Page 30 of Pining for Lord Lockhart
She nearly dropped the pins in shock, and then her face colored. “Why, miss. I don’t know if I should be talking about such things.”
“I don’t see why not. Have you?”
“A few.” Her blush grew. “But nothing that was ever going to become something serious.”
“How do you know?”
She waved her hand around. “Oh, they just don’t see me that way.”
“How do you know that?”
Lily paused. Their eyes met in the mirror. “Are you wondering how I know if a man is interested in me?”
“That’s exactly what I’m wondering.”
“Well, now this might not work in the same manner for you as it does for me, but I always know when he kisses me.”
Charity gasped. “How many men have you kissed?”
She clucked. “Now this is all part of the conversation I don’t think I should be having with you, miss.”
Charity stared her down and did not let up.
“Oh bother. What can I say? I’ve kissed quite a few, more than those three beaux I was talking about.”
Charity stared at her with new eyes.
“Don’t be looking at me like that, beggin’ your pardon, miss, not when you needled the information out of me.”
“Fair.” Charity shook her head. “How many men have you kissed?”
“A good amount like I said, and forgive me, but your sister would not be forgiving me for telling you anything more than that.”
“And tell me again how you know a man is interested. If you kissed so many, do you mean to tell me every one of those men was interested?”
“Oh, certainly not.” She clucked as if this were nothing, while Charity’s whole world was rolling around on a ball, ready to wobble to its side. She’d never known a single other person who professed to kiss men like Lily had. She pinned another strand of hair. “You don’t know they’re interested simplybecausethey kiss you. There are many men who will kiss you no matter how they feel about you. And most of them don’t want to do anything more with you than that. But you know they are truly growing attached by themannerin which they kiss.”
Charity couldn’t have looked away from her maid’s face if she tried. When she said no more, Charity prompted, “And?”
“Goodness, miss, you’re like to get me fired.”
“Unlikely since I’m your employer.”
She eyed her a moment and then sighed. “This just isn’t done, these kinds of conversations. I know you’re more liberally minded than most, and I appreciate our banter, the manner in which we can be open, but you do know this is highly improper.’
“And I also know that you have information I want.”
They stared each other down for the count of ten and then Lily laughed. “I couldn’t keep it from you, not with you as persistent as you are.”
“Precisely, now let us have the information.”
“When he kisses you, you will know. He will be speaking his feelings to you through his kiss. It doesn’t matter how long or short, you will know. Any other kiss might feel wonderful. It might dazzle and amaze, but if he doesn’t care, it won’t have the same effect. You will know.”
Charity was somewhat disappointed. Telling her shewouldknow but nothowshe would know felt like no help at all. She frowned. “Since I’ve kissed no man and will have nothing to compare the experience, I find your input less than helpful.”
“You will know. A woman knows in her core when a man’s kiss is something special.” She nodded with so much surety, Charity had half a mind to believe her.
Lily adjusted several pins, applied more rouge and then smiled. “You are finished, and might I say, I’ve never seen you look lovelier. And that’s saying something.”
