For the first time in their acquaintance, he imagined kissing her. Pressing those soft lips against his own. Tasting her sparkle. Holding her in an intimate embrace. Without her usual edge, she seemed almost desirable.
It was a revelation.
As if she read his thoughts, her skin flushed. “Reid, you are staring at me as if I were a stranger.”
“Am I being rude? A thousand pardons.”
“Oh, I’ll only need a dozen of those.” Her smile warmed as she tapped two fingers on his shoulder. “Do tell me, though, what is on your mind.”
“I was merely thinking about how life continually surprises me.”
“Oh? In what way?”
“I had thought I’d known almost everything about you, but then you’ve managed to surprise me this evening.”
Thick lashes shadowed her gaze. “I can only hope it’s been in a good way?”
“I can hardly answer that and still remain a gentleman.”
The orchestra finished the last movement, bringing their dance and their conversation to a stop. Reid suffered from a momentary loss. He had liked being with her.
“May I escort you to your next partner?”
“You may escort me off the dance floor. You are ever the gentleman, Reid.”
He guided her to the side of the room, where the air was a little quieter. “I suppose I will see you soon. Whenever I call on Douglass.”
She tilted her chin up. “Is that the only reason you come to Sloane House, Reid? To see my brother?”
“Not at all. He is not the only Sloane who has captured my interest.”
She nodded her head, accepting his gallant words, just as she accepted that he’d practically had no choice but to utter them. “Of course.”
He was charmed. Perhaps she was the right woman for him. Maybe God had been simply biding his time, tempting him with housemaids until Reid was ready to accept a lady like Veronica.
Seeing the open French doors, he was just about to ask her if she’d care to take a stroll on the balcony when she spoke again.
“I’m so glad we spent some time together, Reid.”
“The pleasure was all mine.”
A smile teased her lips. “The truth is, I’ve been a bit worried about you of late.”
“Oh?”
An eyebrow arched. “I’m referring to your recent faux pas.”
“Which faux pas was that?” he teased. “We both know I’ve had many such incidents.”
Her voice lowered, turning almost slick. “Douglass told me that you had the poor taste to be seen with our newest maid. In broad daylight. That was poorly done, Reid.”
And in a flash, he was aware of her true colors all over again.
He hated that she was speaking of things that were none of her business, that she was speaking of a woman who likely delivered her coffee or pressed her dresses as someone less than worthy of notice.
“You are speaking of Rosalind, I presume?”
“Oh. Is that her name?”
“Your behavior is shameful, Veronica. I would have expected a lady such as you to know better than to gossip about a maid in her household.”
“I would have expected a gentleman such as you to not be seen escorting maids around public expositions.”
“Is that the problem? That I was seen?”
Now her gaze was disdainful. “We both know it was a problem. It raises questions about your character.”
“My character.”
“Indeed. It is all very low-class. Honestly, Reid, if you are having some little romp with a maid, you should at least take care to be a bit more circumspect.”
“To protect my reputation.”
“And mine.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to point out that her brother had been at the fair with yet another maid in the house. That it was rumored he’d taken advantage of many maids in his employ. But that would be neither gentlemanly nor proper.
He also was tempted to ask why she even cared. But if Douglass had told her about him being with Rosalind, there must have been a reason.
Though he was almost positive that the two of them had nothing to do with Rosalind’s sister’s disappearance, he knew he couldn’t ignore the opportunity to ask a question or two.
“The Columbian Exposition is a dangerous place, as is Chicago right now. The papers are filled with stories of women from the country going missing. I would have thought you would be relieved to hear that I was taking the time to escort one of your servants.”
“I am sure the servants are used to fending for themselves, Reid.”
“But not all of them have fared so well. I mean, haven’t you lost a few maids lately?”
“Tilly ran off with a peddler. Or perhaps it was one of the workers at the Exposition? I don’t exactly recall.”