Like a buzzing noise beside her she could hear that Miss Lockhart was still chattering, but her attention was focused on the man staring up at her. She fought not to react. To achieve that goal, all she had to do was stop her heart from pounding as loud as a big bass drum, extinguish the fire that had burst on to her cheeks and release the small trapped bird that seemed to be fluttering inside her chest.
You’re not some little shop girl, Nellie Regan, who has fallen for a rich gentleman. You’re a sensible businesswoman. Now start acting like one. This man is not for you.
She leant down and brushed the train of Miss Lockhart’s gown, even though it was perfectly straight. When she stood up, she had expected...had hoped... Mr Lockhart would have looked away, but he was still staring straight at her with those pitch-dark eyes. She held his gaze, unable to look away. How had she ever thought his eyes were cold? They were not cold. Like black velvet they were rich and warm. They were eyes that could draw you in, deeper and deeper, until you willingly surrendered to their dark depths.
Nellie shook her head to drive away such fanciful thoughts and to break the forceful hold of his gaze.
She held herself erect and tried to act as if seeing him again was having no effect on her whatsoever and started to descend the stairs, but the silly shop girl still wouldn’t listen and the pounding and fluttering raging in her body would not be stilled.
Her descent was halted when a young girl of about seventeen and a child rushed past her, flying down the stairs as fast as they could and screeching to a halt in front of Mr Lockhart.
‘We want to go to the ball, too,’ the youngest cried out in an excited voice. ‘Please, Dominic, please.’ She jumped up and down, holding on to his hand.
‘We’ve already talked about this, Emmaline.’ He looked up at Amanda, who shrugged her shoulders as if to say it was his problem. He sighed loudly and looked back at the excited child.
‘All right, Emmaline,’ he said, his voice stern. ‘You and Violet can stand in the reception line, but you have to promise to go to bed immediately after the guests have arrived.’
Emmaline squealed her delight. Violet clapped her hands together with glee, then kissed him on the cheek. He kissed the younger child on the top of her head and the two girls departed, hand in hand, talking loudly and excitedly.
Nellie found herself smiling and for a moment she forgot her resolve to not let anything Mr Lockhart did or said affect her. His affection for his sisters was obvious. No wonder he had come all the way to London, then followed her to The Hanged Man, all so his eldest sister could have the hairstyle she wanted. It seemed he would do anything to make his sisters happy.
How could she not be attracted to such a man? His gaze turned back to her and she quickly remembered her earlier admonition. She was not a silly shop girl. She was a businesswoman who was here to do a job and she would behave in a completely professional manner at all times. She stood up straighter, forced that silly grin off her face and descended the stairs with as much decorum as she could muster.
Now, remember, Nellie, best behaviour. No imitations, no rude comments. Act like a lady at all times and make sure you do not do or say anything that you will later regret.
It must be the effect of taking a beating last month. He wasn’t thinking straight. Otherwise Dominic would not be standing at the foot of the stairs, staring up at Nellie Regan like some lovestruck puppy or adolescent boy with his first crush.
He coughed lightly, drew himself up taller and forced his gaze to move to his sister, who did indeed look beautiful this evening. He assumed something had changed with her hair, or perhaps it was what she was wearing, or was it because it was the first time he had actually seen her smiling before a ball and giving every appearance that she was actually looking forward to it.
Whatever Miss Regan had done it had obviously worked. Amanda looked radiant. Despite his reluctance to see Miss Regan again it seemed it had been worthwhile having his sister’s hair styled by the former lady’s maid, if it could give her so much pleasure.
‘Yes, Amanda, you look beautiful,’ he said and his sister beamed with joy. ‘The first guests will be arriving soon, so we need to be ready to greet them.’ And I need to get away from Miss Regan before I say or do anything foolish.
Amanda kissed Miss Regan on the cheek as if they were now friends and rushed down the remaining steps and through to the ballroom to join her sisters. His gaze returned to Miss Regan. She also looked stunning in a plain cream blouse and dark green skirt. So stunning he had no choice but to watch her as she descended at a more leisurely pace than his excitable sister. She was so elegant, so aristocratic in her bearing. But she wasn’t an aristocrat, she was an ex-servant, someone now in trade, and she was here to tend to his sister. That was something he should not forget.
As she neared the bottom of the stairs, he heard the rustling of her skirt and her undergarments, a sound that evoked images of silk, of her silk-like complexion, her silk stockings, the silky softness of her skin at
