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Livvy’s heart lifted at the mere thought, but with a quick glance at Father, whose stern eyes met hers, Livvy hesitated. “Oh, I…I wouldn’t wish to disrupt the party.”
But Mrs. Moon insisted. “Ye won’t, I assure ye.” Then, to Livvy’s surprise, Mrs. Moon turned to her August. “Will ye show Miss May the new collection your father ’as purchased for me, son?”
August nodded at once, but Livvy’s cheeks instantly pinked as all eyes fell upon her. “I be sure I can find ’em on me own.”
“No, no,” Mrs. Moon continued. “Ye must choose at least three books to take with ye, as I know ’ow fast ye read. August can be there to ’old ’em as ye make your decisions.”
Before Livvy could protest further, August was at her side. “Allow me to show ye, Miss May,” he said, then he bestowed on her yet another one of his warm smiles that stretched far into his eyes and reached far into the depths of her soul.
She swallowed hard, then moved toward the bookcase with August right behind her. Father gave her a warning look as she passed by, and she nodded subtly. He needn’t worry. She wouldn’t be speaking about books with August.
She would be speaking about reading in the bushes instead.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Her next solicitude was to furnish herself with a well-chosen collection of books.”
Cecilia; Memoirs of an Heiress, Frances Burney
Livvy stood before the towering bookshelves, eying the beautiful spines and leather bindings of Mrs. Moon’s vast collection.
“As ye can see,” August said, coming up behind her, “me mother ’as a bit of an obsession.”
She smiled, though she was unsure how to respond. Did he disapprove of such an obsession? Should she reveal that she had just as much of one?
Laughter sounded at the other side of the room where their families still mingled, and August stared after them. He must be upset at having been dragged away from the rest of the party.
“Ye can return to your family if ye wish,” she said. “I can set the books on the table just there ’stead of ye havin’ to carry ’em.”
As much as she had been hoping for the opportunity to speak with him this evening, she would hate to think that she was upsetting him in any way.
“If ye don’t mind,” August whispered for only her ears to hear, “I think I’d far prefer lookin’ at these books with ye than ’ear another word ’bout gossip or ribbons from me sisters.”
Livvy smiled. Charmer of the Mount, indeed. Nodding, she redirected her attention to the books, peering closer at the spines to distract herself from the smell of his sandalwood soap that continued to slip beneath her nose in pleasant waves.
“I take it ye ’ave a fair love o’ books like me mother?” he asked next.
Livvy’s stomach dropped like the tip of an oar plunging into a stormy sea. He had either gathered this knowledge from Mrs. Moon sending Livvy to choose a few books, or from seeing her that afternoon in the bushes.
Either way, it was the perfect shift into the conversation she had been hoping to start naturally.
It was time.
Drawing a deep breath, she brought the words to the forefront of her mind that she’d been rehearsing for hours. In a soft but firm whisper, she turned to him with her response. “I do ’ave an obsession with books. But I was not readin’ in the bushes this afternoon.”
August’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. She could not be certain if he was doing so due to her seemingly random explanation or because she was denying reading in the bushes altogether.
“All right, then,” he stated simply.
Livvy frowned. That was it? “Ye just…believe me?”
He tipped his head to the side. “Do ye take fault with my believin’ ye?”
Livvy hesitated, glancing to Father. His eyes were focused on her in a way that made her think that he knew exactly what she was speaking of, though she was fairly certain he could not hear them from the far side of the room.
Her chest tightened, as if Sarah had too fiercely cinched her stays. Father was expecting her to not embarrass him, just like always.
Do not be odd. Do not be odd.
