Page 31 of A Perfect Engagement
He picked the toy off the shelf. “Just for nostalgia. Have you ever played with one?”
She shook her head. She had no idea what the little round disk did. Daniel held it up, and it was actually two round disks with a string that wrapped around a center axle. Daniel slid a finger into a small loop at the end of the string, and then with a flick of his wrist, he sent the bandalore spinning to the floor. When it reached the end of its string, it began its ascent back up, and he caught it deftly with one hand. His grin reached from ear to ear.
“It’s just as I remember. My parents brought my brother and me each one back from Paris once many years ago.” He flicked the toy up and down once more.
“Can you show me how to work it?” It looked like fun. His enthusiasm was contagious.
“Absolutely, it can count as one of the things you have never done before. Now, where is the proprietor?” He turned to go pay for the toy.
Charlotte marveled at his ability to find joy in such a small silly item. She meandered around the shop, running her fingers over a bolt of sky-blue muslin as she passed by a table full of fabrics. She glanced sideways at Daniel, where he stood in front of the counter chatting with Mr. Ford. His broad shoulders moved as he chuckled at something the man said. What would it be like to be held in his strong embrace? To be pressed against his chest where she could bury her nose into his neck and breathe in the woodsy scent which clung to him. Did he wear perfume, or was it just a result of his morning walks outdoors?
She had been dreading the stress of this week, but instead of worrying about every detail, Daniel managed to distract her at every turn. The more time she spent with him, the further he charmed her with his good humor. This was becoming very dangerous to her heart. She was engaged to be married. Promises had been made, and she needed to be careful to not become attached to someone she could not have.
He returned to her side with a triumphant expression. “Mr. Ford said he only ordered five, just to see how they would sell. This was the last one.”
Once they were outside, they crossed to the green. Daniel showed her the basics of how the bandalore worked. She let the disc go, and it fell to the grass with a thud.
“You need to hold your hand up a bit higher, and when you see it’s almost to the bottom of the string, you flick your wrist to send it rolling back up. Try again.”
She tried again. When the bandalore reached the bottom, she attempted to flick her hand up quickly, which caused the discs to go flying up in an arc, hitting Daniel squarely in the chest.
“Oh! I’m so sorry.” She grabbed the toy and started to wind the string again. She tried once more, this time with less flick, and it rolled up just a couple of inches before falling again to the bottom. “Ugh, this is a children’s toy? It’s so frustrating!”
“It just takes some practice. I promise.” He stepped closer to her, covering her hand with his. He showed her how to move her wrist in a smooth up and down motion.
She attempted to concentrate on what he was saying, but his warm breath skimmed her ear and sent shivers down her spine. She turned her head to look up at him and found herself staring at his lips as he described the proper way to set the bandalore in motion. A desire to feel his lips pressed against hers pooled in her gut.
“Do you want to try again?” he asked. His gaze collided with hers. She quickly averted her eyes from his mouth. Dear God, had he noticed her staring up at him?
“Um, yes, let me try it again,” she parroted. She focused on the bandalore, and this time managed to get the disks to roll back all the way to the top. Huzzah!
“Great job. I knew you would be a quick study,” he said as he stepped away. “This is a pretty park. I will have to make an effort to come into the village occasionally.” He glanced up at the sky. “I hate to ruin our fun outing, but the clouds are looking more ominous. Perhaps we should head back?”
Charlotte sighed. “I suppose you’re right. What time is it?”
He pulled out a gold pocket watch. “It’s half-past eleven.”
“Oh dear, luncheon is planned for one this afternoon. Everybody should be returning from the hunt as we speak. We best get going.” If her mother found out the two of them skipped the hunt, there would be hell to pay.
Chapter Fourteen
She was doingit again. Worrying. Charlotte stared straight ahead, her forehead wrinkled in concentration. Her shoulders were stiff, and her hands gripped the leads tightly. She had been silent as they rode away from Little Marbury, then she finally turned to look at him.
“Do you think we will be home before the riders return from the hunt?”
Ah, she was worried about the party and their defection from today’s planned activity. He shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. If the fox gave good chase, it might have taken them farther afield. But if it was cornered quickly, they may have gone for another round. Either way, I doubt they are back yet. Plus, we may always say you needed to return to the house early. Everyone will be focused on getting changed and ready for the afternoon.” She nodded her head but looked unconvinced.
What she needed was some distraction. Daniel reached back into his saddlebag and withdrew the books they bought earlier. Unwrapping them, he opened the book of bawdy poetry. He flipped through its pages. So distracted by her own thoughts, Charlotte didn’t even notice what he held. He cleared his throat loudly.
“There was a young gal name of Sally
Who loved an occasional dally.
She sat on the lap
Of a well-endowed chap
Crying, ‘Gee, Dick, you’re right up my alley!’”
