Free A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas Page A

right—Hannah was indeed strongly tempted to cancel the proposed walk. On the other hand, the cool defiance in his eyes actually touched her. He had looked, for just a moment, like a recalcitrant schoolboy who’d been caught in an act of mischief and was now awaiting punishment.
    â€œNot at all,” she told him. “I am still willing to walk with you. But I wish you would refrain from smashing anything else along the way.”
    She had the satisfaction of seeing that she had surprised him. Something softened in his face, and he looked at her with a kindling interest that caused a mysterious quickening inside her.
    â€œNo more smashing things,” he promised.
    â€œWell, then.” She pulled up the hood of her short cloak and headed to the stairs that led to the terraced gardens.
    In a few long strides Bowman had caught up with her. “Take my arm,” he advised. “The steps might be slippery.”
    Hannah hesitated before complying, her bare hand slipping over his sleeve and coming to rest lightly on the bed of muscle beneath. In her efforts to keep from waking Natalie earlier, she had forgotten to fetch her gloves.
    â€œWould Lady Natalie have been upset?” Bowman asked.
    â€œAbout the broken teacup?” Hannah considered that for a moment. “I don’t think so. She probably would have laughed, to flatter you.”
    He sent her a sideways smile. “There’s nothing wrong with flattering me, Miss Appleton. It makes me quite happy and manageable.”
    â€œI have no desire to manage you, Mr. Bowman. I’m not at all certain you’re worth the effort.”
    His smile vanished and his jaw tautened, as if she had touched an unpleasant nerve. “We’ll leave it to Lady Natalie, then.”
    They crossed an opening in an ancient yew hedge and began along a graveled path. The carefully trimmed bushes and mounded vegetation resembled giant iced cakes. High-pitched calls of nuthatches floated from the nearby woodland. A hen harrier skimmed close to the ground, its wings tensed in a wide V as it searched for prey.
    Although it was rather pleasant to hold on to Bowman’s strong, steady arm, Hannah reluctantly withdrew her hand.
    â€œNow,” Bowman said quietly, “tell me what you assume my opinion of Lady Natalie is.”
    â€œI’ve no doubt you like her. I think you’re willing to marry her because she suits your needs. It is obvious that she will smooth your path in society and bear you fair-haired children, and she’ll be sufficiently well bred to look the other way when you stray from her.”
    â€œWhy are you so certain I’ll stray?” Bowman asked, sounding curious rather than indignant.
    â€œEverything I’ve seen of you so far confirms that you are not capable of fidelity.”
    â€œI might be, if I found the right woman.”
    â€œNo you wouldn’t,” she said with crisp certainty. “Whether or not you’re faithful has nothing to do with the woman. It depends entirely upon your own character.”
    â€œMy God, you’re opinionated. You must terrify nearly every man you meet.”
    â€œI don’t meet many men.”
    â€œThat explains it, then.”
    â€œExplains what?”
    â€œWhy you’ve never been kissed before.”
    Hannah stopped in her tracks and whirled to face him. “Why do you…how did you…”
    â€œThe more experience a man has,” he said, “the more easily he can detect the lack of it in someone else.”
    They had reached a little clearing. In the center of it stood a mermaid fountain, surrounded by a circle of low stone benches. Hannah climbed onto one of thebenches and walked its length slowly, and hopped over the little space to the next bench.
    Bowman followed at once, walking beside the benches as she made a circle around them. “So your Mr. Clark has never made an advance to you?”
    Hannah shook her head,