain pot and poured the first cup, a ribbon of fragrant steam curling pleasantly before her nose and calming her nerves a bit. She looked askance at Mr. Benedict. “How do you take your tea, sir?”
    He cocked his head slightly to the side as if she had asked him if he wanted snails with his tea. After the slightest hesitation, he said, “Just a splash of milk, please.”
    Her eyebrows drew together briefly before she smoothed her expression. Honestly, what had she said to earn that particular look? She was beginning to think the man was a little odd.
    She nodded nonetheless and returned her attention to the tea while Richard regaled her family with an overly dramatic tale about the inn they had stayed in the previous night. Setting down the creamer, Evie straightened and stepped forward to offer Mr. Benedict the tea.
    He accepted with another one of those almost nonexistent smiles. Clearly social niceties were not this man’s forte. She started to turn back to