“I’ll thank you to disregard what I just said. Celia’s version is the correct one,” Gabriel muttered.

Alan was still grinning, pleased with the developments. Damn the man.

“You’ll find her in the Rose Parlor with Ivy and Sara. They are keeping her company.”

CHAPTER 10

“The way he looked at you.” Sara sighed, placing a hand over her heart. “I declare, I almost saw flames coming off the man. It was so terribly romantic.”

“Romantic?” Celia snorted in amazement. She shifted on the divan, hiding a grimace when her foot slipped off the plush pillow it was currently propped upon.

“Oh, yes! Romantic. In the way his eyes lit up the moment he saw you. And how gentle he was while tending to your ankle. And, my goodness, when he scooped you into his arms and rode off with you, I thought I might actually swoon,” Sara swore earnestly.

“Did you know there is an art to swooning?” Celia asked, determined to change the subject.

Sara cocked her head, looking exactly like a perfect, blonde porcelain doll. “Is there? And how does that work precisely?”

Ivy adjusted the pillow lodged beneath Celia’s foot and frowned at Sara. “She’s merely attempting to change the subject, my dear. Isn’t that right, Celia?”

Celia averted her gaze from Ivy’s penetrative turquoise eyes. “It’s far better than discussing Mister Rose’s display of misplaced chivalry.”

Ivy tsked as she returned to her seat opposite the dark rose-hued divan. Picking up the teapot, she refreshed their beverages. “One thing I will always say of Gabriel: he is absolutely genuine. And there is kindness there you might not see at first glance. The man has his demons, but many gentlemen claim such. Ravenswood trusts him implicitly, as do I.”

“Does any of that matter?” Celia grumbled. “It’s not as though I have leave to consider the man as a suitor. Why the two of you are so eager for that impossibility is quite puzzling.”

The quick recrimination on her friends’ features was enough that Celia flushed with regret. “I do not mean to imply Mister Rose is beneath me. You know a man’s social standing matters little in my eyes. But it is true he is on the outskirts of our circle. Even if I wished it, which I don’t, I’m positive my parents would never approve.” She scowled with impatience. “Why does everyone insist on pairing the two of us, anyway? We’ve said no more than ten words to one another over the past year.”

Ivy smiled. “Much can be said in just a few words. And while you may believe it goes unnoticed, I’ve seen the way you look at each other. Oh, I’ll admit Mister Rose is a bit, shall we say, untamed. But there is no denying you share a mutual attraction, Celia. What harm can there be in exploring it?”

Before Celia could answer that dangerously probing question, there was a slight knock on the door. It swung open to reveal Gabriel, a grim expression on his features and her walking bonnet dangling from his broad fingers. She sucked in a breath at the sight of him, her cheeks suffused with heated embarrassment for what she’d done.