Ruin Me Please (26 page)

T
hat is why t
he following afternoon the women
found themselves packed into
Qui
n
ton’s in Ashford picking out ribbons. 
“How is it that
when
I see
a
ribbon, I don’t want it?”  C
hloe sighed. 
“But when I want a particular ribbon,
it is nowhere to be found
?”

“
Perhaps it is hiding from you, my dear. 
You couldn’t possibly need
more
ribbon
s
.
”
Poppy laughed.

“She’s absolutely right.
”
Freya nodded.  “I’m positive
I s
a
w a
case
overflowing with
ri
b
bons
alone
in your room
this very morning
.
  I believe the color you are searching for has yet to be invented.
”

“Who ca
n have too many
ribbon
s
?” 
Adele turned to the girls.
“Ribbon is a
lot cheaper than a new dress
or hat
.”

Chloe gave Poppy a
see I told you
so grin.

“When have we had to worry about money?”  Piper questioned.

Freya spoke up, “My father is the most frugal man I know
.”  S
he giggled.  “He
is forever insisting we refurbish everything.
” 
She added on a whisper,
“I believe my sister Lillian is wea
r
ing all
of my gowns from last season.”

“Even if one has money, there is nothing wrong with f
rugality,”
Adele pointed out.

“Quite right,” A deep
,
rumbling voice agreed.  “It’s how one keeps all their mo
n
ey.”

P
oppy felt
him behind her.  Heart racing, she sucked in a breat
h and slowly turned to face him, looking up with a brilliant
smile.

The men had made t
he rounds about town while
wait
ing
for the woman to sh
op.  Now it seemed each of them
slowly ma
de
their way into Quinton’s to
gather the woman for
tea.

Declan caught sight of the
jonquil ribbon clutched in Poppy’s hand
and
inquired
, “Have you
accomplished
all that you desired
for the day
or were you planning
on
adding that partic
u
larly lovely
ribbon
to your acquisitions
?”

She gazed down at the jonquil ribbon that now dangled from her finger and sighed b
e
fore hanging
it
back on the hook.  S
he said, “
Yes.  I’v
e already spent a fortune today.
”
 
A gr
i
mace curled down her delightfully pink lips
. 
“I
should be ashamed.  I
would feel horr
i
ble
if I
purchase
d
one more unnecessary item
for m
y
self.
”

“Why
should you feel horrible
?”

“
Because
I
’m debating whether I
should purchase some ribbons for the girls at
the school,
” Poppy
said.  “The girls
would love t
o have some new hair ribbons.”

“What school?” h
e asked fingering the ribbons dangling from their hooks.

“The Ashford Lane School for Girls,”
Poppy advised
.  “I believe my aunt commissioned the school to fulfill a hole in her heart.”  She glanced up from
underneath her lashes.  “I know
she regrets never having children
of her own
.
”  She smiled.
 
“You should see her with the i
n
fants, she’s marvelous
.”

“Do you
also assist your aunt
at the school?” 

“My Aunt Adele
and I are act
ually two of the patronesses
,
”
she replied matter-of-fact.

A surprised look flittered across his face
.
“You are actually a patro
n
ess?”

“Yes.”  She smiled.  “Piper and I were left a tidy sum of money from our mother.”  She shrugged.  “I knew what it was like to lose my father and I still had a comfortable home.  I ca
n
no
t imagine what it would be like to
live an uncomfortable
life on top of losing my mot
h
er or father.  So I help support the home financially and I teach the girls frivolous activ
ities to hop
e
fully ease their spirits
once a week.”
  She grinned.

He was curious. 
“What frivolous activity are you teaching the girls right now?” 
Declan
couldn’t help but smile
.

“This year I am teaching
reverse
glass painting.”
  She wrinkled her nose.

“How—
i
nteresting
.
”
His fingers brushed over the ends of the hanging ribbons, he watched as the swayed.

“I can see your eyes glazing over; you needn’t feign interest for my account.”

Declan
looked at her thoughtfully. 
“Do you mind if
I
see this
school
?”

“Aunt Adele and I will
visit
the school
on
Wednesday; y
ou are more than wel
come to a
c
company
us.” 
She paused for a moment before continuing,
“We are planning a fest
i
val for the girls and I was going to see if everyone wanted to partici
pate.  Perhaps you would be willing to
rally
the men?”

“It would be my pleasure
.”
He smiled at Poppy as he pulled t
he jonquil ribbon from the hook. 
“
In regards to the
frivolous addition of one more
ribbon,
think of it as support
ing
Qui
n
ton.” 
He bowed, then
wa
lked towards the counter
, he leaned
his hip against the edge
.  Pop
py watched as he spoke for a few minutes
, which
caused
a broad smile to appear on
Quinton
’s face
.

Her eyes followed him as he made hi
s way back
to her side,
bowing
gallantly
,
he
han
ded her the ribbon.  “A favor, my l
ady
.
”
H
e winked at her, giving her his best smile.

She curtsied, her dimple peeping out. 
“Thank you
,
Your G
race
.
It wasn’t necessary for you
to purchase the ribbon for me.
” 
She stared down at the ribbon lying across her gloved palm.  “I am perfectly able to purchase the ribbon for m
y
self.”

“I
t pleases me to take advantage of the
opportunity.”  He grinned
.

Adele watched the exchange between Poppy and Hawksley from across the room.  A strange
light appearing
in her eyes as
she smiled.

Peyton
took that moment to
saunter
towards the
women
.
“I’m famished
.
”
  H
e rubbed his stom
ach.  “Ain’t it time for tea?”

Piper corrected, “Isn’t”

Peyton rolled his eyes. 

Parker laughed
along with the rest of the men.
 

Over the
general
melee
, Chloe’s voice rose,
“I’m not pu
rchasing a puce ribbon, Se
y
mour.
”
A
lo
ok of frustration
crossed her
face.

“It’s a very popular color,” Seymour
replied with a smirk. 

“If you l
ike it so much, you purchase it.
”
 
She thrust the offending ribbon into his hand, then she turned to settle
her purchases
with
Quinton
.

After purchasing her r
ibbons, Chloe took Peyton’s arm.
“Come along.” 
She shot an a
n
tagonistic glance
back
at Seymour
and
asked, “Are you coming?”

They gathered up their packages and the l
arge group made their way to the pavement in
front
of the shop, stopping to take
a moment to enjoy the bit of a breeze
stir
ring
t
he air.

Adele
glided over
.
“You may give me your arm
young man
,” she declared
, lifting her twinkling blue eyes
.

“Your wish is my command.”  Declan swept her an elegant bow
.  Straightening, he slanted
a
charmingly
rakish smile
her way
.

Adele placed
her hand on Declan’s arm
, then the group
paraded the rest of the way through town
until they reached their destination, Minnie’s
public house for tea.

“I knew your father
,
young man,”
Adele
said
,
test
ing
the muscle
that flexed
beneath her hand.  “He was a
handsome devil.  Such a
fine
, fine
man.”

Declan’s brows rose
.
“Really?”

“He was a friend to my betrothed,” she
remembered
.  “Captain Roger Banks.  They grew up together.”

“I know a Banks family,” Declan confirmed.  “They live about
five
miles from Allingham Park.” 

“Clara Donovan t
ells me you will be supplying the
wo
ol for our girls from now on.”

He glanced
around surreptitiously
before whispering
,
“Don’t tell every
one, I don’t b
e
lieve
I have enough sheep.”  He laughed.

“
A f
armer,” Adele
said
running he
r finger over his tanned hand she leaned closer and
whispered, “So
.”  She waved
her hand in
an all-encompassing manner.  “
I’ve always found tanned men quite attractive
?”

He winked
, shaking his head at her charming audacity
.

She hit
him with her fan
, blurting
,
“You are wicked, Hawksley.”  She grinned.
“You will do nicely
indeed.
”

Declan inclined his head noncommittally.