Page 27 of Seducing a Frigid Lady
The way she glanced past him, as though she thought Lady Caroline might be waiting like a little lost puppy for him to return, made Lionel begin to smirk. He was quick to wipe the expression from his face when she turned her gaze upon him again. Was that hope he saw glinting in her eye? If it was, it was gone as quickly as he had seen it. She straightened up further and Lionel got the distinct impression that she was going to protest.
“My cousin has kindly offered to escort Lady Caroline and her mother for a second turn,” Lionel assured her, never allowing his gaze to leave hers.
“Isn’t that wonderful, Cilla?” Miss Lyttleton spoke up, and yet Lionel and Miss Lloyd did not so much as blink. They continued to stare at each other and Lionel felt the challenge that was burning deep in her icy gaze.
Don’t act as though you are such a tough nut to crack, Miss Lloyd,Lionel thought, silently imagining that she could actually hear his thoughts.I shall be the one to win this wager between us.
“If we are to make it another turn, we ought to get moving,” Lady Lyttleton spoke up, glancing towards the sky. “It looks as though there are clouds rolling in.”
Just a glance in the same direction told Lionel that she was right, though he could not think that they were rain clouds or anything else that would harm their walk around the pond.
“Perhaps you should all go on ahead?” Lionel suggested, glancing at Miss Lyttleton and the others. “If Miss Lloyd is in need of an extra moment to catch her breath, then I am happy to remain with her.”
Miss Lloyd glowered at him as though she was not at all pleased for him to be trying to speak for her. Yet she said nothing. The man whom Miss Lyttleton was standing with, looked at his companion with a happy smile and suggested, “Shall we?”
“Would you like me to wait with you, Cilla?” Miss Lyttleton asked, even though it was clear she would much rather have continued on.
Lionel was surprised when Miss Lloyd shook her head, barely taking her gaze from his. “I am well. Please go on ahead and I shall catch you up in a moment.”
Miss Lyttleton and her male companion did not appear to need to be told twice. The gentleman happily turned with her on his arm and started on the walk, following the same direction with which Max and the others had taken.
The ladies Lyttleton and Bishop looked less happy to leave Miss Lloyd standing there, though a glance around at where they were appeared to take the edge off.
“I shall escort Miss Lloyd after you in a moment,” Lionel reassured them and both ladies gave curt nods before they linked arms and disappeared under their parasols, after Miss Lyttleton and her companion.
When he turned his full attention back to the raven-haired beauty, she was still glowering at him, and he could not stop himself from smiling back with amusement. It was clear that she did not at all like his taking control of the situation when she so clearly had her own mind and her own will to do so.
“Shall we, Miss Lloyd?” Lionel asked, offering her his arm. “Or would you prefer to remain here with…”
He glanced around Miss Lloyd at the man who had finally straightened up on the bench, looking a little more put together than he had when Lionel had first approached.
“I am sure thatLord Bessingtonwould be much more comfortable without my disturbing his chance at recovery,” Miss Lloyd announced, and with that she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.
Lionel was immediately surprised at how wonderful it felt to have her hand upon him. Somehow, it was an accomplishment in itself, as though he were already half-way to winning the wager they had placed between each other.
“Good day, Lord Bessington,” she stated with a curt nod of her head in the nobleman’s direction. Now that he had heard the man’s name, Lionel was certain that he knew of him. A baron with a fair wealth and enviable land though little ease going for him, and knowing what he knew of Miss Lloyd, he could see why the man’s company had not pleased her. From the looks of him, he did not share her intelligence nor her desire to be straight-forward.
“Safe walking, Miss Lloyd,” Lord Bessington called after them even as Lionel began to guide her around the pond after the others. To his relief, they had not gotten too far ahead, though they were a good enough distance that he and Miss Lloyd could speak unhindered.
“I do hope that you have had a pleasant day so far, Miss Lloyd,” he stated as they walked. He moved languidly, in no hurry to catch up with the others just yet.
“It has not been unpleasant,” Miss Lloyd replied, gazing ahead as though she could not bring herself to look him in the eye. It gave him the few moments he needed to really take in her face, the paleness of her skin against the raven locks of her hair, several of which were loose from what had been pinned up beneath her pale blue bonnet.
Though her expression remained neutral and she continued to look ahead, Lionel was well aware of her beauty and the commanding nature of her presence at his side.
I can see why so many men are determined to be the one to melt her,he thought, unable to stop himself from chuckling a little at the thought.
“Is something amusing, my lord?” Miss Lloyd asked, turning her gaze upon him as they walked. She raised an eyebrow at him, meeting his gaze unwaveringly, as though she was unafraid of whatever it was that he was thinking.
“I was just imagining how much of a hard time you put poor Lord Bessington through for him to be quite so ill,” Lionel said, smirking with laughter. He glanced over his shoulder to see that the baron had collapsed back against the bench and was not at all interested in their walking away.
“I don’t believe that Lord Bessington’s state is anything to do with me, my lord,” Miss Lloyd responded. “From what I know of him, he has always been on the sickly side.”
“Hmm…” it was all he need do to agree. What little he had heard of the baron appeared to be true. “I imagine either way that you could have been a little warmer towards him.”
“And risk you believing that someone has managed to get under my skin, my lord?” Miss Lloyd gasped, looking at him with her lips parted as though she was deeply shocked by his suggestion. “Then you might actually believe that you were in with a chance of winning our little wager.”
The challenging glint in Miss Lloyd’s eye was enough to make his stomach twist. Though it was not painful. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He found he liked the sensation and he would have immediately done anything in order to feel it again.
