“Exactly so. I can’t imagine you would need to do that.”

“Are you saying I already possess a strong carriage and that I can be commanding?”

“You carry yourself with confidence, and I have no trouble believing you could command a room, should you choose to do so.” She could see it clearly. “Didn’t you have to do that when you were studying the law?”

“I did, in fact. It was one of my most compelling aspects when I was called to the bar, or so I was told.”

She imagined him speaking in court, his intelligence and passion captivating everyone in attendance, and found the notion rather stirring. “Then conversational flirting will no doubt come quite easily to you—and I maintain that you already do it without realizing.”

“Because it’s subtle.” He nodded. “I think I understand. You’re saying I needn’t try to practice more overt flirtation where I compliment a woman’s appearance or wit?”

“Well, it is universally acknowledged that a lady always appreciates a compliment,” she said with a laugh.

Ash stretched on her lap, then rose to a sitting position. He looked about, then left her to take a position on Lord Gregory’s lap.

“I’ve been forsaken,” she said, her lap feeling cold now that the puppy was gone.

Lord Gregory transferred the reins to one hand and briefly stroked Ash’s head. “He’s just looking to see if the view is any different over here.”

Evie found the sight of Ash sitting on Lord Gregory’s lap incredibly endearing. Even if she wanted the puppy for herself, she wasn’t sure she could take him from Lord Gregory.

Looking forward at the road, she said, “We’ve discussed eye contact and conversation, so I suppose we should review touching.”

“Touching?” He sounded surprised. “Is that allowed?”

“How do you dance if you don’t touch?”

“That’s dancing, not flirting.”

She laughed softly. “Dancing is flirting if you want it to be. You can do all of it at once—use your eyes, words, and body to show you are interested. Whenever you touch in the dance, hold her for a moment longer than necessary or graze your fingertips along a part of her body as you pass one another. If you promenade, you can situate yourself closer to her side as you walk. Or you can take your free hand to touch the hand she has curled around your arm.”

“My mind is positively swimming with potential ideas, but I fear I would be nervous to overstep. A moment longer than necessary seems like a breath away from potential scandal.”

“I’m not advising that you sweep her into your arms and kiss her in plain sight of people.”

“I suppose that’s one way of assuring I’m successful in obtaining a wife.” He made a face and twitched his shoulders. “I could never do that.”