Page 30 of The Duke of Distraction
“Now—” Felix sounded as if he’d ridden through the cold, his voice low and raspy.He gently cleared his throat.“Now, I’ll go around and ask you to guess your kisser.You do not have to guess the person who guessed you—not unless you think they’re right.”
“It’s important to note at this point that Crawford took ill, and Ware had to take his place,” Anthony said.
“So one of us kissed Ware?”Mrs.Alnwick asked a bit breathlessly.
Anthony nodded.“Yes.”
Mrs.Alnwick smiled broadly, and Felix knew she was going to guess him.She would, of course, be wrong.
“Lady Northam, would you mind continuing to record the forfeits?”Felix asked.
Lavinia smiled and nodded.“Certainly.”She went to the table that had been moved to the corner and sat down.She’d written down the names of those who had earned forfeits and marked their subsequent penalties.“Ready whenever you are.”
“Remember, everyone, the punishments will be assigned after we reveal the kissers and see who was incorrect.”
“What will the forfeits be?”Miss Saunders asked.
“A variety,” Felix said.“Those earning penalties will draw from a bowl.There is Living Statues, I believe, as well as Quartet and The Dumb Orator.”
Fielding laughed.“Splendid.”
Ready to get on with things, mostly because he was anxious to learn his kisser, Felix started at the left side of the room and called the first person.“Mr.Sherington, guess your kisser.”
Sherington scrutinized each lady, even moving toward a few to study them more closely, before finally saying, “Miss Elinor Conwyn.”That was the younger Miss Conwyn.
All heads turned toward her, and she waved her fan in an effort to cool her reddening cheeks.
Felix moved on to the next person and so on until he reached Sarah on the settee.She took a moment to survey the room, but not as long as anyone else had done.“Viscount Blakesley.”
The viscount gave her a wicked stare, and Anthony let out a very low growl that likely only Felix and Beck could hear.Felix shot him a quelling glance, and Anthony frowned in response.
Rolling his eyes, Felix went back to asking the rest of the guests to guess their kisser.He went last and decided to choose the only lady who hadn’t been chosen—the game had turned into an exercise in deduction.“Miss Reynolds,” he said, wondering if he was right.And also wondering if there was anything to be done about it, for he would certainly dream of her tonight.
“Now it’s time to reveal what number room you were in or went to,” Felix said.Everyone seemed to lean forward, and the tension in the room climbed.“Number one.Who was the lady?”
Miss Elinor Conwyn raised her hand.“It was me.”
“Damn,” Sherington said, and everyone laughed.
“And who was the gentleman?”Felix asked.
“Me.”Mr.Winston-Whit waved at Miss Conwyn, who blushed profusely again and worked her fan.
Her sister patted Miss Conwyn’s shoulder, and Felix continued.“Who was the lady in room two?”He already knew, of course.
“Me.”Mrs.Alnwick batted her lashes at Felix.
“And who was the gentleman?”
“I was,” Baron Hardwick responded, causing Mrs.Alnwick’s eyes to widen and her lips to form a small, brief pout.She quickly recovered and sent a wave to the baron, who chortled with glee.“I was correct in my guess,” he said.
“You were indeed,” Felix said.“No forfeit for you.”
They continued on with the occupants of room three and four, the latter of which the younger Miss Christie and Mr.Lytton guessed each other correctly.There was much laughter over this as well as a few wagers that they would be wed by fall.Both turned pink, and Felix worried he would actually gain a reputation as a matchmaker.Because of that, he said, “I feel bound to remind you that these assignments were completely random.”Almost completely.
And now he was to room five.His heart sped as he anxiously awaited the identity of the woman who’d stolen his equilibrium and probably his sleep for at least tonight.“Who was the lady in room five?”
“Me.”
