hear.”
He moved closer until he stood next to her, leaning his hip against the railing. “What, may I ask, were you thinking of? It must have been enthralling to keep you from hearing my loud entrance.”
“No. It was not that intriguing. I was just thinking of home.”
“Are you homesick?”
She nodded. “I have never been this far away.”
“I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help you keep your mind off home?”
A teasing glimmer sparked his eyes, letting her know he wasn’t serious in trying to give comfort. This look was definitely different from the way he looked at Anna tonight. “I thank you for your thoughtfulness, but there is nothing you can do.”
He grinned then glanced over her. She shifted, uncomfortable under his close scrutiny, yet a heated chill ran over her, warming her considerably.
“I have to admit,” he said, “you do look different somehow.”
She arched her eyebrows in question. “Is that good or bad?”
He laughed deeply. “If you don’t mind my candidness, I think your dress looks slightly outdated, and it’s a little large on your small frame. This particular style of dress does not fit you, either. It doesn’t match your bold personality.”
She couldn’t hold back from laughing. Wouldn’t he love to know why… “Well, I’m sorry you don’t approve. Maybe Lady Sarah and I can travel into town tomorrow to find a dressmaker. Would that make you happy?”
He shrugged. “I would have to see what style of dress she picks for you first.”
She shook her head. There was no point trying to convince him what kind of dress she would look better in. It would just waste her time if she tried. She ran her gaze over his attire, noticing he had discarded his coat, make her realize just broad his shoulders really were. Very masculine, indeed!
She grinned. “I hope you do not think I’m forward in saying that you look just as superb in fancy clothes as you do when donned in a towel.”
His eyes widened mere seconds before he tilted back his head and howled with laughter. “Oh, you are a humorous one, Miss Emmie. And although it was rather forward of you to say, I appreciate your boldness. It’s not very often I find a woman who is so openly honest.”
One side of her mouth lifted in half of a grin. “Now, is that good or bad?”
“That is good.”
She smiled fully. “I thank you, then.”
He continued to boldly scan her with his enticing gaze, wearing his all too cocky grin. “You probably noticed I had spent a lot of time with Lady Sarah tonight.”
Emmie lost her smile. “Indeed, I did notice.”
He turned, leaning his back along the railing as he looked up into the night sky. “Lady Sarah is a very beautiful woman, but you have probably heard men say that about her before.”
“I have,” she mumbled.
“She doesn’t talk much, though.”
“She is a little demure.”
He looked down at her. “She really didn’t tell me that much about herself and so I cannot understand why she is like that.” He paused briefly then continued. “You must know why she’s so shy. Couldn’t you give me a little information about her?”
Pulling herself away from the railing, Emmie slowly walked along the side of the terrace, sliding her fingers along the wooden gate as she went. “Forgive me, Mr. Lawrence, but I cannot help you. Lady Sarah is always reserved around people she doesn’t know.”
“Why?”
She shrugged without looking his way. “That’s just the way she is.” Emiline didn’t want to tell him it was because she couldn’t trust men. Usually when they proclaimed their love, it was only to be the duke’s son-in-law.
“How long have you been her lady’s companion?”
Emiline stopped at the end of the railing to where a rosebush was in full bloom, and gently ran her finger around one of the yellow petals. “I don’t
He moved closer until he stood next to her, leaning his hip against the railing. “What, may I ask, were you thinking of? It must have been enthralling to keep you from hearing my loud entrance.”
“No. It was not that intriguing. I was just thinking of home.”
“Are you homesick?”
She nodded. “I have never been this far away.”
“I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help you keep your mind off home?”
A teasing glimmer sparked his eyes, letting her know he wasn’t serious in trying to give comfort. This look was definitely different from the way he looked at Anna tonight. “I thank you for your thoughtfulness, but there is nothing you can do.”
He grinned then glanced over her. She shifted, uncomfortable under his close scrutiny, yet a heated chill ran over her, warming her considerably.
“I have to admit,” he said, “you do look different somehow.”
She arched her eyebrows in question. “Is that good or bad?”
He laughed deeply. “If you don’t mind my candidness, I think your dress looks slightly outdated, and it’s a little large on your small frame. This particular style of dress does not fit you, either. It doesn’t match your bold personality.”
She couldn’t hold back from laughing. Wouldn’t he love to know why… “Well, I’m sorry you don’t approve. Maybe Lady Sarah and I can travel into town tomorrow to find a dressmaker. Would that make you happy?”
He shrugged. “I would have to see what style of dress she picks for you first.”
She shook her head. There was no point trying to convince him what kind of dress she would look better in. It would just waste her time if she tried. She ran her gaze over his attire, noticing he had discarded his coat, make her realize just broad his shoulders really were. Very masculine, indeed!
She grinned. “I hope you do not think I’m forward in saying that you look just as superb in fancy clothes as you do when donned in a towel.”
His eyes widened mere seconds before he tilted back his head and howled with laughter. “Oh, you are a humorous one, Miss Emmie. And although it was rather forward of you to say, I appreciate your boldness. It’s not very often I find a woman who is so openly honest.”
One side of her mouth lifted in half of a grin. “Now, is that good or bad?”
“That is good.”
She smiled fully. “I thank you, then.”
He continued to boldly scan her with his enticing gaze, wearing his all too cocky grin. “You probably noticed I had spent a lot of time with Lady Sarah tonight.”
Emmie lost her smile. “Indeed, I did notice.”
He turned, leaning his back along the railing as he looked up into the night sky. “Lady Sarah is a very beautiful woman, but you have probably heard men say that about her before.”
“I have,” she mumbled.
“She doesn’t talk much, though.”
“She is a little demure.”
He looked down at her. “She really didn’t tell me that much about herself and so I cannot understand why she is like that.” He paused briefly then continued. “You must know why she’s so shy. Couldn’t you give me a little information about her?”
Pulling herself away from the railing, Emmie slowly walked along the side of the terrace, sliding her fingers along the wooden gate as she went. “Forgive me, Mr. Lawrence, but I cannot help you. Lady Sarah is always reserved around people she doesn’t know.”
“Why?”
She shrugged without looking his way. “That’s just the way she is.” Emiline didn’t want to tell him it was because she couldn’t trust men. Usually when they proclaimed their love, it was only to be the duke’s son-in-law.
“How long have you been her lady’s companion?”
Emiline stopped at the end of the railing to where a rosebush was in full bloom, and gently ran her finger around one of the yellow petals. “I don’t
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