Page 40 of An Unwitting Alliance
“Tell us a story,” Bethany said.
Mr. Harwood picked a piece of straw from her hair. “What sort of story?”
“They adore anything, really,” Cassandra said. “Nancy regales them every night with fables from thePanchatantra.”
Mr. Harwood seemed intrigued. “I cannot compete with that.”
“I know what story you can tell!” Bethany leaned against Mr. Harwood. “Tell us about you and Cassandra getting married.”
Mr. Harwood sent a look of help Cassandra’s way. “Cassie? Do you want to take this?”
“You are on your own,TenderTom.” She could not wait to see how he was going to talk his way out of this one.
Tom.
She feared using familiar names crossed an unseen line. Was it safe to do so? Surely no real harm could come to her. It merely meant they were good friends now, didn’t it? It didn’t mean she wanted to marry him.
Tom gave a sheepish laugh. “I’m afraid I don’t know how to begin this particular tale.”
“I do,” Jane cried. “First you have to go to the church.”
“Nooo,” Bethany said, elongating the word. “First you have to find each other.” She tapped Tom’s shoulder. “Tell us how you found Cassandra.”
“I found her in a carriage the day she was born.” His eyes flicked up to Cassandra’s, sending a curious warmth to her middle. “And I found her again, by chance, at a ball.”
When he said it like that, it sounded very much like fate.
“And did you marry her?” Jane asked.
Bethany groaned. “No, Jane. Just listen to the story.”
“Bethy-Tall is right. I did not marry your sister at the ball. But I did dance with her.”
Cassandra stilled herself for what he would say next.
“But I was not very nice to her.”
“Why?” Jane asked.
Tom looked up at Jane. “I stole the ribbon from her hair. You must never be as wicked as I am. But I really wanted to dance with her, so I had to get her attention.” He glanced at Cassandra, gauging her reaction with his teasing eyes.
She scowled playfully.
Bethany caught it too and giggled. “I bet she was still pretty without her ribbon. Were you, Cassandra?”
“She was still pretty.” Tom took a long glance at her. “I would say she was the prettiest one in the whole ballroom.”
“No reason to exaggerate.” Cassandra bit the insides of her cheeks, refusing to get caught up in what was surely just for the girls’ amusement. She turned to the girls. “Teasing Tom gave me my ribbon back, so there was nothing to worry about.”
“Who said I was exaggerating?” Tom ran his hand through his thick brown hair. “I might be blind to certain colors, but my eyes work perfectly well otherwise.”
She hoped she was not blushing. He said the most flirtatious things just to rile her.
“And were you the most handsomest man?” Bethany asked. Apparently, Megan had competition in who was the most excited about the topic of marriage.
“What did you think, Cassie?” Tom asked, wagging his brows.
“I am not sure,” Cassandra lied. She could think of no one handsomer. Not now and not then.
