her to sit. When she had, he followed suit. âYou are going to stop thanking me for what was without question all my doing, arenât you? I daresay you would thank the hangman for finding a fine choker to set about your neck.â
Nerissa frowned at his odd words. This viscount was acting like a rough diamond. âI doubt I would find myself in such a predicament.â
He chuckled. âYou think Iâm a ramshackle fellow when I am only speaking plainly. If it makes you feel better, I accept your gratitude, if youâll accept my apology. Then we shall be done with this accursed happening.â
Nerissa smiled in spite of herself. She need not be concerned about an unsteady conversation with this dark-haired man. The glint in his eyes suggested he was a flash at gab, even as it warned her that she must watch each word she chose.
âAh, a smile. That is much more to the purpose,â Lord Windham said. Crossing one brightly shined boot over the knee of his trousers, he leaned back as if she had invited him to run tame through her home. Suddenly he reached toward her and gripped her chin. Tilting her face, he cursed lowly. âI see you have fallen down and trodden upon your eye. This is odd. I must own, although I have landed a few facers in my youth, I never have given a lady a black eye.â
âMy lord, I assure you.â¦â Nerissa halted herself as his smile broadened. Knowing she should ask him to take his fancy manners from her home, she was startled when her lips tilted in an answering grin.
âMuch better. Your smile tells me you are as well as can be expected. I have found, Miss Dufresne, that words are often false, but, upon watching a face with its quirks, the truth can be uncovered.â
âIâm astounded. I didnât guess you to possess such rare talents that you could guess my thoughts before I spoke.â
He laughed, the sound swirling through her without the pain of the previous day. Instead it was accompanied by an undeniable happiness at being in the company of this handsome and needle-witted man.
âSuch a skill would be of wonder, Miss Dufresne, for it would strip oneâs opponents as bare as birth. If I possessed such a gift, I wouldnât have needed to follow my brother here. I would have known you are suffering little damage.â
âConsidering that both of us could have been injured seriously, I think we should count ourselves lucky.â
Lord Windham stood. âI can do nothing about your arm, Miss Dufresne, but â¦â Going to the door, he opened it and picked up a round box she had not seen when he entered. He closed the door. As he walked toward her, he held out the box, which was covered with pink silk and topped by a velvet ribbon. âFor you.â
âFor me?â Nerissa flushed when she realized she sounded as if she was still in the schoolroom.
He placed the box in her lap, thenâwith a grimace as he saw she would have trouble undoing the red bowâhe leaned forward to untie it. Lifting off the top, he urged, âLook inside, Miss Dufresne.â
Nerissa pushed aside the tissue and pulled out a delicately made straw bonnet that was decorated with feathers and a silk ribbon of the most delicate blue she had ever seen. Its design was of the highest kick.
âIf it isnât to your liking, Miss Dufresne,â he continued, âyou may return it to the millinery shop onââ
âItâs lovely,â she whispered, not caring that she interrupted him as she admired the fashionable bonnet. It must have cost him dear. âBut, my lord, such a gift! I canât accept it!â
âIt needs to be worn to be appreciated.â He ignored her protests as, with a chuckle, he took the box and set it on the floor. âThat is a direct quote from Madame de Ramel, the milliner who sold me this bonnet. She was curious about why I was buying this and for whom. You have made me the
George Simpson, Neal Burger