“Miss Alt,” he said, “I think you wear your glasses to discourage your cousin’s jealousy.”
Her scent was light. Flowers and spice. It was clean, refreshing, doing things to the insides of him that were altogether too pleasurable.
“I . . .” She tried to speak, but nothing more came forward.
“Miss Alt,” he said again. His voice was softer. He leaned in closer. “I am going to remove your spectacles.”
She might have been in shock, or perhaps she wanted him to do it. In any event, she did not protest as he gently slid the eyewear from her face.
His eyes flickered, taking in every feature. He did not think he had ever looked this closely at any woman in his life. It was as if he could study that face for hours and not grow tired of its fascination.
Her eyes were blue, and innocent. She did not blink, and he did not breathe. It occurred to him that he had done something very dangerous here.
“I had guessed they were pretty.” He took in a long breath and let it out softly. “Very lovely. You should not hide them.”
She did so now, lowering heavily lashed lids.
He was used to women playing coy, but this was not her game. The more she retreated, the more doggedly he pursued, even while he asked himself why. He was not sure, but she was singular, unique, and he could not allow her to slip away.
On impulse, he lowered his head. He wanted to kiss her.
This time, she did not cringe. She did not hide. She remained perfectly still as he lowered his mouth.
He felt the cool brush of her breath against his lips. And just when he was anticipating the soft contact, a blaze of light slammed into the carriage. He sprang back and swung about to see the cheerful face of the driver at the door.
He had not realized they’d stopped!
“I think this will do,” the coachman said cheerfully, bending down to unfold the step. “Not too far a walk, but the queue is long today. I don’t think you want to wait.”
As soon as the step was down, Miles bolted from the carriage. He left Jenny to the coachman. Once she had alighted, she held out her hand to him and stammered, “Please. I need my eyeglasses.”
He gave them to her without a word, and she slipped them safely into place.
“Shall we go inside? I think we’ve managed to make it in time after all.” His voice was steady, calm. So different than how he felt.
Cassandra waited for them at the door to the church, just inside the vestibule. Her beautiful milk and roses complexion was mottled with anger.
“The reverend is due to start. I told Mother I would wait a moment longer to show you to our pew. You’ve made it just in time.”
Cassandra slipped her hand into the crook of Miles’s elbow, edging Jenny out of the way.
Chapter Four
Coming down the steps of the church, Jenny paused to thank the Reverend Morley for his sermon. He basked in her praise.
She saw Cassandra with Miles and headed in the other direction. Unfortunately, she was so intent on avoiding them that she did not see who was approaching her. But the moment she heard the sound of his voice, her heart sank.
“Miss Genvieve Alt, I must say you do look particularly fine today.”
Jenny paused and made herself smile. “It is good to see you as well, Mr. Darlington.”
The young gentleman beamed at her. Though his age was a few years older than hers, he was gifted with boyish good looks so that he appeared younger. However, his personality was similarly immature.
“I was looking for you all day. You were late.” He grinned wolfishly as he wagged a finger at her. “You know how the reverend feels about that.”
“I was late, yes. Could you excuse me?”
She stepped past him, but Darlington had never been one to take a hint. He was the one man who had refused to be discouraged by her aloofness. Jenny considered this very unfortunate. He had a tendency to drink too much at social affairs and could be loud and very embarrassing with his often unpleasant wit.