Page 47 of Lords, Ladies and Love

She folded her arms. “What do you wish to know?”

“Does it work with anything else? Can you add up tiny things, like marbles or…grains of sand? When did you discover your talent? Oh.” He inched closer. “Have you ever used it for gambling?”

Blinking at him several times, she pursed her lips. “I have never, nor will I ever, use it for gambling.”

“And tiny things?”

“Marble, maybe. Grains of sand, definitely not.”

“And how old were you when you realized you had this skill? What does your family think of this?” he pressed.

A scowl creased her forehead. “Why on earth do you want to know all this?”

“I’m curious,” he admitted. “I have never met anyone like you. Is it so wrong to wish to understand a friend?”

“A friend?” The word came out choked.

“An acquaintance then. But by the time we are done, if you have saved me from a forced marriage, you shall certainly be my very best friend.”

She waved a dismissive hand. “I have friends. I do not need your friendship.”

“The friendship of a rake, you mean.”

“Well…I…yes, I suppose that is what I mean.” She tilted her chin and looked at him from under her lashes. “Be honest, my lord, surely you do not really have any female friends?”

Seth opened his mouth then closed it. He would have liked to have said he was friends with every one of his conquests but that would be a lie. Yes, they usually ended things on excellent terms but he had little interest in remaining anything but polite acquaintances with them once their time together was over.

For some reason, though, he rather liked the idea of being friends with Miss Hastings. There were depths to her that stillneeded to be discovered, and despite her rather stiff manner, she was interesting to converse with.

“I am right, am I not?”

“Has anyone ever told you you are too clever?”

Her lips twisted into a dry smile. “Yes. With boring frequency.”

“Very well, I shall never say it again.”

Her smile curved the corners of her mouth. “I will hold you to that.”

“You still haven’t answered my questions.”

She exhaled slowly. “Very well. What was it? When did I discover my talent?” She pressed a finger to her lips. “At about the age of four, I believe.”

“Goodness, young indeed.”

“I remember counting the flowers in the garden of my family home and being able to summon the number within an instant. I didn’t know it was odd until I told my mama about it.”

“And your mother, what did she think of this skill?”

Miss Hastings chuckled. “Apparently I was already quite the precocious child. She was not surprised at all.”

“Your family is supportive?”

She nodded. “It has taken them some getting used to—having an academic daughter—but they support me as much as they can.”

“You are lucky indeed.”

“Your family is not supportive?”

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