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and looked at him. Slowly, her eyes widened.
    He stopped in front of her and bowed. “Good evening. Miss Baldwin, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
    “Uh…um…well…” she stammered.
    Her mother bumped an elbow into her daughter’s side and smiled wide. “My daughter would be delighted, my lord.”
    He passed Miss Baldwin a charming smile, then said to the older woman, “My dear Baroness, the delight would be all mine.”
    The older woman giggled and fanned her face. Just then the music stopped and couples left the center of the dance floor.
    Tristan offered a hand to Miss Baldwin. “Shall we?”
    Hesitantly, she slipped her white-gloved fingers across his palm. Heat from her touch jolted through him, and he caught a quick breath. She must have felt it as well because her gaze bounced up and met his. Her cheeks bloomed with color.
    He turned and led her to the middle of the floor, and on his way, took a peek at Jane and her friends. All stood staring at him with wide eyes of unbelief. He should snub them as they were snubbing Miss Baldwin, but he wanted them to see how he preferred to be with Miss Baldwin instead of them.
    A heavenly aroma of flowers attacked his senses. He inhaled deeper. Lilacs. Not only did Diana’s beauty take his breath away, her fragrance made him want to bury his nose in her neck and never leave.
    The dance began and as they moved together in unison, her eyes stayed on him. She didn’t look upon him as most women did. In fact, the way she studied him caused him to worry that something wasn’t right. Was there food on his teeth? Perhaps he’d not used his linen napkin properly during the meal and food was on his face instead.
    He gave her a charming smile. “Miss Baldwin, I wish you’d cease looking at me as if I have grown two heads.”
    That seemed to break the spell because she blinked and chuckled, appearing more relaxed.
    “Forgive me, my lord. I didn’t mean to stare so openly. Pray, don’t think I am rude.”
    “I know you are not. But I’m curious to know why you act the way you do sometimes.”
    “Pardon?”
    He chuckled. “Well, I must say you are a peculiar woman, but only in a good way, I assure you.”
    “Why do you think I’m peculiar?”
    “Because one moment you are shy and innocent, and the next moment your gaze devours me while you blow kisses my way.”
    She stumbled but quickly righted herself. Panic crossed her expression for a brief moment. “Pray, my lord, what are you referring to? I promise you I have never devoured you with my gaze or blown kisses to you.”
    “Indeed, you say? Then tell me what is this gesture ?” He puckered his lips, demonstrating what she had been doing to him this afternoon. “While you were sitting by the tree earlier today, you were doing this to me. Is that not blowing kisses?”
    “Oh dear,” she mumbled and closed her eyes for a brief moment as the shade of her face went scarlet.
    “Tell me, Miss Baldwin, if I was mistaken.”
    She nodded and moisture gathered in her green eyes. “You are, my lord. I fear I wasn’t blowing kisses to you, but trying to blow away the bee buzzing around my head.”
    Embarrassment swept over him, yet he knew she felt the same—if not worse—for his mistake. “Forgive me, then. I honestly thought…” He paused, not really knowing the words to say. Yet the more he thought about what she’d really done, and what he’d thought she was doing, the funnier it became. Soon a chuckle bubbled in his throat, and within seconds, she laughed with him.
    “It is rather humorous, is it not?” she said. “In my attempt to make the bee go away without stinging me, I led you to believe I was being forward.”
    He threw back his head and laughed heartily, which eased the tension in their conversation considerably. When he looked back at her, she smiled with a gleam in her adorable eyes.
    Tristan enjoyed her looking at him in this way. As with other young ladies, she didn’t act as