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Authors: The Rogues of Regent Street
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daughter. Lilliana was seated at an easel, but she came quickly to her feet as he crossed the room to greet her. “Lilliana,” he murmured, and bowed over her hand, allowing his lips to linger a moment longer than etiquette allowed. The rustic parish princess flushed furiously. “You look lovely,” he said, and her flush turned to a delightful smile, ending in a lone dimple in one cheek.
Behind him, Lord Dashell cleared his throat. “If you will excuse me, my lord. I have some business that cannot wait,” he said, and receiving a nod from Adrian, cast a pointed look at Lilliana before quitting the room.That left them with Caroline, who was still grinning like a simpleton.
Adrian turned his attention to Lilliana. “What are you painting?” he asked, and casually walked around to see her canvas. It was a painting of a vase stuffed with showy pink and white flowers, and it was actually quite good.
“Just some flowers,” she mumbled, and clasping her hands demurely, smiled shyly. “They grew in our garden last spring.” Across the room, Caroline giggled again, but was abruptly silenced by a sharp look from Lilliana.
“You are quite talented,” he said, and meant it; she obviously had an artist’s eye.
“Oh!” She blushed again, and looked at her feet. “Thank you, my lord, but I am not really very talented. “Obviously embarrassed, she turned and walked hastily to the cluster of chairs in the middle of the room, where she sat daintily on the edge of one, and looked at Caroline again. Her sister dutifully dropped into a chair next to her. Adrian smiled to himself—how long had it been since he had courted a woman in her drawing room? Never, actually, save that one unfortunate incident when he was eighteen years old. He preferred the uncomplicated liaisons at Madam Farantino’s.
“The, ah, weather is much warmer today,” Lilliana stammered as Adrian selected a chair directly across from her. Caroline giggled. “It is a mild winter,” she added, “but I suppose we could use some rain.” Adrian nodded again. She bit her lower lip and stole a glance at Caroline. “It is particularly dry,” she said, and locked her gaze on his mouth.
Well, one thing was certain—the Princess of the Grange was not very good at small talk. As for Caroline, that young simpleton could hardly contain herself. The two of them lacked the sophistication Adrian was accustomed to. They would never survive a London Season, not with such a blatant lack of feminine finesse. Fortunately, he didn’t need a society belle for a wife.
“I prefer mild weather, because the house gets sodrafty when it is very cold,” Lilliana muttered, and dropped her gaze to her hands.
Adrian suppressed the urge to chuckle at her helplessness. As he was feeling a bit charitable, he decided to end her agony. He suddenly leaned forward, and propping his forearms on his thighs, let his hands dangle between his legs. “Lilliana? Have you thought about my offer?” he asked softly, and arched a brow at the girls’ collective gasps. Caroline gaped at him. Lilliana blinked. Several times. A bolt of lightning could have struck that solarium and not moved them. “Have you?” he asked, inserting a hint of anxiousness in his voice.
Lilliana and Caroline exchanged sidelong glances. “Umm, yes. Yes. Yes I have,” she said slowly, and bravely lifted her chin.
“Might you share your decision with me? Or shall I be forced to endure the agony of waiting for your reply?”
Caroline turned at least three shades of red and, giggling hysterically, jerked around to gape at her sister. In stark contrast, Lilliana had gone deathly pale. She gulped. “Caroline, I do believe Mother could use some help with the sewing.”
That caused Caroline to pierce Adrian with a sharp look. “But she said—”
“She said she needed help with the sewing. In the sitting room,” Lilliana replied with a bit more confidence.
Her sister squirmed a bit, looked at her hands,
Behind him, Lord Dashell cleared his throat. “If you will excuse me, my lord. I have some business that cannot wait,” he said, and receiving a nod from Adrian, cast a pointed look at Lilliana before quitting the room.That left them with Caroline, who was still grinning like a simpleton.
Adrian turned his attention to Lilliana. “What are you painting?” he asked, and casually walked around to see her canvas. It was a painting of a vase stuffed with showy pink and white flowers, and it was actually quite good.
“Just some flowers,” she mumbled, and clasping her hands demurely, smiled shyly. “They grew in our garden last spring.” Across the room, Caroline giggled again, but was abruptly silenced by a sharp look from Lilliana.
“You are quite talented,” he said, and meant it; she obviously had an artist’s eye.
“Oh!” She blushed again, and looked at her feet. “Thank you, my lord, but I am not really very talented. “Obviously embarrassed, she turned and walked hastily to the cluster of chairs in the middle of the room, where she sat daintily on the edge of one, and looked at Caroline again. Her sister dutifully dropped into a chair next to her. Adrian smiled to himself—how long had it been since he had courted a woman in her drawing room? Never, actually, save that one unfortunate incident when he was eighteen years old. He preferred the uncomplicated liaisons at Madam Farantino’s.
“The, ah, weather is much warmer today,” Lilliana stammered as Adrian selected a chair directly across from her. Caroline giggled. “It is a mild winter,” she added, “but I suppose we could use some rain.” Adrian nodded again. She bit her lower lip and stole a glance at Caroline. “It is particularly dry,” she said, and locked her gaze on his mouth.
Well, one thing was certain—the Princess of the Grange was not very good at small talk. As for Caroline, that young simpleton could hardly contain herself. The two of them lacked the sophistication Adrian was accustomed to. They would never survive a London Season, not with such a blatant lack of feminine finesse. Fortunately, he didn’t need a society belle for a wife.
“I prefer mild weather, because the house gets sodrafty when it is very cold,” Lilliana muttered, and dropped her gaze to her hands.
Adrian suppressed the urge to chuckle at her helplessness. As he was feeling a bit charitable, he decided to end her agony. He suddenly leaned forward, and propping his forearms on his thighs, let his hands dangle between his legs. “Lilliana? Have you thought about my offer?” he asked softly, and arched a brow at the girls’ collective gasps. Caroline gaped at him. Lilliana blinked. Several times. A bolt of lightning could have struck that solarium and not moved them. “Have you?” he asked, inserting a hint of anxiousness in his voice.
Lilliana and Caroline exchanged sidelong glances. “Umm, yes. Yes. Yes I have,” she said slowly, and bravely lifted her chin.
“Might you share your decision with me? Or shall I be forced to endure the agony of waiting for your reply?”
Caroline turned at least three shades of red and, giggling hysterically, jerked around to gape at her sister. In stark contrast, Lilliana had gone deathly pale. She gulped. “Caroline, I do believe Mother could use some help with the sewing.”
That caused Caroline to pierce Adrian with a sharp look. “But she said—”
“She said she needed help with the sewing. In the sitting room,” Lilliana replied with a bit more confidence.
Her sister squirmed a bit, looked at her hands,
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