Page 19 of A Lovely White Christmastide
As he approached, Miss Julianna asked, “How long before the postilion’s return, do you think?”
“Not long now. Maybe ten more minutes depending on if they had a team ready or not.”
“And what will they do with the broken wheel?”
Carswell glanced at the listing conveyance. “I assume he will bring back tools and someone to repair it.”
“Shall we play a game of questions while we wait?” Kaye’s eyes danced with mischief and Carswell was tempted to warn the ladies away from any game he suggested. But when both ladies quickly agreed to the idea he decided to go along. Besides, a few questions never harmed anyone.
“Very good.” Kaye clapped his gloved hands together. “Here is how we will play. Each person will tell three things about themselves, two true and one false. We each get to ask one question that the person answers with a yes or a no and then we guess which one is false.”
The ladies nodded in agreement.
Kaye did not even wait to see if Carswell agreed. “I will go first so you can see how it is done. First, I have never eaten a tomato. Second, I once saved an unlucky feline from being shot by enemy fire, and last, I once saw my captain sleeping with a sock full of tree bark.”
Carswell scowled at Kaye’s smiling face. This game might hurt someone after all if he did not learn to keep certain information to himself.
Chapter Six
Julianna stared wide-eyed at Mr. Kaye’s question. They’d made it through four rounds of comments and questions, and, other than finding out that Lord Bingham slept with a sock full of cinnamon bark, all the other statements had been fairly benign.
“I am not sure that is a yes or no question,” Beth said, her eyes dancing with humor. “Perhaps you need to rephrase it, Mr. Kaye.”
“I suppose that is true. All right, how about this? Do you swim in your dress?”
Julianna sputtered. That sounded even worse.
Lord Bingham cleared his throat. “What he means to say is what sort of bathing costume do you use?”
Beth snickered. “That is not a yes or no question either.”
“Well it is better than the way he stated it. At least my question does not leave one to wonder if she wore anything at all.”
Julianna’s hand flew to her chest. “I beg your pardon.”
Lord Bingham had the grace to appear chagrined.
Beth burst into laughter and Julianna narrowed her eyes. She was deriving far too much pleasure from seeing Juliannasquirm. Where were her oh so proper manners? Perhaps the cold air had begun to freeze her good sense.
Mr. Kaye held up his hands. “I think it’s time we simply start the guessing now.” His face was mottled red, the same embarrassment she felt evident in the way he shifted from foot to foot.
“But she must answer the question,” Beth insisted.
“Fine.” Julianna cast her a look of challenge. “No.”
“No to which question?” Lord Bingham asked.
“Yes.” Her lips twitched at his confusion.
Mr. Kaye glanced at her. “Are you saying yes to his question or mine?”
“Yes.”
“Jule, you are making no sense.”
“That is not a question, dear sister, and now I believe everyone’s questions and answers are up. Now you must choose which of my three statements was false.”
Mr. Kaye grinned. “My guess is that you cannot swim.”
