Page 2 of Sin and Serendipity

“To flirt with yourself?” Robert supplied helpfully.

She grimaced. “You heard that?”

“I thought I’d interrupted a romantic interlude,” he said, struggling against a growing smile.

“Oh, dear.” Her hands rose to cover her cheeks and she let out a sheepish laugh. “How embarrassing.”

The dim lighting made it impossible to know for sure, but he’d wager her face had flushed a becoming shade of pink and he was sorely sorry to miss it.

“I apologize for trespassing, my lord, and I hope you will forgive the transgression.” She began edging toward the door. “I will leave you now, and return to the ballroom before—”

“What were you doing when I came in?” he asked, well aware he ought to let her leave, but unaccountably resistant to the idea. He ambled over to his desk and perched on the edge, crossing one ankle over the other as he awaited her answer.

Ellie turned from the door, facing him with pursed lips, as if debating whether to answer him truthfully, her fingers twisting the fabric of her skirts. “I was…practicing.”

Robert cocked his head to one side in a silent bid for further elaboration.

“Practicing flirting,” she clarified with a wrinkle of her nose. “I’m afraid I’m not very good at it.”

He slipped his hands into his trouser pockets, fighting the urge to grin at her like a besotted fool. She really was adorable, this girl.

“I find that rather hard to believe,” he said. “I know we’ve only just met, but you strike me as an intelligent and amiable young woman, not to mention uncommonly pretty. I should think attracting men would be easy for you.”

Her lips parted and she blinked at him, as if his words had caught her by surprise. “I…thank you, my lord,” she said, before clearing her throat. “Unfortunately, I am not interested in attracting just any man. Only one will do for me, but”—a small sigh escaped her—“he doesn’t know I’m alive.”

A sharp pang of disappointment shot through Robert’s chest, unexpected and thoroughly unwarranted. He stifled a frown, baffled by the reaction. Why should he care where Ellie Wrencroft’s affections lay? He’d only just met the girl, for God’s sake.

Gripping the edge of the desk, he shifted on his feet with contrived laziness and said, “A specific man? And who is it that—” But the answer came to him then, extinguishing the words on his tongue.

She meant Freddy.

His jaw clenched. He’d heard her whisper his brother’s name only moments ago as he’d come into the room, hadn’t he? Of course it was bloody Freddy. He should have guessed. Women adored his charming, devil-may-care younger brother—always had—and it shouldn’t surprise him that this woman did, too.

“You mean Freddy, don’t you?” he said, the words gruffer than they ought to be.

She parted her lips as if to speak then clamped them shut again, her brow puckering as she gave a slow nod. “Does…this upset you?”

“No.” Yes. “Of course it doesn’t upset me. I’m surprised, that’s all.”

Her expressive brows shot up like twin arrows. “Surprised? Why?”

Yes, Robert, why?

He crossed his arms over his chest only to uncross them again, his mind working furiously for a believable lie. “Well, because I…”

But Ellie didn’t let him flounder for long.

“I know your brother is more beautiful than I am,” she said with a frown. “He has all those midnight curls and eyes like English bluebells, while my eyes and hair are plain, ordinary brown, but…” She trailed off, fidgeting with a curl at her ear as her frown turned stubborn. “But I love him, you see, and I know we’re meant to be together. And if I could only talk with him, flirt with him, I know I could make him see it, too.”

Robert smothered a frustrated howl. Midnight curls? English bluebells? What was this effect his brother had on women?

And what had led her to believe there was anything plain or ordinary about her?

Irritation thrummed through his veins, though he wasn’t certain what annoyed him more, that she fancied herself in love with Freddy, or that she thought herself inferior to him, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

Either way, it didn’t matter. Freddy wouldn’t marry her. Not once had he displayed even the slightest interest in taking a bride and, as lovely as this girl was, Robert very much doubted even she could get his brother before a vicar.

“I’m delighted to hear you speak so well of my brother, Miss Wrencroft,” he said, keeping his voice even, “but I feel I should warn you: Freddy isn’t interested in marriage at the moment, and I doubt he will be anytime soon. I suggest you forget about him and fall in love with someone else instead.”