Seeing Danger (Sinclair and Raven #2)(7)

“Are you wishing to hear more of the Grey Shrike, my lord?”

“No, you were quite thorough in your description, thank you.” His voice held humor.

“Perhaps another night then, Lord Sinclair.”

Before she could retreat, he had grabbed her card and studied it. Horrified, she knew he saw it was empty.

“Lord Hingle has been struck down with a rare form of lackwit; it is a disease that will lay him low for some time, I fear.”

Lilly heard Miss Pillsworth giggle.

“That is extremely rude, my lord. Lord Hingle is a friend of mine, and on his behalf I must protest.”

In fact she loathed the man, but he did not need to know that. The slow smile forming on Lord Sinclair's face was not making her heart thud faster, Lilly told herself.

“Please accept my apologies if I have insulted you in any way, Miss Braithwaite.”

He wasn't sorry at all, the scoundrel. His green eyes had a wicked glint. She squinted. Men did not like women who squinted, she had ascertained, as it meant she could not see them clearly.

“Oh, Miss Braithwaite thinks Lord Hingle a lackwit also, Lord Sinclair.”

“Yes, thank you, Miss Pillsworth.” Lilly gave the woman a sharp look, which did nothing to subdue her. They had spent many hours sitting on the edges of ballrooms, and Lilly had let her facade drop occasionally and shared a quip or two about some of the men of society. Now she wished she had held her tongue.

“I shall dance with the silly man should he arrive, Miss Braithwaite, while you dance with Lord Sinclair.”

“Excellent.” He held out his arm. “What a true friend you are, Miss Pillsworth.”

Lilly looked around her but rescue came from no quarter, and as there was no one to come to her aid anyway, there was little she could do but rise and place the tips of her gloved fingers on his forearm.

Neither spoke as they made their way onto the floor. They attracted plenty of glances, because it was no secret she was rarely asked to dance and he was highly sought-after.

Lilly was relieved as a quadrille started when they reached the floor. Not as bad as a waltz, but still he would remain close to her for most of it.

“Are you enjoying the season thus far, Miss Braithwaite?”

“Oh indeed,” she simpered. The breath seized in her throat as his large fingers clasped around hers. Even through their gloves she could do nothing to stop the shiver of awareness. She released it with a whoosh as he released her to take Lady Rumble's hand. The woman threw him a smoldering look.

Lilly had never understood women doing such things. But then she'd never understood the need to flirt either. Of course, that was because she had no wish to ever marry. Lilly couldn't marry; she had too many reasons not to, second of which was her children. No husband would allow his wife to do as she did.

She straightened her spine as Lord Sinclair returned to her side. Luckily he did not touch her.

“Do you not like the quadrille, Miss Braithwaite?”

His green eyes smiled, and Lilly hated the feeling of a hundred butterflies fluttering about in her stomach.

“Oh yes, indeed, Lord Sinclair, it is a most beauteous dance. Why do you ask?”

“You're frowning.”

Drat. Lilly immediately relaxed her face.

“I like to frown, I-I it gives the face a chance to relax.” Mother of God, had she just said those words? Think before you speak, Lilliana, she chided herself, this man is no fool. Try not to appear overly stupid.

“There is certainly a place for a frown, but one would not think that place was on the dance floor when one is meant to be enjoying oneself.”

“Oh yes, indeed,” she said for the third time. “La, I do believe this is my favorite dance. Do you know of its origins, Lord Sinclair?”

Lilly had a head full of silly facts. She had researched long and hard on just such things, because she had every intention of dissuading every man who might show an interest in her.

“Ah, no. However, I wish to discuss something else with you, Miss Braithwaite.”

“I knew you enjoyed our discussion on the gray shrike, my lord. Let me now tell you of the yellow wagtail.”

“What occurred the other night, Miss Braithwaite? Why were you out there, running down that street after that man and boy? What were you saving him from?”

Lilly missed a step, but as he was holding her, he took her weight, and they continued on as if nothing had happened.

“I, ah, have no idea what it is you refer to, Lord Sinclair.”

“Miss Braithwaite, please do not try to fob me off. I was there, I saw you, and I caught you and the boy as you fell. That bruise on your chin was the result. So don't play me for a fool, as it will not wash.”

“I have no wish to discuss it,” she trilled. “It was a silly, reckless moment. It has now passed, and will never happen again.”

“Try that again.”

He said the words as he left her side, and she had only a few seconds to find an answer. Her thoughts whirled but she could come up with nothing that would appease him and leave him none the wiser as to her actions, so she fell back on the ridiculous.

“I have recently started studying mice, Lord Sinclair. And a rare form of field mouse is found on that street at that time every year. It comes only in the summer, and I was there searching for it when I saw that man grab that boy.” Lilly was rather proud of her reply. It sounded like something the silly Miss Braithwaite would do. “I could not, in all conscience, let that man harm the child, and so I set off in pursuit, and that is when you found me. Your actions surely saved my life,” Lilly added dramatically. “I shall forever be indebted to you.”