Scandal in Spring (Wallflowers #4)(52)

“These past few days in your company have given me cause for deep reflection.”

Daisy twisted to glance at their surroundings, taking in the neatly trimmed hedges covered with bursts of pink climbing roses. “Is Mr. Swift nearby?” she whispered. “Is that why you’re talking this way?”

“No, I’m speaking for myself.” Ardently Llandrindon pulled her closer, until the sketchbook was nearly crushed between them. “You’ve opened my eyes, Miss Bowman. You’ve made me see everything a different way. I want to find shapes in clouds, and do something worth writing a poem about. I want to read novels. I want to make life an adventure—”

“How nice,” Daisy said, wriggling in his tightening grasp.

“—with you.”

Oh no.

“You’re joking,” she said weakly.

“I’m besotted,” he declared.

“I’m unavailable.”

“I’m determined.”

“I’m…surprised.”

“You dear little thing,” he exclaimed. “You’re everything he said you were. Magic. Thunderstorms wrapped up with rainbows. Clever and lovely and desirable—”

“Wait.” Daisy stared at him in astonishment. “Matth—that is, Mr. Swift said that?”

“Yes, yes, yes…” And before she could move, speak or breathe, Llandrindon lowered his head and kissed her.

The sketchbook dropped from Daisy’s hands. She remained passive in his embrace, wondering if she was going to feel something.

Objectively speaking, there was nothing wrong with his kiss. It wasn’t too dry or slobbery, not too hard or soft. It was…

Boring.

Drat. Daisy pulled back with a frown. She felt guilty that she had enjoyed the kiss so little. And it made her feel even worse when it appeared Llandrindon had enjoyed it quite a lot.

“My dear Miss Bowman,” Llandrindon murmured flirtatiously. “You didn’t tell me you tasted so sweet.”

He reached for her again, and Daisy danced backward with a little yelp. “My lord, control yourself!”

“I cannot.” He pursued her slowly around the fountain until they resembled a pair of circling cats. Suddenly he made a dash for her, catching at the sleeve of her gown. Daisy pushed hard at him and twisted away, feeling the soft white muslin rip an inch or two at the shoulder seam.

There was a loud splash and a splatter of water drops.

Daisy stood blinking at the empty spot where Llandrindon had been, and then covered her eyes with her hands as if that would somehow make the entire situation go away.

“My lord?” she asked gingerly. “Did you…did you just fall into the fountain?”

“No,” came his sour reply. “You pushed me into the fountain.”

“It was entirely unintentional, I assure you.” Daisy forced herself to look at him.

Llandrindon rose to his feet, water streaming from his hair and clothes, his coat pockets filled to the brim. It appeared the dip in the fountain had cooled his passions considerably.

He glowered at her in affronted silence. Suddenly his eyes widened, and he reached into one of his water-laden coat pockets. A tiny frog leaped from the pocket and returned to the fountain with a quiet plunk.

Daisy tried to choke back her amusement, but the harder she tried the worse it became, until she finally burst out laughing. “I’m sorry,” she gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth, while irrepressible giggles slipped out. “I’m so—oh dear—” And she bent over laughing until tears came to her eyes.

The tension between them disappeared as Llandrin don began to smile reluctantly. He stepped from the fountain, dripping from every surface. “I believe when you kiss the toad,” he said dryly, “he is supposed to turn into a prince. Unfortunately in my case it doesn’t seem to have worked.”

Daisy felt a rush of sympathy and kindness, even as she snorted with a few last giggles. Approaching him carefully, she placed her small hands on either side of his wet face and pressed a friendly, fleeting kiss on his lips.

His eyes widened at the gesture.

“You are someone’s handsome prince,” Daisy said, smiling at him apologetically. “Just not mine. But when the right woman finds you…how lucky she’ll be.”

And she bent to pick up her sketchbook and went back to the manor.

It was a small and peculiar twist of fate that the path Daisy chose should take her beside the bachelor’s house. The small residence was set apart from the main house, close enough to the riverside bluff that it provided magnificent views of the water. A few of the male guests had elected to take advantage of the privacy of the bachelor’s house. Now it was empty since the hunting party had ended yesterday and most of the guests had taken their leave.

Except for Matthew Swift, of course.

Preoccupied with her thoughts, Daisy trudged along the path beside an ironstone wall that edged the bluff. Her amusement melted into moroseness as she thought of her father, who was determined to marry her to Matthew Swift…and Lillian, who wanted her to marry anyone but Swift…and her mother, who would be satisfied with nothing less than a peer. Mercedes was not going to be happy once she learned that Daisy had rebuffed Llandrindon.

Thinking over the past week, Daisy realized that her attempt to capture Matthew’s attention had not been a game to her. It mattered desperately. She had never wanted anything in her life as much as the chance to speak to him sincerely, honestly, holding nothing back. But instead of forcing his feelings to the surface, she had only managed to uncover her own.