Page 5 of A Wallflower's Christmas Wreath
The house was still a hive of noise, busy with servants going about their chores before the Christmas ball tomorrow evening. She supposed it would still go ahead, storm or no storm, pork or no pork.
Matthew stoodbehind his chair in the dining room and tapped his fingers atop the wood of his seat. His gaze slipped to the clock. If Miss Lewis was not in here within a minute, she would be officially late.
He narrowed his eyes, hoping time would pass quickly so he could mention her tardiness. When they were children, she was always one to tell him to hurry up; they were going to be late for whatever adventure they were set upon, but here he was, years after those lazy days, and it was his turn to chastise her.
The sound of slippered feet on the parquetry floor told him she was hurrying, and just before the clock struck half past, she entered the room, a smug, knowing look on her pretty features.
Except, the loud, opinionated young woman he had once known was no longer present.
Not this evening, in any case. Outwardly at least.
The woman sauntering into the dining room was a marvel of beauty and grace.
He blinked, swallowing hard, and wondered what the hell was happening. When had Miss Heidi Lewis turned into a siren?
The pit of his gut clenched, and he inwardly swore. When he had suggested to Mrs. Feathers to have her prepared for dinner, he had expected a little tidying of her clothes and taming of her hair, but this was not that at all.
No. Miss Lewis was all womanly curves in her striking, low-cut gown that accentuated everything he had always wondered about Heidi but had never voiced.
God damn it all to hell. He closed his eyes, forcing his ire, his annoyance at her for being so cold and holding on to her grudge after so many years to come forthright in his mind and stop him from thinking of her that way.
Anything to stop him from imagining what she would look like out of her pretty silk gown.
She was no longer appealing to him, had not been for years. Not after she called him a prig and his fiancée something even less agreeable several days before he left London to marry his then-betrothed.
He supposed she wasn't entirely out of line when she did so.
He shook the thought aside. But beautiful? Surely he had never thought that of her.
"Miss Lewis, it is good of you to join me," he said, gesturing for her to take a seat.
She glanced at the clock, which at that very moment chimed the half hour. "I'm not late, my lord. No need to sound as though I am," she said, smiling at the footman who pulled out her chair and helped her sit.
Matthew watched his servant and frowned. Had there been a look between the two of them? Without thought, he glared at the young man and observed with little satisfaction as he schooled his features and went about his duties as he should.
"The Christmas decorations are lovely, my lord. What a shame that the poor, common folk of the township that grants you your privilege in so many ways will not see it," she said, picking up her red wine and taking a healthy sip.
A droplet of wine sat on her lip, making her lips appear even redder than they usually were, and plumper. When had her mouth changed to be so … so … kissable?
He cleared his throat. "You make a good point, Miss Lewis. I shall invite them to tour the house before they're removed so they may enjoy them as much as I have these past days."
She raised one mocking brow, and he had the overwhelming urge to ask her what she wanted, why she continued to be so unpleasant toward him.
Their disagreement happened years ago, and he had not married his betrothed after all, not when he himself learned how much of a disagreeable temper the woman had toward servants and himself if she did not get her way.
"Your sister, Lady Grandison, did not travel here this year. I suppose the right thing for me to say is that I'm very sorry for you. I know how much you love her while the other part of me …"
"Do not voice it, Heidi. I understand your meaning perfectly well."
"Heidi. You have not called me so in years. I do not think we need to start now. We are hardly friends. You ensured that was so."
Matthew sighed and prayed for patience. Dinner this evening was going to be very long and possibly leave him with a thick head come the morning after all the wine he would have to down merely to drown out her whining voice.
The thought shamed him. No, for all of his disagreements with Miss Lewis, she was never one to whine about situations. If anything, his ex-betrothed had been the one to do that.
Three
Heidi prayed that the dinner would soon be over and that her appearance before Lord Levinstone would end. They had not shared a meal in years, and nor had she planned on doing so today.
