Page 26 of If the Duke Demands

He gave her a half grin and reached over to tickle her on the nose with the blade of grass. “A Carlisle.”

Forcing a soft laugh, she rubbed the tip of her nose. He was teasing her, like always. She should be happy about that, yet her chest squeezed with doubt. Could she actually be losing ground with him? After all, in her heart she knew that he would never have tickled Miss Morgan on her nose. It simply didn’t seem like the type of flirtation a man would make toward a woman he found alluring enough to court.

“How about Almack’s, then?” Her fingers pulled nervously at her lace-edged skirt hem, but she kept her bright smile firmly in place. Trying to keep a conversation going with the man was proving to be nearly impossible. The cold truth nibbled at the backs of her knees that she’d never had to try so hard with him in the past, when they were only friends. But now that her pursuits were serious, oh heavens, was there anything she could do to make him notice her as a woman? “We’re going there for the first time tomorrow evening.”

“Whyever for?” Robert fixed her with an expression somewhere between shock and dismay.

Miranda stared back in surprise. She certainly hadn’t expectedthatreaction, and she glanced quickly at Sebastian to figure out what she’d done wrong this time, only to find him frowning disapprovingly at his brother.

“Because I have to have my interview there,” she explained, her smile faltering, “so I can have my debut and waltz in the assembly rooms. The duchess said…Doesn’t everyone go to Almack’s?”

“Only ladies desperate to snag a husband from among a flock of sheep.” He threw away the blade of grass and sat up. “And that’s not you, sprite.”

He rested his elbows on his bent knees and arched a brow at her. Finally, she had his full attention on her. But instead of making her feel warm and special, she felt uncomfortable. And increasingly worried that he would never see her as anything but the girl next door. Thespritewho apparently needed his protection from gentlemen in assembly rooms.

He continued, “I thought the goal of your season was to simply have a good time in London, not find a husband.”

“I suppose,” Miranda deflected quietly, unable to answer truthfully that she did want a husband—him. She focused her attention once more on her skirt, lowering her face so he wouldn’t see any traces of the frustration and disappointment churning inside her. Or give away her true feelings for him, which at that moment were also a churning knot of frustration and disappointment. “I didn’t realize about Almack’s…”

She’d had her invitation to court, and that had been a fairy tale. Nothing short of a perfect dream come true. Tomorrow night at Almack’s would be her second official outing, to get the patronesses’ approval, and then she could enjoy her own debut at the Countess of St James’s annual ball, accept callers, and most thrilling of all, to waltz! She couldn’t think of anything more romantic than whirling around the dance floor in a man’s arms. Elizabeth Carlisle and Josie had both assured her that this was all the proper, appropriate sequence for a debut.

But now…she wasn’t so certain of anything.

“Almack’s is perfectly fine,” Sebastian told her, reaching over to give a reassuring tug at her half-boot, just sticking out from beneath her hem. He grinned at her, then slid a sideways glance at his brother. “Robert doesn’t like the place because they refuse to serve liquor, and he can’t waste away the evening there gambling or talking business.”

That made her feel better—slightly—and a faint smile tugged at her lips. “Then I shouldn’t be concerned about flocks of male sheep?”

“Certainly not.” Despite the smile on Sebastian’s face, she easily saw the concern for her in his eyes. Was he beginning to doubt her and their pact? Or had he already come to believe what she was beginning to suspect, that she and Robert were destined to be nothing more than friends? “Besides, the plans have already been made. Strathmore’s going to escort you, and the colonel will definitely keep all the sheep away from you.” He paused, barely a heartbeat, but Miranda noticed. Lately, and annoyingly, it seemed she couldn’t help but notice every move Sebastian made. “And I would hate for you to miss the experience.”

Her eyes stung at his kindness, and she blinked. Drat him for being nice to her. She knew how to handle Sebastian when he was being bossy and duke-like; she even knew how to ignore him whenever he was set on aggravating her. Which was quite often. But when he was being charming and agreeable like this, he confused the daylights out of her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He popped the grape into his mouth, saying nothing. But his eyes sparkled at her and once more sent up that nervous fluttering low in her belly.

She cleared her throat and tried again to engage Robert in a conversation. “I hear that the new French fashions—”

“Are you going to Tattersall’s tomorrow?” Sebastian interrupted, so suddenly that he caught Miranda by surprise. When she parted her lips to continue with her original comment, he slid her a pointed look and continued, “Heard Nathaniel Reed has a hunter for sale that he trained himself. Rumors are that his horses are good enough to rival Jackson Shaw’s.”

“I’ve heard that,” Robert answered with interest. “Shaw has better bloodlines, but Reed’s horses are better trained.”

Miranda stared between the two men in disbelief as they fell easily into a conversation about horses. Horses! She was a woman, she wasn’t supposed to talk abouthorses. Didn’t they know—

Oh.

She held Sebastian’s gaze as understanding fell through her. Robert liked horses, so he would undoubtedly like a woman who liked horses, which was why Sebastian had steered the conversation there…to help her. But her heart sank anew. The large beasts simply terrified her. She knew nothing about horses, but she did know about…

“Fishing,” she announced loudly, barging back into the conversation with all the subtlety of a church bell at midnight.

Both sets of blue eyes swung to stare at her with surprise, as if she’d just declared herself Queen of England.

Now that she had their attention, she smiled and hurried on, “I’ve heard that the salmon fishing in England rivals that of Scotland.”

Robert glanced past her at Sebastian with an amused look she didn’t understand. “I certainly hope so. So does Quinn.” Ignoring both Sebastian’s irritated scowl at his comment and Miranda’s bewilderment, Robert pushed himself to his feet and brushed off his trousers. Apparently, the conversation was over before it had even begun. “Diana Morgan is walking along the Serpentine with Lady Jane Sheridan. I should go say hello.”

Miranda’s heart tore again, just a little bit more. How much more could she take of watching Robert with Diana before it ripped completely in two?

Robert looked down at Sebastian. “Isn’t Lady Jane one of the women on your list?”