Put like that, she felt like a shrew. He had only been trying to give her some scientific conversation. And given that she had spoken only of fabrics and fashion for the last two weeks, not to mention dance lessons, French lessons, and lists of names she had to memorize, she would sorely love some simple scientific discourse.
“Very well, sir. I suppose I didn’t understand.”
He brightened considerably. “Excellent! I’m sure my friends will be delighted to hear about your newest formula.” Then he leaned forward, close enough for her to see the striations in his dark eyes. “I don’t suppose you’d like to give me a hint. What exactly is this new recipe of yours?”
She blinked at him, making sure her expression was wide and innocent. “My uncle didn’t tell you?”
“He was about to, but I’m afraid we were interrupted. We’re to meet later in the month, but it would save me some time if you simply explained it now.”
Of course it would. Especially since she was sure her uncle could absolutely not have told him the recipe, as she hadn’t shared it with him yet.
“Oh my,” she declared. “It’s really a simple skin cream. Designed to be mixed in with a man’s shaving soap. Makes the beard stand up straighter, so that it can be cut more easily.”
“Really?” he said. “I’m fascinated.”
“Would you like me to write it down for you?” She looked around then sighed. “But I have no pen or paper.”
“No matter. I have an excellent memory. Just tell it to me.”
“Mind you do it exactly.” Then she began to recite it in specific detail. Except the formula she gave him was not for a skin cream to make a man’s beard stand up. It was one to make him stink. Horribly. And for days on end.
Though on the up side, it would likely kill any sheep ticks that lived on his face. That was how they’d discovered it. It was one of her father’s concoctions to destroy sheep tick larvae, but they had to discard the formula because of the awful stench.
“Do you have it?” she asked.
He repeated it verbatim.
“Excellent! You should try it in your hair as well,” she said. “It makes the strands fuller. We plan to make it into a soap for balding men.”
“An excellent idea. You are most definitely brilliant.”
“And you, my lord, are…” A trickster. A seducer. “…a very clever man.”
“Nonsense,” he said. “I merely recognize cleverness in others. And now, I should leave. I’m sure Lady Eleanor has a grand entrance planned, and I shouldn’t like to damage that.”
“No, Lady Eleanor wouldn’t like that you are up here now.”
“Then I will bid you adieu until our dance.”
She smiled and dropped into a small curtsy. By the time she straightened, the door had already shut behind him. Which left her alone to think of the man. To analyze—
“Miss Smithson? It’s time.”
“Seelye. I didn’t even hear you open the door.”
“Silence is highly prized in a good butler,” he returned.
In more ways than one, she should think. She wondered if he had seen Mr. Rausch as he ducked back to the ballroom. And if he had, would he tell anyone that she’d been alone and unchaperoned with him?
“Don’t be nervous, Miss Smithson. Lady Eleanor knows just what she’s about.”
She had no doubt about Eleanor. It was her own performance tonight that she worried about. But she didn’t allow that to show on her face. Instead, she lifted her chin.
“Well then, Seelye. I suppose it’s time I made a spectacle of myself.”
The butler gave her a rare smile before holding up her dark green cloak with the stylized antennae on the hood. The plan was to pull it off at the top of the stairs, thereby revealing her in all her feathered glory.
Just as she stepped into concealing garment, she heard Seelye speak.