Free A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior by Suzanne Enoch Page B

handful of times, and she would feel foolish if she became lost.
    Stopping outside the closed doors of the master bedchamber, she hesitated. Her cousin was a married lady now. Heavens, her husband might be in there, as well. Tess certainly didn’t wish to interrupt them. They’d only been married for six months, after all.
    “So you do have common sense.”
    She jumped. Immediately she recognized the deep voice across the hallway behind her, but it was too late to pretend she hadn’t been startled. Blast it all . “Common sense and the good manners to make my presence known so I don’t frighten anyone half to death.”
    When she turned around Colonel James stood in the doorway of the room opposite. As usual he had a cane gripped in one hand, his long, lean body canted slightly to one side as he attempted to keep weight off his bad leg.
    “ You startled me ,” he returned, regarding her evenly. “For the second time today, I might add.”
    “You didn’t sound startled,” she retorted defensively. “Either time.”
    He ignored that. “You know, that’s the first time I’ve seen you hesitate at anything.” Golden eyes trailed from her face down to her toes and back again.
    Warmth crept up her cheeks. “Well?” she demanded, when he didn’t say anything. She was accustomed to men scrutinizing her, but a compliment on her appearance generally followed.
    “The color of the gown makes your eyes look more gray than green,” he said, still studying her face.
    “Is that your idea of a compliment?” She scowled to cover the fact that both his gaze and his direct words continued to unsettle her. It was almost as if he didn’t see the gown or the hair ribbons, but rather noticed only…her.
    “It was an observation.” Swinging the cane forward, he limped into the hallway, directly up to her.
    Theresa lifted her chin to keep her gaze on his. “Are you visiting?” she asked, attempting to keep her attention away from his wickedly sensual mouth and the thoughts of the kiss in the Haramund garden.
    “I’ve moved back in. For the moment.” His gaze momentarily broke from hers, letting her breathe again. “My former host didn’t appreciate the frequency with which I lost my footing.”
    “That’s rude of him.”
    “I didn’t say it was a him ,” the colonel replied. Leaning toward her a little, he knocked the end of his cane against the closed master bedchamber door beyond her. Then, with the first grin she’d seen him wear, a wicked, humorous expression that made him look younger than his twenty-eight years, he turned and headed toward the back of the house and the narrow servants’ stairs there.
    She opened her mouth to retort that no one residing with a woman—not in the way he implied—would have kissed her the way he did. Before she could utter a sound, though, the door in front of her opened.
    “Tess!” Amelia exclaimed, her faced flushed and a smile on her face. “I—we were—”
    “Here,” Theresa said, handing over the ear bobs. “I’ll be downstairs.” Without a backward glance she strode off in the direction Colonel James had taken.
    She found him four steps down from the top, his hands braced against either side of the narrow walls and his cane hooked over one thumb as he swore under his breath.
    Arguing with him or not, she didn’t like seeing him in such obvious pain. Grimacing, she caught up to him and pulled the cane out of his fingers. “You are n—”
    With a breath-freezing hiss he whipped around. Before she could react he had a forearm across her chest shoving her against the wall, the other hand fisted and headed for her face. Gasping, she squeezed her eyes closed.
    The blow never came. She opened one eye to see his fist lowered, his mouth inches from hers, breath warm on her lips. “Apologies,” he said roughly. “I don’t like anyone coming up behind me.”
    Theresa nodded. “I can see that. Would you please release my bosom?”
    He stayed where he was, his hard