Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (30 page)

Chapter

N o r a , dressed in her frumpiest Eleanor Habersham finery, concluded the evening was not going as planned a few hours later, after finding herself

at whist with none other

than Brandon Wycroft himself.

'What did we bid?' Nora asked for the thousandth time that night in Miss Habersham's nasally voice, hoping that her irritating mannerisms were enough to distract Stockport from the fact that they were on the brink of winning their second rubber.

She was certain a man like Stockport would never believe a silly woman like Miss Habersham could be so canny at cards. However, Nora could not bring herself to cheat at cards simply to live u p - o r down, as the case might be-to Stockport's notions. If there were two things Nora could not abide, they were cheats and liars. She would not make herself both just to reinforce Stockport's beliefs about the card-playing abilities of a spinster. So she spent the evening across from her self-sworn nemesis,

behind her hand of cards at Stock-

port's polite conversation while soundly routing their opponents with astute play.

'We bid spades,' Stockport said with commendable patience

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while Nora made a production of peering at her hand through her thick lenses.

Nora tossed a card on the table, intensely aware of Stockport's cobalt gaze fixed on her. 'What is it, my lord? Have I misplayed?'

'Quite the contrary, Miss Habersham, I think you want to fool us into underestimating you.' Stockport smiled another of his drawing-room smiles, polite, charming and yet somehow slightly

who or what, Nora could not divine.

'There is nothing to underestimate,' Nora offered smoothly, playing a trump.

'I think there is. You've shown yourself to be an outstanding card player this evening,' Stockport complimented. He the conversation towards the woman seated to his left. 'Mrs Tidewell, is Miss Habersham always so capable at card parties?'

The woman blushed and thought for a moment. 'I suppose she is. Miss Habersham is always winning, but she's so humble we forget how handily she plays.'

'I am fortunate in my partners,' Nora responded, gathering the last trick. 'There, my lord. We've made our bid. You can speculate all you like about my card playing, but I say it is merely luck and good partners.' Nora rose and stretched, grateful that the other two tables were finishing their hands and that the tea trolley had

Tables began to break up and guests milled around the tea service, Stockport among them. Nora was glad to be out from under his sharp eyes after enduring the evening under their scrutiny. Within the hour the party would reach its conclusion and she could get on with her business.

Nora took a seat on a nearby couch and tried to look unobtrusive. She failed completely. Within minutes, Stockport's sharp eyes found her. Damn.

'Miss Habersham, would you like some tea?' She'd expected Stockport to join some of the male guests present but here he was, dancing attendance on the village spinster, a

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delicate tea cup in each hand and

handsomely at ease

with the difficult manoeuvre. How the London ladies must swoon over him, Nora mused, thanking her stars that
she
was made of sterner stuff.

'Thank you.' Nora took the tea he offered, trying to ignore the empty space on the couch next to her.

Stockport smiled gently. When she didn't invite him to sit, he invited himself. 'Miss Habersham, may I join you?'

'Oh, certainly,' Nora fluttered, covering up for her lack of manners. 'Although I am surprised you are not out the

company of your friends.'

'I already know them, Miss Habersham. I don't know you.

This is the perfect opportunity to get to know my newest neighbor. How long have you been at the Grange?'

Drat, the man could rise to every occasion. That spelled trouble. His benign question immediately aroused her suspicions. In her experience, there was nothing as perilous as seemingly harmless small talk, particularly coming from this man.

No matter how well cultivated his drawing-room manners were, nothing changed the fact that he was positively lethal, much more dangerous than any of her information made him out to be. She must tread carefully.

'There's not much to tell. I am a simple woman. You've already seen that I live a simple life.' She tittered and stared into her tea cup. That would not be enough to put Stockport off, so Nora deflected his burgeoning inquisition with a tried-and-true trick. 'I am sure it's much more interesting to talk about you.' In general, most men were
always
diverted by the opportunity to expound on themselves at large.

She'd forgotten Stockport was not most men. It was the second time in their association she'd made that mistake. The first time, she'd

him. She would do well to remember

it. He wasn't even half the men she knew. He had a category all his own.

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He narrowed his remarkable eyes now and furrowed his brow,

as if he struggled with an unseen puzzle. A of alarm went through Nora. 'What is it, my lord? Have I said something wrong? Oh dear, I'm always putting my foot in it.' Nora

her hands dramatically, making a show of muttering her stupidity under her breath while her mind raced, trying

catch her

What had triggered Stockport's reaction? He looked like a man who had heard or seen something familiar, but could not place it in context.

Stockport mastered himself. 'No, you've done nothing wrong. It is just that your conversation reminded me of another I had not long ago. I assure you, it's not what you said, merely how you said it. I see you're finished with your tea. Come, stroll about the room with me.'

Nora stared at Stockport as if he had two heads. The spinster about the room with the Earl? She had not expected this, but then she hadn't anticipated anything that had happened so far tonight. There was no way out of it, so she placed her hand on his sleeve and consented to the stroll.

Stockport kept up a stream of seemingly innocuous small talk. She supposed other women would find the singular attention flattering. She found it worrisome. 'Before tonight, Miss Habersham, I knew two things about you. First, you live at the Grange. Secondly, your cook makes the best in town.

Now I have discovered a third. You play an outstanding game of whist. I am sure there is more to know.'

'I assure you, those are the sum of my attributes,' Nora said as rudely as Miss Habersham might dare with such a man.

'We shall have to agree to disagree on that point, Miss Habersham,' Stockport said in nonchalant tones that left her unprepared for the dangerous words that came out of his mouth next. 'Ah, we approach the verandah. Fresh air, Miss Habersham?'