Page 53 of No Ordinary Lady

“A gentleman will always look better with a few extra pounds than a lady,” Amy confessed to him in a low tone. “But women should always abstain for the sake of their health.”

Daniel wasn’t sure he agreed with that sentiment. Slender women had never much appealed to him before. He’d always preferred curvy women like Marian, though once upon a time, he was sure Amy had possessed some meat on her bones. He glanced sideways at her now. She was rather thin and narrow. Apparently, she’d been abstaining from every second slice of cake the whole time he’d been gone from the district.

Suddenly, Marian excused herself and headed toward them.

As she reached him, their eyes met briefly. A stab of satisfaction at her being so close brought an immediate smile to his lips. But then she continued on toward the manor and disappeared inside without saying a word.

Daniel gulped and turned back to find Amy watching him through narrowed eyes, and the last piece of cake stuck to the back of his throat so badly, he had to reach for his wine to wash it down.

As he looked up, he saw Kimble was studying the manor now, and watching the door Marian had disappeared through. But then his ward said something to him, and he laughed, and Kimble’s attention returned to his cousin finally.

But for the next ten minutes, Kimble kept glancing over his shoulder at the manor.

Kimble was definitely interested in Marian.

The thought gave Daniel no joy and more than a little worry. Though, why wouldn’t Kimble reveal his interest when Daniel had declared he had none in the woman himself? Kimble was a bachelor. Handsome enough to please any lady who caught his eye, and he had money—or had, the last time they’d spoken of their situations—to afford a mistress or a wife.

But could Daniel allow an attachment to grow between them without warning Kimble about Marian’s past as a thief? He would not like to tarnish her reputation. Marian fit in well in their small society, and he hoped fervently that she had reformed enough since becoming his grandmother’s companion that she posed no danger to anyone.

Perhaps it would be better to warn Marian instead not to encourage Kimble. Yes, that was what he should do and immediately.

Daniel made up a credible excuse to leave Amy’s side to return to his study. Going to his study first should not make it appear that he was following Marian.

Once inside, he changed direction and prowled around the lower rooms for her until he spotted Marian hurrying back down the main staircase. Her cheeks were pink, and she was out of breath, but did not see him until the very last minute.

When she did, her face lit up with joy and anticipation, reminiscent of their first encounter. In one hand, she held two parasols that obviously belonged to his granny, and she lifted them up to show him. “Were you seeking an escape from the heat like I was?”

“No. I need a word with you,” he answered, grabbing her by the arm and towing her into the nearest chamber. He shut the door behind them and leaned on it. “What have you told Kimble and his ward about yourself?”

Her brow furrowed. “Not much. Why?”

“Because I want to remind you that you can’t go around claiming that your family came from Portishead when they probably never did,” he told her, folding his arms over his chest to glare down on her.

“I never made up that story,” Marian complained. “I was told I came from Portishead and, according to Granny, my family might have been in business there. She seems to believe she knows more about my family, too.”

“So, just to be clear, you will continue to lie about who you are to everyone?” Daniel asked.

“Yes. I don’t know who I am anymore,” she said. “What else do you want me to say?”

“Nothing. Maybe hint that Granny’s memory cannot be relied upon on the matter of your family.”

“I won’t speak ill of your grandmother for any reason. But I do remember a shop,” Marian said. She looked up at him, but her gaze was unfocused. “Glassware and silver sparkling in the morning light, and colored glass panels painting patterns on the hardwood floorboards. Granny seemed to think that memory is an important connection to have made.” Her eyes regained their focus on Daniel. “Why are you worrying so much about me when you haven’t proposed to Miss Wilson yet?”

“That is none of your business. When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I can,” she promised, biting her bottom lip as she glanced down at the ground. “But your granny has spun so complicated a tale about my being here that if I leave with no hint of where I’m going, it might raise more questions and suspicions about who I really am.”

Daniel groaned. She had a point.

Marian looked up at him. “I’ll do my best to stick to Granny’s story, especially around your friends. Do you really mind so much my staying here?”

“Yes, I do, in fact. You’re a difficult woman to have underfoot. Much too pretty,” he complained, and when her face light up, he shook his head. “And you’ll be gone soon, so it hardly matters if you’re a distraction to my plans.”

Her face lowered again. “Yes, but you’re a distraction to mine as well,” she murmured, and then winced. “I’d best hurry back to Miss Kimble before your granny sends someone to look for me. That would draw attention.”

Granny would probably send Kimble. Daniel gritted his teeth. “Yes, you need to go.”

“I’m going,” she said, pulling a face. “And you better go back to wooing Miss Wilson, before she becomes any colder.”