Lisa turned to see Findlay approaching with a bouquet of the beautiful purple flowers in hand. Smiling, she leaned over the side to accept them and then paused to glance at him with surprise when he didn’t release them at once. His expression was solemn, his eyes on her mouth, and she wasn’t terribly surprised when he moved closer and raised his face toward hers. He was going to kiss her.

The thought went through her head, chased by the sound of a rhythmic pounding she recognized as hoofbeats. Charles’s lips had just brushed against hers when the sound exploded into the clearing. Both of them immediately drew apart and turned to see who had arrived.

It was a very harried and irate-looking Robert on horseback and Lisa didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She was really becoming quite curious to enjoy her first kiss, but Robert did seem to keep interrupting Charles’s attempts to give it to her. On the other hand, she might just want that first kiss to be with Robert anyway. She just wasn’t sure yet.

“Lisa, you—I cannot believe—this is—” Apparently at a loss for words, Robert drew himself up short, and just glared at her.

Lisa bit her lip to keep from laughing at his sour look. Glancing to Charles, she said apologetically, “Perhaps it’s time we returned to the others.”

“Home,” Robert growled. “The townhouse.”

“Oh, but—”

“It’s growing late and you’ll want to prepare for the Hammonds’ ball,” he said firmly.

“Ah, yes, the Hammonds’ ball,” Charles murmured, drawing her gaze to him again. “Don’t forget you promised to save me a waltz, and a quadrille.”

Lisa relaxed and smiled. “Yes, of course.”

He smiled in return, pressed the flowers into her hand and then moved silently around the carriage to get back in. Lisa glanced over her shoulder as the phaeton moved forward again. Robert was directly behind them, his back straight, expression grim, and eyes burning.

“Langley appears to be quite concerned with your well-being.”

Lisa glanced to Charles at that comment and grimaced slightly. “He’s just protective. We grew up together and he thinks of me as a little sister.”

“Little sister?” Findlay asked, glancing her way and allowing his eyes to slide over her in her newly de-ruffled lavender gown. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Thank you,” she said on a laugh.

Charles smiled slightly, but added, “Still, he seems . . . his interest appears almost overdone for just a family friend,” he ended delicately.