her and offered her a pristine white, folded handkerchief.
She took it and dabbed away the proof of her tears. “Thank you,” she said. “I seem to have gotten something in my eye.”
“So it seems,” Nick Stillman answered from beside her.
Winnie froze. She hadn’t seen him here earlier. Didn’t know he was invited, or that he’d intended on coming. And now that he was here beside her, she didn’t know if she was angry that he had intruded on her privacy. Or overjoyed because he was here and she didn’t feel so isolated.
Of course such confusion was ridiculous. She couldn’t be relieved that he was here. He was the cause of most of her problems. He was the reason she still didn’t have the money she needed to pay the blackmail demand. Or the quarterly payment to Saint Christina’s. Or the additional amount she needed to pay the guards she’d instructed the sisters to hire. And yet, just knowing he was nearby soothed her like a comforting blanket someone wrapped around her heart.
Winnie told herself she couldn’t allow him to affect her like he did, but words were useless. They couldn’t stop actions. Or emotions. And her emotions seemed to have taken control of her thinking.
“Are you all right?” he asked, standing so close the heat from his body penetrated through the layers of her gown.
“Yes, I’m fine. I don’t know where such an emotion came from. I’m never given to such displays.”
“There’s no need to apologize, my lady. You, more than anyone, have the right to show such an emotion.”
Winnie ignored his remark. The implication was there again that she was hiding something, and that the weight of her deceit was wearing on her. She couldn’t let him think that. She couldn’t allow him to believe that she was weakening. That if he continued to work on her she’d break down.
She needed to move the subject away from herself, and focus on him, and why he was here.
“I’m surprised to see you here, Mr. Stillman. I seem to remember you saying you avoided most Society functions except for Lady Rummery’s annual ball. Yet, here you are again. The second time in less than two weeks.”
“I have an important reason that necessitates my being here. Two, actually. I need to speak with someone that I was told would be here.”
“And are they here?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure they will be soon. And, I saw you out here alone, and decided to speak with you first.”
“Am I the second reason you’re here?”
He smiled and his open grin caused her stomach to flip. The two creases on either side of his mouth deepened and her heart shifted in her breast.
It wasn’t right for anyone to be so handsome. It wasn’t fair that he appealed to her like he did. He was the greatest threat to everything she held dear. He could destroy everything and everyone she loved with one word.
“You see through me, my lady. I should know it’s impossible to keep anything from you.”
Winnie turned so that she could face him. That was the only way to battle Nick Stillman—head on. “I only wish I had such power,” she said. “But as we both know, you have me at a disadvantage on every score.”
The smile on his face flattened. “I only make the demands I do for your own good.”
“I know you think so, but on that point we differ.”
“You’re very confident of your gaming skills, aren’t you, my lady? May I ask where you acquired them? From whom?”
Winnie smiled. “It’s no great secret. I learned to play cards from Hodgekens, and the stable hands. I’d sneak out of the house after we’d been put to bed, and go to the stable and watch the men play before they retired for the night. At first Hodgekens made me go back to the house, but eventually, he gave up and let me stay.
“At first I just watched. Hodgekens would let me sit beside him, and sometimes he’d even let me choose which card to play.”
“It’s frightening, but I can see you sitting there with your hair in plaits
She took it and dabbed away the proof of her tears. “Thank you,” she said. “I seem to have gotten something in my eye.”
“So it seems,” Nick Stillman answered from beside her.
Winnie froze. She hadn’t seen him here earlier. Didn’t know he was invited, or that he’d intended on coming. And now that he was here beside her, she didn’t know if she was angry that he had intruded on her privacy. Or overjoyed because he was here and she didn’t feel so isolated.
Of course such confusion was ridiculous. She couldn’t be relieved that he was here. He was the cause of most of her problems. He was the reason she still didn’t have the money she needed to pay the blackmail demand. Or the quarterly payment to Saint Christina’s. Or the additional amount she needed to pay the guards she’d instructed the sisters to hire. And yet, just knowing he was nearby soothed her like a comforting blanket someone wrapped around her heart.
Winnie told herself she couldn’t allow him to affect her like he did, but words were useless. They couldn’t stop actions. Or emotions. And her emotions seemed to have taken control of her thinking.
“Are you all right?” he asked, standing so close the heat from his body penetrated through the layers of her gown.
“Yes, I’m fine. I don’t know where such an emotion came from. I’m never given to such displays.”
“There’s no need to apologize, my lady. You, more than anyone, have the right to show such an emotion.”
Winnie ignored his remark. The implication was there again that she was hiding something, and that the weight of her deceit was wearing on her. She couldn’t let him think that. She couldn’t allow him to believe that she was weakening. That if he continued to work on her she’d break down.
She needed to move the subject away from herself, and focus on him, and why he was here.
“I’m surprised to see you here, Mr. Stillman. I seem to remember you saying you avoided most Society functions except for Lady Rummery’s annual ball. Yet, here you are again. The second time in less than two weeks.”
“I have an important reason that necessitates my being here. Two, actually. I need to speak with someone that I was told would be here.”
“And are they here?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure they will be soon. And, I saw you out here alone, and decided to speak with you first.”
“Am I the second reason you’re here?”
He smiled and his open grin caused her stomach to flip. The two creases on either side of his mouth deepened and her heart shifted in her breast.
It wasn’t right for anyone to be so handsome. It wasn’t fair that he appealed to her like he did. He was the greatest threat to everything she held dear. He could destroy everything and everyone she loved with one word.
“You see through me, my lady. I should know it’s impossible to keep anything from you.”
Winnie turned so that she could face him. That was the only way to battle Nick Stillman—head on. “I only wish I had such power,” she said. “But as we both know, you have me at a disadvantage on every score.”
The smile on his face flattened. “I only make the demands I do for your own good.”
“I know you think so, but on that point we differ.”
“You’re very confident of your gaming skills, aren’t you, my lady? May I ask where you acquired them? From whom?”
Winnie smiled. “It’s no great secret. I learned to play cards from Hodgekens, and the stable hands. I’d sneak out of the house after we’d been put to bed, and go to the stable and watch the men play before they retired for the night. At first Hodgekens made me go back to the house, but eventually, he gave up and let me stay.
“At first I just watched. Hodgekens would let me sit beside him, and sometimes he’d even let me choose which card to play.”
“It’s frightening, but I can see you sitting there with your hair in plaits
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