Page 24 of Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife
“It’s my pleasure.Every man loves playing a knight in shining armor now and again.”
“Some men like playing a knight in shining armor all the time,” she muttered.
Madame Lebeau reached the landing and another door.When she opened it, light flooded out.Hugo followed Miss de Smith down a corridor to a sitting room, as Madame Lebeau closed the door to the stairs.
The room was toasty warm and a fire burned in the grate.After visiting Sweet Little Nothings, the stylish space didn’t surprise Hugo.The cool blues and grays calmed the soul and a number of excellent pictures decorated the walls.Two tall windows looked out onto the street, and a large bookcase covered one wall.
As Miss de Smith paused in the doorway, Hugo saw her clearly at last.She was ruffled and her bonnet was crooked.That storm of kisses left her lips red and full.Not one button of her clothing was undone, but a shrewd woman like Sylvie Lebeau would know that her friend had been in Hugo’s arms.
“Bienvenueto my home,” she said.“I’ll go into the kitchen and leave you the sitting room.Aphrodite, call if you need anything.”It was a warning to Hugo that if he pushed Miss de Smith beyond what she was willing to concede, she wasn’t unprotected.
“Thank you, Sylvie.”Miss de Smith took off her gloves, bonnet, and pelisse and laid them over the back of a chair.“I know we’re disturbing you.”
“Not at all.”She poured two glasses of wine from a decanter and passed them to her guests.“You’ve addedun peuexcitement to a dull evening.Anyway, you’re always welcome,ma chère.”
“Thank you,” Hugo said, sipping his wine and appreciating the warmth.It was a fine vintage.Sweet Little Nothings must be prospering.
Madame Lebeau headed down a short corridor, leaving them alone together.
“Shall we sit?”Hugo asked.
“No.”Miss de Smith remained standing in the middle of the room.“I just wanted to ask you to keep my secret.”
He set his glass on an elegant mahogany table and took off his hat and gloves.“Which one?That you want me, too?”
Her lips flattened.“That’s no longer a secret.”
She wasn’t coy.He loved that.“Or the secret that Sylvie Lebeau is no more French than I am?”
She looked hunted.“I thought you’d heard that.”
He shrugged.“It’s none of my business.She can pretend to be from the moon for all I care.You’re the one I’m interested in.”
She shifted from one foot to the other under his concentrated regard.“You heard more than Sylvie’s accent.”
“Yes, I did.But then, I always knew Aphrodite wasn’t your real name.”He paused.“Athene suits you.”
She looked even more on edge.“If you knew more about me, you wouldn’t say that.It’s laughable that I share a name with the goddess of wisdom.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself.”He unbuttoned his heavy greatcoat.“I’ll be much happier calling you Athene in my dreams than Aphrodite.”
Athene frowned, as he took off the coat and tossed it over a tapestry-covered chair.“Don’t get comfortable.”
“I’m hoping to kiss you again.”
“But Sylvie—”
“Is sharp enough to know I’ve kissed you already.And that I want more kisses.”
Her blush charmed him.Away from the office where she was so clearly in charge, she displayed a beguiling innocence.“You must know we can’t.”
“I know nothing of the kind.”He took pity on her.She looked bewildered and lost.“But I’m happy to talk first.”
She mustered a glare.It wasn’t up to her usual standard, but he commended the effort.“All I’d like from you, Sir Hugo, is your assurance that you won’t say anything to reveal that Sylvie and I are not what we seem.”
“You have my word.”
His ready agreement made her frown.“Thank you.I’ll show you out.”
