“IfI have her dragon at all,” Elinor pointed out. “The golden streaks aren’t painted on his face.”
“I know. But I’m afraid…” He took a deep breath. “I’ve been rather shaken ever since this morning’s conversation, in your room. You see—and I realize you may well think me mad for saying this, but I have to tell someone, and Aubrey was in no mood to listen…”
“Yes?”
He looked straight into her eyes, his face grimly set, as if braced for a blow. “For a moment, just at the end of our conversation…just for a single moment…I could have sworn that your appearance changed.”
“I beg your pardon?” Elinor stared at him. She could feel her heartbeat fluttering in her throat.
“For just a moment, after I touched your hand, I could have sworn that when I looked at you, I saw…” He broke off, wincing, and began to turn away. “Never mind.”
“No.” Elinor leaned forward, the flats of her hands pressed against the bench. “Tell me. Who did you see?”
“Elinor Tregarth,” Benedict said, and smiled, wryly, as her expression changed. “You see? I knew you’d think me mad.”
* * *
For a moment,Elinor couldn’t speak. Too many contradictory emotions and thoughts were rushing through her.
Benedict spoke again, before she could gather her thoughts. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I know it was only a trick of my eyesight—I haven’t completely lost my wits yet. But, you see, you remind me of her in so many ways.”
“I do?” Elinor blinked. Ever since this morning, she’d been acting the part of Mrs. De Lacey with all of her might. “But she’s—I mean, everyone says that Elinor Tregarth was—”
Benedict waved a dismissive hand. “Obviously, she intimidated her cousin and her friends. When a lady has that much poise and confidence—not to mention intelligence—she’s bound to intimidate some people.”
“Poise and confidence?” Elinor repeated blankly.
Now her head was really whirling. Had he completely forgotten the way they’d met?
His face eased into a grin. “Do you know how we first became acquainted? Aubrey’s carriage knocked her off the road, into a ditch. When I helped her out, she was half-covered in mud, her hair had come undone, and God only knows what muck she’d had to swallow in that filthy water…but she looked me straight in the eye and held herself like a queen. Thanked me for helping her and prepared to set off on her way without asking for an ounce of help.” He shook his head admiringly. “Now,there’spoise.”
“I…suppose so.” Elinor remembered that moment, how she’d felt the mud caked on her face and hair andknown, with agonizing certainty, how ridiculous she must appear.
But he’d actually thought this of her, instead?
She couldn’t even take it in.
“She must have told you something about me before she left,” Benedict said. “Otherwise you couldn’t have recognized me this morning and introduced me to Sir John.”
“Well…” Elinor hesitated, but couldn’t think of any other explanation. “She did mention you, yes.”
Benedict’s face brightened. He took a quick step forward. “What did she say?” At the sight of her rising eyebrows, he added, “I mean…you certainly couldn’t have heard of me from anyone else but her—my estate was neverthatmagnificent, even before my father’s mistake. But you’ve been acting the part of a friend to me ever since this morning—asking Sir John to invite me to the house, encouraging my cause with Miss Hathergill…”
“Yes.” Elinor sighed. “I have.”
“So I can’t help being curious.” He smiled, but Elinor could have sworn she saw a flicker of anxiety cross his face. “What did Miss Tregarth say about me, exactly?”
“Really, Mr. Hawkins, you could hardly ask me to betray a confidence,” Elinor said tartly. She frowned at him, trying to interpret the odd anxiety she’d glimpsed on his face.
What on earth could he be angling for? Honestly, whatwouldshe have told an older woman, newly met, except…
Oh, no. She cringed.
What if he had noticed her attraction to him yesterday? She’d tried so hard to hide it during their carriage ride and at the dinner table. She had thought—she hadhoped—that she had kept it safely secret. It would be too pathetic otherwise! If he had noticed her reactions, after all…if he had been worried that he had hurt or disappointed her, or…
Good God! She couldn’t bear the thought of it.
Elinor made her voice as brisk as possible. “Miss Tregarth was grateful for your and Mr. Aubrey’s kindness, of course. She mentioned both of you as benefactors to her.”
