Page 30 of If I Loved You
Zach sipped his brandy, his gaze following that of these two men, settling upon Emma once more. While she still sat and faced Pickering, Lord Shirley now stood behind and between the pair, bent attentively to her speech. Zach’s nostrils flared as he watched Shirley’s gaze dip to the provocative arrangement of Emma’s bosom in the pretty pale blue gown. Of course hewouldn’t comment, wouldn’t discuss Miss Ainsley with persons not worthy of the conversation.
He felt a growl of displeasure grow within him as Prudence Kingsley walked in his direction, being not so subtle as to leave any doubt of her intention, but rather bent upon the purpose of gaining his side and his attention. As it was unavoidable, he only pivoted to receive her company that he might have a clear view of Emma, just as the brash young woman stopped before him.
“Lord Lindsey,” she said, “father tells me you’ve taken a certain interest in the Irish Roman Catholic bill.”
Inwardly, Zach rolled his eyes. He had no intention of squandering his speech on the bill in which he’d invested so much time and energy on this gushing woman.
She went on, “He declares that the loyalty those people had manifested throughout the war should avail them to any and all benefit to them. Do you, my lord, feel as if they have been deprived too long of essential constitutional privileges?”
This was her gambit, one she’d used previously and with about as much effect. She pretended an interest in politics, thought herself clever and well-versed, and hoped to convey as much. The truth was, however, that she was capable only of parroting her father, hadn’t a sincere fascination in what she spoke, but only hoped to garner attention for what she projected as her keen mind.
His gaze stretched just beyond the top of her head, fixed on Emma still. That bounder Shirley yet danced attendance, smiling benevolently at Emma as if it were he who graced her with his notice. Emma was smiling, all but ignoring Shirley—good for her—speaking earnestly to Pickering, with whom Zach couldfind no fault. The fact that he was more than twice Zach’s age aided in his charitable assessment.
He lifted a brow at Emma, delighted by the widening of her smile when her eye met his, even as he replied to Lady Prudence with a deliberately astute, “Miss Kingsley, pray do not trouble your gentle mind with political affairs, certainly not when your dear mama has other, more pressing ambitions for this evening.”
Ryley choked back a bark of laughter.
Wharton had just taken a drag of his cigar and coughed and sputtered on the interrupted exhale.
And then Zach read Emma’s lips, from the span of the twenty or so feet that separated them as she began to rise and said to the gentlemen in her company, “Excuse me, sirs,” all the while keeping eye contact with Zach. He found it exhilarating, watching her stand and detach herself from those men and walk around the table and toward him, her gaze never leaving him.
“I say,” Wharton murmured, facing the same direction as Zach, possibly having observed exactly what Zach did, what caught his breath.
She reached his side, at which Zach stepped left to allow her space between himself and the sulking and thwarted Prudence Kingsley. Excepting the fact that he nearly failed to remember that Emma merely played a role, and at his invitation, Zach was otherwise captivated beyond measure when she slid her hand into the crook of his elbow and smiled up at him as if he hung the moon.
“I feel I’ve monopolized poor Mr. Pickering’s time longer than I should,” she said, her fabulous blue eyes still holding Zach’s very appreciative gaze, “so I’ve come to collect some ofyours, my lord. Lady Kingsley had suggested Mr. Pickering take me strolling through the gardens just outside those doors—”
Zach just bet she had, the cunning old goat!
“—but poor Mr. Pickering deferred, with some complaint of allergies, that I thought to beg a tour of you.”
God’s blood, but weren’t these words, uttered so charmingly from this woman, just about the most bedeviling thing he’d ever heard?
Save that it was all a ruse, he knew, and of his own making.
With a quick glance and tip of his head to those around him—which showed both Ryley and Wharton beset by some exposed sense of envy, while the unfortunate Lady Prudence, as of yet unrecovered from Zach’s most recent indifference, revealed skinny eyes and a pinched mouth—Zach pulled Emma away from the group and toward the French doors to the terrace.
She pulled her fingers from his arm as he opened the door and steered her through with his hand lightly upon the small of her back. Leaving the doors ajar, Zach directed her to the far side of the terrace, where the Kingsley gardens might best be viewed.
But Emma gave no heed to the abundance of colorful blooms vying for attention within the undeniably vast and excellent garden but turned on Zach, her eyes shining.
And the smile—the one that bedeviled and teased him into a dastardly hunger only moments ago—disappeared, replaced by a conspirator’s grin.
“Did I manage that successfully, do you think? Truth be told, I was enjoying tremendously Mr. Pickering’s company—he is an avid outdoorsman and tells the most remarkably entertaining tales—but thankfully recalled my purpose and came to your rescue.” And then she teased, “You’re welcome.”
Jesus, but he wanted to kiss her right now. Kiss her thoroughly, have that be the reason behind so delighted a face and smile.
Instead, he said, “You’re very good at this. Surprisingly good.”
“I begin to believe I fretted needlessly. Everyone is so very kind and so long as I listen attentively and comment appropriately, this is all very...agreeable. And it’s no inconvenience to attend and remark to Mr. Pickering; surely he was quite a charmer in his prime.”
Everyone was so kind because she was a fresh-faced beauty whose smile might bring men to their knees. She imagined she played a role, but Zach was quite sure she was just being herself, being considerate and engaging and so very disarming.
“And Lord Shirley?” He wondered if her good opinion extended to that man as well.
She shrugged and acknowledged, “That one requires a bit more playacting, if you will. But I think I pulled it off.”
“I’m certain you did.”
