A smile tugged on her lips as she walked toward the drawing room. She paused outside the door, brow creasing. A deep voice was speaking from inside, muffled slightly by the door. After a few seconds, she recognized it as Edmund’s. Smoothing back her curls, she walked through the doorway. She took one step, making sure to glance first at Mama so she wouldn’t assume Selina was developing an attachment to Edmund because she was not. She drove the thought deeper into her mind as she allowed herself one glance in his direction.
He was sitting on his usual spot on the sofa, looking to Miss Perry with a smile, who was seated beside him. Her voice was too quiet for Selina to decipher her words. Edmund nodded as she spoke, completely distracted by whatever it was that she was saying. He didn’t even glance up as Selina walked into the room, or as she took a seat beside her mother. Selina swallowed her disappointment, putting on a nonchalant smile as Mrs. Perry cast a smug one her way. Did she think Selina was vying for Edmund’s attention? Preposterous.
Selina watched Miss Perry as she covered her lips with a giggle. What had Edmund said to make her laugh? Did he find her conversation amusing as well? Slowly, the smile began to melt off of Selina’s face like a snowflake after landing on warm skin. Perhaps Edmund would develop an attachment to Miss Perry. Selina had even once wanted that to happen—she had been prepared to trap him in an engagement with Miss Perry if it meant he would leave Selina alone.
They were sitting far too close to one another. Miss Perry had an entire three inches between herself and the side of the sofa. She could have easily filled it, but her leg was nearly touching Edmund’s instead.
“I do not like it either,” Mama whispered in Selina’s ear.
She jumped, whirling to face Mama. “What do you mean?”
“You know precisely what I mean.” Mama’s eye twitched in Edmund and Miss Perry’s direction. She gave a fake laugh to disguise the subject of their conversation. “Not to worry. She came to sit by him first. I suspect he was hoping you would take the seat beside him.”
Relief flooded Selina’s chest, but she ignored it. Why did she care so much? She put on an indifferent expression. “Oh, Mama, do you still believe I care about such things? Miss Perry can have him, and I will not care one bit.”
Mama glowered. “Please do not speak such nonsense. I can see by the way you have been watching them with the eyes of an abandoned hound that you will care a great deal more than one bit.”
A flush of heat came to Selina’s cheeks before she gained control of her embarrassment. Is that what this was? Had she truly begun to care for Edmund more than what was appropriate given her . . . engagement to Noah? How could she care for two men at once? That did not seem proper in the slightest.
“I am not looking at them like an abandoned hound,” Selina whispered through her teeth. She raised her voice just enough so Mrs. Perry would overhear. “I was simply admiring Miss Perry’s dress. The green does much for her complexion.”
Mrs. Perry cast a satisfied smile in her daughter’s direction. “Yes, I have always told her to wear green more often. And think of all the greenery that will surround her as we decorate today! She will be positively radiant.”
“Indeed.” Selina examined Miss Perry. She was quite pretty, and she was taller than Selina. Did Edmund find tall women more attractive than short women? Selina was somewhere between tall and short, but Miss Perry was decidedly tall. And she had auburn hair, which was lovely for how uncommon it was. As she weighed Miss Perry’s strengths and weaknesses in her mind, she made sure not to stare at her for too long. She could not have Mama or Mrs. Perry thinking anything ridiculous.
“Well, I think it is time to begin,” Mama said. “Shall we start with this room? I have been most excited to adorn the mantel.”
Mama’s voice finally broke Miss Perry’s gaze and pulled it away from Edmund’s face. They both turned to face her, and Edmund’s eyes found Selina’s. By the way he greeted her with a small smile, it seemed he truly hadn’t noticed her entrance at all.
The group stood, and Mrs. Perry tapped her chin. “There are several rooms in need of decorating. Perhaps we could divide our group and achieve more in a shorter time.”
“That is a very good idea, Mama,” Miss Perry said. Selina might have been imagining it, but Miss Perry seemed to move closer to Edmund.
“How shall we divide?” Mrs. Perry continued before receiving Mama’s approval. “Perhaps Mrs. Ellis and I will decorate this room . . . ” She glanced at Selina in a way that told Selina her presence there was a severe inconvenience. “And the other three, I suppose, may begin in the entry.”
Selina met Edmund’s gaze quickly before tearing it away.
“That will be a perfect arrangement,” Miss Perry agreed. “Mrs. Ellis and Miss Ellis know the house best, so they ought not to be grouped together.”
“Sir Edmund knows the house quite well also, as he has been our guest for several days.” Mama’s voice was pointed to remind Miss Perry of Selina’s advantage. Why Mama continued inviting the Perrys was a mystery. She seemed to revel in the rivalry, but only when she felt certain of her own victory.
Selina found it all very tiresome.
Miss Perry watched Selina carefully as she approached Edmund. “Let us hope the ribbons we sorted are to my mother’s satisfaction today,” Selina said.
Edmund’s dark curls fell over his forehead, a smile hovering at the edges of his eyes. “If they are not, I dare not imagine the consequences.”
Selina gave a quiet laugh, which was quickly stamped out by Miss Perry’s sharp gaze. “Shall we be going to the entry hall?”
Selina nodded, casting one more glance at Edmund before leading the way out the door.
“How fortunate we are to have Sir Edmund in our group,” Miss Perry said as she walked at Edmund’s side. She stared up at him, just as she had been since arriving in the drawing room. Edmund shifted uncomfortably.
“I daresay he is tall enough to reach all the places we will wish to decorate,” Miss Perry continued with a laugh.
Selina cast a critical gaze over her shoulder at him as they passed through the short hallway that led to the entry hall. “He is not nearly tall enough if I wished to decorate the ceiling,” she said in an offhand voice.
Edmund watched with a smile as she walked with quick steps into the entry hall, only sparing him the one glance. She always did try to keep him humble.
“I’ve never met a man tall enough for that,” Selina said. “Have you, Miss Perry?”
Miss Perry turned to Edmund with a shrill laugh. “Most certainly not!”
He took a slight step to the side to put more distance between her laughter and his ear. Her demeanor had changed drastically since the last time he had seen her at the Frost Fair, and he believed Mrs. Perry was to blame for that. The competitive nature between Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Perry was obvious, and it was no surprise Mrs. Perry had sent her daughter to pursue him that day. The moment they entered the room she had claimed the seat beside him, speaking constantly about everything from the color of her new pelisse to the things she had witnessed at the fair.
“I am certain Sir Edmund could find a way to hang the ribbons as high as the ceiling.” Miss Perry smiled up at him. “He is quite strong, you know.”
Selina’s shoulders seemed to stiffen as she turned toward them, her eyes darting between Edmund and Miss Perry. She took a long glance at Edmund’s arms. “Actually, I did not know that, but I thank you for enlightening me.” Selina met Edmund’s gaze with a smirk before turning her attention to the box of ribbons and the side table that had been set with the greenery and twine needed to decorate the banister. Was Selina teasing him now?
“Well—” Miss Perry stuttered. “I suppose I do not know that he is strong, but he has the appearance of someone quite strong.”
“What has given you that indication?” Selina’s eyes were round with innocence, but Edmund detected the motive behind her question. She wished to make Edmund uncomfortable.
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Miss Perry turned toward him, her thoughtful expression drawing her brows together. “Well, his arms are quite large, but when he escorted me I noted that they are not soft like a loaf of bread. The feeling of his arm was more akin to a roast beast, indicating muscle tissue, which aids in physical strength.”
Selina’s gaze darted to Edmund’s, her lips pressing together in a manner that he had come to recognize meant she was holding back laughter. She had succeeded in her aim.
He was certainly uncomfortable.
“Are you quite certain, Miss Perry?” Selina asked. “I thought the opposite. Even now, looking at his arms, I am reminded of two loaves of bread I saw in the kitchen this morning. Personally, I prefer men to have arms like that. There is little else I like more than freshly baked bread.”
Edmund scoffed in disbelief. Bread? That was not what a man wanted to hear. “I have never given such thought to my arms, so I thank you both for your assessments.” He smiled first at Miss Perry, then at Selina, who was taking far too much pleasure in his discomfort.
After nearly an hour of hanging the holly and evergreen boughs and arranging them with red and gold ribbons on the banister, they started back to the drawing room where Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Perry were awaiting them. Edmund had hardly had any chance to speak with Selina with Miss Perry’s constant prattle, and Selina hadn’t seemed inclined to speak over her. Edmund had been as polite as he could, listening to the many things Miss Perry had to say with smiles and nods. Now that they were walking back to the drawing room, she looped her hand through his arm, holding it with a grip so tight, a loaf of bread would have flattened. Selina trailed behind, her feet clicking softly on the marble floor.
A few paces beyond the open doorway, Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Perry stood, observing their approach with wide eyes. Mrs. Ellis’s gaze flickered upward before settling on Edmund again, a crease on her brow.
What was the matter? Had she seen the pained expression he wore at having his arm flattened?
As they walked closer to the room, he caught sight of the source of Mrs. Ellis’s dismay and Mrs. Perry’s apparent delight, hanging just inside the doorway.
A kissing bough.
Chapter 13
How many times would she giggle like that? Selina trailed behind Miss Perry and Edmund as they headed back to the drawing room, still carrying the shears she had used to cut the greenery. She had always been taught to keep her laughter to an appropriate volume, a lesson Miss Perry had obviously never received. And why on earth was Miss Perry holding Edmund’s arm so tightly? Was she admiring its roasted meat texture? Edmund hadn’t seemed to mind her company, though, always listening and smiling at her constant prattle.
As they approached the doorway, Selina caught sight of Mama, who was scowling as Edmund and Miss Perry approached, her eyes flickering up to the ceiling as if a spider or some other unsightly creature was hovering there.
It took Selina only a short moment to see the disagreeable thing that was hanging just above where Edmund and Miss Perry now stood. Selina’s chest tightened as she watched the look of delight on Mrs. Perry’s face. Had she placed the kissing bough there, knowing her daughter would be caught under it with Edmund? If so, that must have been the source of the rage building in Mama’s features.
Selina stopped several paces back, her heart thudding.
“You two are beneath the kissing bough!” Mrs. Perry exclaimed. “I need not explain what tradition demands.”
Miss Perry gave another of her giggles, turning to face Edmund. “Oh, dear, how embarrassing to share a kiss with such an audience.”
Edmund stood with an unreadable expression, glancing at Selina. When he turned his attention back to Miss Perry, she rose on her toes in one quick motion. Being as tall as she was, it was no difficulty for her to reach him as she pressed her lips to his.
Mrs. Perry cheered, clapping her hands and laughing. Selina tore her gaze away, turning on her heel, her feet carrying her with long strides back to the entry hall. Her heart pounded as she turned toward the staircase, bounding up two stairs at a time. When she was safely behind the door of her bedchamber, she paused to take a breath.
Her lungs felt heavy, and so did the stone that had settled in her stomach.
She jumped when a knock sounded on her door. Had Mama come up to see if she was unwell? She couldn’t let her know how that kiss had affected her. Why had it affected her? Edmund could kiss whomever he pleased, whenever and wherever he pleased. It meant nothing to Selina. Be calm. Be indifferent. She set down the shears and searched for something else she could hold so it would appear she had come upstairs for a purpose. After a short search, she found a pair of gloves and nonchalantly began slipping them on as she opened the door.
Her heart leaped as she glanced up. It wasn’t Mama. “Edmund?”
He appeared to be slightly out of breath, as though he had run up the stairs as quickly as she had. His dark curls were slightly mussed. Had that been Miss Perry’s doing? Selina blocked the thought from her mind.
“What are you doing up here?” Selina asked in a nonchalant voice. She swallowed hard, looking at anything but his face.
“I wondered why you ran away.” Edmund’s chest rose and fell quickly. “The kissing bough—”
Selina scoffed, stopping him. “I didn’t run. I hurried away, yes, but that was because . . . my hands were quite cold.” She nodded toward the gloves she held.
Edmund took a step closer. “I did not know the kissing bough was there until it was too late, and I certainly didn’t know Miss Perry would kiss me.”
“Do you think me distressed over it?” Selina laughed, tucking away the emotions she had been feeling as she hurried up the stairs. You may kiss whomever you wish. I was merely . . . surprised. I thought you did not wish to be ensnared into marrying her.”
“I did not wish to kiss Miss Perry.” He shook his head, his eyes wide. “And I have no wish to further our acquaintance.”
A small spark of hope entered Selina’s chest, but she extinguished it. Pain and inexplicable feelings still festered too close to her heart. “Well, was it enjoyable?” She avoided his gaze.
Edmund scoffed with disbelief. “She forced it upon me. I turned away quickly and worried about where you had gone. I worried if you were upset by the—the ordeal.”
He hadn’t seemed opposed to Miss Perry’s company all day. And she was obviously pretty. What man would object so heartily to a kiss from any woman even half so pretty? Selina’s heart pounded, spreading an ache through her entire body. Her defenses continued to rise. The only way to manage such feelings was to act indifferent. “You forget that I am engaged to Mr. Skinner. Why should I be upset?” It was true. She felt disloyal to Noah for feeling so envious of Miss Perry. Perhaps the only reason for her envy was because she wished Noah would kiss her. Yes, that must have been it. She gathered her confidence and met Edmund’s gaze, holding her chin high.
Edmund did not seem convinced by her act. He took another step closer, one that caused her heart to flip and her feet to stumble backward. His blue eyes bore into hers. “Whether you are upset or not, I wanted to come up here to see if you were well.”
Selina caught her breath, nodding fast. “I am well. I have never been more well, in fact.” She clamped her mouth shut before she could say anything else strange. “And now that I have my gloves, I can come back downstairs.” She made to walk forward, but Edmund didn’t move.
She slowly raised her gaze to his, her heart thudding like a wild bird against her ribs.
“Are you certain it didn’t upset you?” His voice was tentative, but his gaze was more direct than she had ever seen it.
Selina took a deep breath, doing all she could to ignore the way his eyes lowered briefly to her lips. How could she admit that seeing him with Miss Perry that day had bothered her so greatly? How could she admit that seeing them kiss had made her feel ill, even if it had only occurred because of a silly tradition and Mrs. Perry’s scheming? She couldn’
t tell him.
“Yes.” She met his gaze with great effort before focusing on the buttons of his jacket instead. Talking to a row of buttons was much easier. “I am certain.” When she gathered the courage to look up at him again, she was surprised by his expression. He looked . . . disappointed.
“Well, I am glad you are well,” he said. “I would never wish to upset you.”
Selina searched his face, the intensity of his gaze trapping her. She couldn’t look away. An invisible force drew her to him, and she realized there was little she wouldn’t do or say to erase the dejection from his gaze. She would even kiss him herself.
She banished the idea from her mind instantly, guilt driving deep into her chest. How could she have such a thought when she was engaged to someone else? In love with someone else? But that word, love, clattered through her mind like it didn’t belong, resulting in an echo of uncertainty.
Before she could question what it meant, Edmund took her hand in his, the one she had yet to cover with a glove. Her breath caught in her throat as he glanced down at it, his dark lashes hiding his eyes from her view. “How interesting,” he said in a quiet voice, his thumb tracing over the top of her hand. His eyes met hers. “Your hands are not cold at all.” He released her fingers before taking a step back.
She swallowed, her throat too dry to speak.
He did not believe her.
He could easily see that she had not run up the stairs to fetch her gloves. She ran up the stairs because she was afraid—very afraid—that Edmund would fall in love with someone else. She ran up the stairs because she couldn’t bear to see him kiss Miss Perry. And she ran up the stairs because she recognized a flame within her chest, a spark that had grown throughout the time she had spent with Edmund, burning brighter with each passing moment. It was easy to extinguish a flame burning on the end of a wick, but the candle had capsized, catching and spreading until it had become something she couldn’t control. Her feelings were not submissive, no matter how much she tried to tame them.
Her Silent Knight: A Christmas Regency Romance (Belles of Christmas: Frost Fair Book 1) Page 10