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Authors: Teresa McCarthy
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delicate white hands deposit
the teapot back onto the silver tray. The burning on his legs seemed to be
subsiding. But her bold retort had surprised him. Again.
His gaze
clung to the base of her swanlike neck as she brushed Nigel aside. Then it
traveled to the freckles that seemed to dance in the sunlight. Her berry lips
were broad and full.
They
were indeed kissable, he thought. It wasn't the wine yesterday that had made
him think that. His eyes suddenly narrowed. What the devil? Wait a deuced
minute. Were her lips moving? Indeed, they were. She seemed to be mumbling to
herself. And by Jove, he thought he heard the word "idiot"!
"What
did you say?" he asked, rather perturbed.
"Nothing."
She
looked up, her spine stiffening. Her lips had turned into a thin line of
disobedience. Biddable she was not! What the devil had he been thinking?
His
hands clenched at his sides as the scent of vanilla assaulted him. "I
believe the word I heard came from either you or Nigel, and since dogs cannot
talk, I assume it came from you."
Her tiny
chin lifted higher, daring him to say it.
He
jerked his jacket tighter to cover the wetness on his breeches, knowing he
should leave the matter be, but a little demon of anger rose up inside him, and
he refused to back down.
"Miss
Garland, I distinctly heard you say 'idiot.'"
Chapter
Five
" C layton, I
am so sorry to be late. I—"
Emily
stopped at the threshold of the drawing room, her gaze flicking from the spot
on Clayton's breeches to Miss Garland's pale face. A frown settled across her
brow.
Clayton
understood the meaning of that fixed stare, and dashed if he would be taking
the fault for this situation. Perhaps he had been a bit detached, but it
certainly did not call for tea in his lap!
"I
had an accident with the tea," Miss Garland said apologetically, turning
to his sister. "Nigel startled me and, well, I jumped. Next thing I knew,
the tea was flying into your brother's lap."
A
mischievous smile quivered at the corner of Emily's mouth.
Clayton's
lips thinned. "I fail to see the amusement in this."
He
turned toward Miss Garland. It was obvious the lady was having a rough time
holding on to her laughter as well.
Her
green eyes twinkled under dark lashes. "Forgive me, my lord. I am such an
idiot."
Emily
could barely control her laughter as she took another glance at his breeches.
"No, you are not an idiot. Is she, Clayton?" his sister added,
pretending she had something in the corner of her eye.
Clayton
ignored the question. "I will be in search of your husband's valet, dear
sister. After I find another pair of breeches, I will meet you in your
husband's study."
He gave
Miss Garland a curt bow. "Your servant, Miss Garland."
"Oh,
Uncle Clay!" came the little voice from behind the door. "You came
for my tea party!"
Clayton
groaned. It was Gabrielle, Jared's three-year-old daughter, and the
blond-headed imp noticed everything. Being quite intelligent, she also had a
mouth that knew more words than most girls her age. And yes, he had promised
her a tea party the next time he came calling. Hell and thunderation!
"Oh,
no!" Big blue eyes locked onto his breeches. "Did you have an
ackident?"
"Accident,"
Emily corrected, pressing her lips tightly together to hide her grin.
Clayton
glared at Miss Garland, whose shoulders were beginning to shake. Oh, the lady
was quite a fine actress. He should have caught on years ago. It would have
been funny if it were not so humiliating.
Gabrielle
came across the room and slipped her tiny hand into his. He felt about a foot
tall.
The
little girl tried to whisper, but her voice penetrated the entire room.
"Mama said I have to tell her when that happens." She pointed to his
wet spot.
Nigel
gave a whine of distress.
Clayton
bit down on his tongue. He could only be glad the earl was not home. Jared
would have ripped him to ribbons if he had caught him in this embarrassing
predicament.
Gabrielle
tugged Clayton toward Emily. "Is he in
the teapot back onto the silver tray. The burning on his legs seemed to be
subsiding. But her bold retort had surprised him. Again.
His gaze
clung to the base of her swanlike neck as she brushed Nigel aside. Then it
traveled to the freckles that seemed to dance in the sunlight. Her berry lips
were broad and full.
They
were indeed kissable, he thought. It wasn't the wine yesterday that had made
him think that. His eyes suddenly narrowed. What the devil? Wait a deuced
minute. Were her lips moving? Indeed, they were. She seemed to be mumbling to
herself. And by Jove, he thought he heard the word "idiot"!
"What
did you say?" he asked, rather perturbed.
"Nothing."
She
looked up, her spine stiffening. Her lips had turned into a thin line of
disobedience. Biddable she was not! What the devil had he been thinking?
His
hands clenched at his sides as the scent of vanilla assaulted him. "I
believe the word I heard came from either you or Nigel, and since dogs cannot
talk, I assume it came from you."
Her tiny
chin lifted higher, daring him to say it.
He
jerked his jacket tighter to cover the wetness on his breeches, knowing he
should leave the matter be, but a little demon of anger rose up inside him, and
he refused to back down.
"Miss
Garland, I distinctly heard you say 'idiot.'"
Chapter
Five
" C layton, I
am so sorry to be late. I—"
Emily
stopped at the threshold of the drawing room, her gaze flicking from the spot
on Clayton's breeches to Miss Garland's pale face. A frown settled across her
brow.
Clayton
understood the meaning of that fixed stare, and dashed if he would be taking
the fault for this situation. Perhaps he had been a bit detached, but it
certainly did not call for tea in his lap!
"I
had an accident with the tea," Miss Garland said apologetically, turning
to his sister. "Nigel startled me and, well, I jumped. Next thing I knew,
the tea was flying into your brother's lap."
A
mischievous smile quivered at the corner of Emily's mouth.
Clayton's
lips thinned. "I fail to see the amusement in this."
He
turned toward Miss Garland. It was obvious the lady was having a rough time
holding on to her laughter as well.
Her
green eyes twinkled under dark lashes. "Forgive me, my lord. I am such an
idiot."
Emily
could barely control her laughter as she took another glance at his breeches.
"No, you are not an idiot. Is she, Clayton?" his sister added,
pretending she had something in the corner of her eye.
Clayton
ignored the question. "I will be in search of your husband's valet, dear
sister. After I find another pair of breeches, I will meet you in your
husband's study."
He gave
Miss Garland a curt bow. "Your servant, Miss Garland."
"Oh,
Uncle Clay!" came the little voice from behind the door. "You came
for my tea party!"
Clayton
groaned. It was Gabrielle, Jared's three-year-old daughter, and the
blond-headed imp noticed everything. Being quite intelligent, she also had a
mouth that knew more words than most girls her age. And yes, he had promised
her a tea party the next time he came calling. Hell and thunderation!
"Oh,
no!" Big blue eyes locked onto his breeches. "Did you have an
ackident?"
"Accident,"
Emily corrected, pressing her lips tightly together to hide her grin.
Clayton
glared at Miss Garland, whose shoulders were beginning to shake. Oh, the lady
was quite a fine actress. He should have caught on years ago. It would have
been funny if it were not so humiliating.
Gabrielle
came across the room and slipped her tiny hand into his. He felt about a foot
tall.
The
little girl tried to whisper, but her voice penetrated the entire room.
"Mama said I have to tell her when that happens." She pointed to his
wet spot.
Nigel
gave a whine of distress.
Clayton
bit down on his tongue. He could only be glad the earl was not home. Jared
would have ripped him to ribbons if he had caught him in this embarrassing
predicament.
Gabrielle
tugged Clayton toward Emily. "Is he in
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