Page 82 of Rakes & Reticules
Pennington winced. “Ouch, you know how to deflate a man.”
Callum chuckled. “I think our darling Dorothea was up to a bit of mischief.”
“Obviously,” Pennington said and then turned to Amelia. “You were never in any danger from me. I quickly saw I had been duped. I am experienced enough to know when a lady is in a library because she is hungry to seize hold of my body or when she is in a library to actually read a book. You, Lady Amelia, were clearly enthralled by your book. However, I approached you because I was curious as to the reason Dorothea wanted to send me in here.”
Amelia looked from Pennington to him and then back to Pennington. “And?”
“Is it not obvious? She wished to discredit you in the eyes of the duke in the hope of knocking you out of competition.”
Amelia frowned lightly. “What competition?”
Pennington glanced at Callum. “Him, of course. You are clearly his favorite.”
Amelia smiled as she turned to Callum. “Goodness, what an odd conclusion. I have never been anyone’s favorite before.”
Callum returned her smile. “Well? How does it feel to be mine?”
She stared at him for a long moment. “It feels...interesting.”
Pennington laughed. “Well, that was hardly a glowing recommendation.”
“I meant no insult to His Grace. I think I am very poor at these house party games, or should I call them intrigues? In truth, I wish I knew how to flatter and flirt. But it simply does not come naturally to me. Your Grace, you have already told me I am far too serious. I suppose this proves it.” She held up the book she was reading. “It is a translation of Euclid’sElements.”
Callum burst out laughing.
“Dear heaven,” Pennington muttered. “This is your casual reading matter?”
Amelia nodded.
Pennington rubbed a hand across the nape of his neck and grinned. “I may fall in love with you myself. No wonder Dorothea considers you competition.”
“Because I can read?”
“Because you are intelligent and beautiful. I will admit, it has taken me a while to realize just how pretty you are. Or how intelligent you are. My apologies for being slow to come around. But a man’s head spins when introduced to so many lovely ladies in their pretty silks. They are all distracting pieces of candy. One tends to lose oneself in the soft pink of their smiles and lush gold of their curls.”
Callum cleared his throat to regain his friend’s attention before the bounder began spouting love verses to Amelia. “Go back to the parlor, Pennington.”
“Would you mind terribly if I waited around?” He drew out his fob and checked the time. “I expect Lady Dorothea will be leading her army of confederates on a march to the library about now. They ought to arrive at any moment.”
Callum nodded. “Amelia, I expect you have caught on to her purpose by now. She hoped to catch you alone with Pennington and have you discredited. This should be jolly good fun. She’ll explode like a fireworks display when she realizes her scheme has failed.”
Amelia set her book aside and rose. “This is all my fault. I should not have slipped away to be on my own. I’m sorry to have put either of you in this awkward situation. I truly did not think anyone would notice my absence or even care that I was gone had they noticed.”
“No harm done.” Callum dropped his hands to his sides. “However, I suggest you run up the back stairs now so that only Pennington and I are found in here. Quickly, I hear the sound of her satin slippers on the marble.”
“Slippers make a sound on marble?”
He sighed. “Amelia, this is no time for scientific quibbling. I do not need to hear her footsteps to know the delightful Dorothea is at this moment leading a parade down the hall.”
Amelia scurried away.
No sooner had she disappeared than Dorothea burst in with half a dozen friends beside her and a ready accusation on her lips. “Oho! I–”
She looked around, puzzled to find Pennington seated behind the desk with Amelia’s book in his hands. Callum was in the corner about to pour each of them a brandy, but set the bottle down as Dorothea’s little show unfolded.
“Where is Amelia?” Her beady eyes honed in on Pennington.
He looked up and shrugged. “Haven’t seen her.”
