Page 51 of Sinful Persuasion of a Lady in the Making
“What?” she asked, chuckling to hide her embarrassment.
“You don’t have to do that anymore,” he said gently, leaning past her to reach the bottle of wine and both glasses.
“I know,” she said, her voice tinged with humor. Sebastian watched her from under his brow as he poured the wine. “But I like to do it. Luke often tells me I shouldn’t, because it’s not my place anymore. I understand that, but I don’t like to be idle. Besides, I don’t think it’s very fair for others to do all the work, when we are just as capable of helping.”
Sebastian handed her a glass filled with wine of the deepest red, then began pouring his own. As the liquid filled the glass, he spoke.
“You really are the kindest person I know,” he said. “One of the truly special things about you that I’ve noticed is that you are able to enjoy the good things in life, without assuming you are entitled to them. That’s quite a trait to have.”
“Well, that’s easy,” she said, taking a sip of the wine. “I amnotentitled to them. But since I have them, I shall not turn my nose up at them. This wine, for example.” She smacked her lips together to show her appreciation. “It has such a rich smokiness. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything quite so delightful.”
“I thought you’d like it,” he said with a smile. “I picked it especially for you. There are not many of these left in my cellar, and I tend to keep them for special occasions.”
“And this is a special occasion?” she asked.
“Any day with you is a special occasion,” he said, shrugging nonchalantly, even though he truly meant it.
“You are a charmer,” she said, laughing.
She leaned forward and selected a thin slice of beef, perfectly pink in the middle, and she tore off small pieces to put into her mouth. It was such a delicate, feminine movement, but so unconscious, lacking concern. It was natural, in the way that every part of her was. Nothing was contrived or forced, there were no false words or feigned emotions.
She is true, in every way.
“Not a charmer,” he said, shaking his head, “honest.”
“Honesty—now there’s an excellent trait to have,” Jenny said, putting another sliver of beef between her plump rosy lips.
Sebastian licked his own lips, watching as her finger caught her lower lip, pulling it down just a touch before it bounced back up.
I want you.
He had an overwhelming desire to kiss her again, to lean over and—damn propriety—push her to the ground, letting their flesh touch and explore while their lips kissed.
Sebastian shook his head and forced himself to look away from the sensual way she moved, spoke, let her own finger run across her lip.
“Yes,” he said, the cleared his throat. “Yes, honesty is very important, I believe. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I don’t have a lot of friends among theton, though.” He chuckled, looking back to her.
“Who wants to be friends with someone you have to lie to?” she asked, shrugging.
She leaned forward again, stretching across the picnic to reach some cubes of cheese. The shape of her body as she moved, the way her gown hung from her frame, it all titillated him, setting his heart and his loins astir. And then she grinned at him again, over her shoulder as before, and he forced the improper thoughts from his mind.
“You’d be surprised,” he said. “How many people value false kindness over truth.”
“They must be terribly sad people,” Jenny mused, slowly chewing her cheese.
“Tell me about yourself,” Sebastian said, “about your past.”
Jenny visibly tensed for the briefest of moments, and then let herself relax once more, looking up at him and smiling.
“Of my early life,” she said, “I remember very little. We were eight when we were taken in by Jack, which you would think would be old enough to have some memories. But all I have are flashes, images.” She shook her head as though trying to clear the clouds.
“Who is Jack?”
Jenny couldn’t stop the smile growing on her face, and Sebastian could see the nostalgia in her.
“He was the groom at Salsbury Manor,” she said. “He rescued Luke and me from the streets. Took us in, gave us food and a roof over our heads. He had lost his own wife and unborn child, you see.”
“He sounds like a very honorable man.”
