A Christmas Dance Read Free

indeed.”
    “I. . .” She swallowed hard. “I’m certain it must have seemed most odd.”
    “It did, indeed.”
    “I. . .” He actually heard her swallow. “Oh, dear.”

Chapter 2
    To Patience’s mind, embarrassment was available in a variety of forms. She’d experienced quite a few of them in her six-and-twenty years. There was the mild discomfort of wearing dated gowns in a room full of stylish ladies. There was the moderate embarrassment of never having learned the art of small talk and therefore never knowing quite what to say, and the more substantial humiliation of having a father who knew less and said more. There was the painful wounding of pride that came from living off the largesse of family friends, and the outright shame of lying about her circumstances.
    Where, she wondered, did the mortification of having been caught stuffing an entire slice of cake into her mouth by the man one had a desperate
tendre
for, fit in?
    “Miss Byerly, are you all right?”
    Somewhere after her father and before the lying, she decided.
    “Miss Byerly?”
    “Yes. Yes, I. . .” She swallowed hard and forced herself to meet his eyes. His beautiful dark eyes she’d previously thought of as kind, but that now danced with wicked merriment. “Are you going to tell?”
    “About the cake?” He replaced his handkerchief in his pocket. “I rather doubt anyone would believe me.”
    Of course they would believe him. He was an earl. He could announce to one and all that he had witnessed her trying to eat the drapery, and they’d believe him. Or believe there was enough truth to make life very difficult for her.
    “I had reason,” she told him.
    “I should dearly love to hear it.” He glanced down to where her fingers were once again worrying at the material of her gown. “Settle your feathers, Miss Byerly. I’ll not betray your secret.”
    “Oh,
thank you
--”
    “But I want something in return.” He smiled a little at her wary look. “I want to know how one becomes aware of having such a talent.”
    She let herself rest against the back cushions of the settee, and blew out a quick breath of both relief and resignation. He wasn’t going to shame her, but neither was he going to let the matter drop. “I suppose one is born with an innate awareness of it.”
    “We’re born with an innate awareness of a great many abilities,” he pointed out. “Generally, a proper education dissuades us from taking advantage of the most ill-advised.”
    She gave him what she hoped was a haughty sort of look. “Like eavesdropping on two unsuspecting young women?”
    “Nothing ill-advised about eavesdropping. It’s a remarkably useful tool. It’s getting caught in the act that I’d advise against.”
    She rather thought the same could be said for her talent. “But you would advise admitting to it?”
    “In this case, yes.” His eyes darted to her mouth. “It’s provided me with the most interesting conversation I’ve had in some time.”
    She resisted the sudden urge to lick her lips. “Perhaps you should be more particular with whom you converse.”
    “Difficult, when those I most wish to speak with are so often nowhere to be found. Miss Meldrin and yourself are deuced elusive creatures.”
    Patience tried and failed not to feel disappointed at the pointed mention of her friend. It was no secret the Earl of Casslebury was considering taking a wife. Nor was it a secret that men of wealth and position did not make plain women of neither family nor fortune into countesses. They chose pretty young ladies of consequence. Young ladies such as Caroline Meldrin.
    No doubt the Earl sought information about her friend, or perhaps he hoped to inspire jealousy. Either way, his interest lay elsewhere.
    She should have known, should have realized his intentions from the very start. But he’d been standing before her, looking so terribly handsome in his dark evening wear. Handsome, strong, and so wonderfully dependable. How a