Page 3 of A Summer Romance (The Starlings of Starling Hall #2)

Just then she noticed a tall figure by the old pear tree, standing with his back to her.

Francis! Her heart quickened as she hurried toward him. It was only when he turned at the sound of her eager approach, that she saw that it wasn’t Francis after all. It was Theodore. And, as usual, he was frowning at her.

Breana thought about beating a hasty retreat, pretending she had an urgent appointment somewhere else.

But it was too late. Theodore had seen her.

Why was he here in this particular spot at this particular time?

How much did he know about her meeting with Francis?

It was possible, although unlikely, that it was all just a coincidence.

And if that was the case, she didn’t want to make him suspicious.

She came toward him, her steps slowing despite her brave smile. “Mr. Norris,” she said sweetly and dropped a little curtsey.

“Miss Starling,” Theodore replied, though it was more of a growl than a greeting.

And he didn’t respond with a bow, which was simply rude.

Instead, he came toward her until he was far too close, and loomed over her in a way that made her want to shrink away.

It was only her resolve not to be intimidated by such a bully that kept her back straight and her chin up.

“I was out walking when I fancied a ripe pear,” she said pleasantly. That would show him who had the good manners here!

“In our orchard?” His dark brows wrinkled in a scowl over his dark eyes. “I hardly think so, Miss Starling. I know for a fact that you are here to meet my brother Francis.”

So he did know. But she refused to admit it. Why did he have to be so awful? Wouldn’t a gentleman simply accept her explanation?

“I was out walking,” she repeated but felt her cheeks warm, no doubt matching with her hair.

“You are trespassing,” he answered without a pause. He acted as though he was in the right, which he was, she supposed, but how dare he show such a lack of consideration for her embarrassing position?

She had had enough of him.

“Well then, are you going to have me arrested?” she asked, her voice rather high. “The constable is a friend of my brother, and I am quite sure he would let me go.”

He blinked. Then his mouth quirked, almost as if he was going to smile, but she knew that couldn’t be possible. Theodore Norris never smiled.

“I see no need to go that far. Not if you tell me the truth, Miss Starling. And I should warn you that Francis has already admitted that he had an assignation with you here at two o’clock today.”

“‘Assignation’?” she spluttered, as if she hadn’t been thinking in those very same terms just moments ago.

“What would you call it then?” Theodore said, more curious than argumentative. “Two unmarried, unrelated persons meeting alone? I would call it an assignation. Maybe a tryst. Perhaps even an ill-conceived rendezvous.”

“It was none of those things! We are friends . Friends are allowed to meet, aren’t they?”

“I don’t know how you do things at Starling Hall, Miss Starling, but at Barton Manor it is proper for a man to be chaperoned when encountering a woman he is interested in.”

She knew he was right. She tried not to imagine what her family would say if they were to find out.

Her mother would be disappointed, and her father angry.

Will would give her one of his looks that told her he thought she was being foolish, and as for the other Starling children… They would never let her forget it.

She knew he was right but she wasn’t about to admit it. “ You are not chaperoned, Mr. Norris.”

“That is because I am not interested in you.”

That left her momentarily speechless. She wanted to toss her head and say she didn’t care because she wasn’t interested in him .

“You hardly know Francis,” Theodore was carrying on in that stern voice. “If you did, you would not be here, lurking in my orchard.”

Lurking? He made the meeting she had been so looking forward to sound like something seedy and nasty. “Perhaps you don’t know him as well as you think!” she said, remembering not to shout just in time, so that her words came out in a strangled squeak.

“Francis? Oh, I know my brother very well.” There was a weary note in his voice.

Breana was suddenly struck with the worry that something had happened to Francis.

Was he hurt? Had Theodore locked him up like the villain in a novel?

Did he tie him up in a chest and drop him into the village pond?

Was he even now chained and on his way to a secret location, to be hidden away forever?

Breana struggled to tame her wild imaginings.

“Where is Francis?” she demanded. “What have you done to him?”

Theodore raised an eyebrow—illogical as it was she had always disliked men who could do that. “All you need to know is that Francis could not keep his ‘appointment’ with you today, so I have come in his place.”

For a bizarre moment, Breana found herself imagining Theodore taking Francis’s place in holding her hand, stroking her hair, kissing her.

Her gaze went to his mouth. His lips were soft and full, and she imagined them pressed to hers.

Hastily she reminded herself that this was Theodore, the last man in all the world she wanted to kiss, and rearranged her face into a haughty glare, just in case he had noticed her interest in his mouth.

She laughed heartily for good measure. “You must be joking!”

That frown! It was more fiercesome than before. Breana wondered if she had hurt his feelings, until she reminded herself that he had none.

Before she could think to apologise—which she wasn’t going to anyway—he leaned in close to her, no doubt thinking he could intimidate her with his imposing height and breadth.

“If you knew me better, Miss Starling, you would know that I do not joke. My brother should never have raised your hopes. He cannot marry you. Even if he has damaged your reputation, he still cannot marry you. Such a thing is impossible. Because he is soon to be engaged to another lady.”

His words were horrible and insulting, but it was that last sentence that made her blurt out, “I don’t believe you!”

Breana wanted to sound furious and scornful, but instead she heard the voice of someone who was young and very upset. Disappointed, that was how she felt, because she had been daydreaming about Francis and it didn’t seem possible her romantic fantasies could end like this. “ What other lady?”

He was silent. He looked as if he didn’t know how to answer her.

Did he feel sorry for her? Pity her? She did not need his pity .

She folded her arms and glared at him. “I won’t leave until you tell me who this lady is, so you may as well.

I have all day. Do you? If there was someone else, Francis would have told me before he—”

“Before he what?” Theodore asked abruptly. “What has my brother done?”

“Nothing.”

“Has he asked you to marry him?”

Surprised by his urgent manner, Breana burst out with the first thing that entered her head. “No, he kissed me, that is all. I’m sure a kiss won’t sully my reputation.”

At first, Theodore looked relieved, then annoyed. “Perhaps not in a rose garden when anyone can come upon the couple.”

So he had seen them in his mother’s rose garden. Before she could think of an answer, he carried on sternly.

“But a kiss can lead to other things. Did it?”

“No! I would never…” She drew in a calming breath. “Tell me about this other lady.”

He met her eyes. His were very dark, almost mesmerizing. She was so busy staring into them that she didn’t catch what he was saying, and then she did.

“Francis is about to be officially engaged to Miss Ingram of Mayfair, London.”