Almost, because she had yet to smile as he imagined an angel would. Disconcerting, because Elinor Asheley was no angel. Fascinating, but not angelic.

Her eyes flicked up to his and widened when she caught him staring.

Was he still staring? He must have been, but why?

Just… why?

Elinor scowled with more darkness than she had yet, but her cheeks flushed pink with such haste that it seemed to startle her. She huffed and got to her feet, storming out of the room, notably taking the mistletoe with her.

Hugh smiled as she left, wondering about that blush he’d seen.

Perhaps that was why he stared.

Not likely, but perhaps.

Chapter Three

Assumptions may get a body into trouble. One must never ever assume anything, unless one would have assumptions made about themselves. Or is that judgment? This author is not entirely clear, though surely, they are interchangeable in this case.

-The Spinster Chronicles, 16 September 1817

This was going to be the worst Christmas ever. Elinor was absolutely certain of it.

She had no idea what Hugh Sterling was about, but his attempts at polite conversation had irritated her beyond belief. She was destined to bruise from her sister’s repeated kicks, but it was worth it to risk running her mouth as she wished. Hugh Sterling would not dare to insult her in her own home, so she would take every advantage offered.

The trouble was that he was not reacting as much as she would wish, given the beautiful timing of her barbs.

He just seemed to sit there and be amused by it all.

Amusing, was it, for his character to be so maligned by someone who knew exactly what he was capable of? It would only show his true nature, if he were to continue in such a way. He was a master in the art of villainy and depravity, and she had no qualms at all about letting her entire family know it.

The only trouble she could possibly imagine would come from the quarters of her parents or Uncle James. They all held great stock in being hospitable and warm, and during the holiday season, it was even more pronounced. They were the merriest of people, and they would never hear of behaving with anything less.

She would never have gotten away with her antics in the blue room had one of them been present.

Strategy would be key to preventing her family from being drawn in by Hugh if she wanted to avoid being resoundingly scolded publicly.

She would never live that shame down, particularly if he were to witness it.

Her abrupt departure from the blue room couldn’t be helped, particularly with the creature staring at her so. It was unnerving in the extreme, and she wished, most heartily, that one of the other Spinsters were in the house to commiserate with her on the subject. No one else would understand the full scope of this atrocity and the potential for future evils he presented.