Sherbrooke Twins

“Only a very stupid person would disagree, my lord.”

“And this is my uncle, Lord Montague.” Corrie tried not to giggle as she watched Uncle Simon take Miss McCrae’s hand, and give her his full attention for perhaps three seconds, just long enough for Judith to fully realize that although he might be a bit on the older side, he was still a pleasurable eyeful for the ladies.

Judith appeared to have more abilities with regard to gentlemen than Corrie did. Her dimples deepened, she looked up at Uncle Simon through lashes that looked thicker than Juliette’s, and said, “I understand that you are an expert in the identification and preservation of all sorts of leaves, my lord. I found one in the park last Tuesday morning that I was unable to identify. Perhaps-”

“A leaf? You found an unknown leaf, Miss McCrae? In the park? Why, so did I. What an amazing coincidence. Please bring it over and we will compare leaves.” He beamed down at Miss McCrae, seated himself, and said to Corrie, “It appears I am in luck. Your aunt is out shopping and Cook has prepared”-his voice dropped dramatically-“Twyley Grange ci

“I have always practiced eating only one slice, sir. Two would make my cheeks fat. It has always been so.”

“Excellent.” Simon rubbed his hands together and yelled, “Tamerlane! Bring in the ci

Judith shot Corrie a look, demurely seated herself, and waited for the ci

When Tamerlane, with great ceremony, whisked off the silver dome from the small platter, the smell of ci

Tamerlane a

“How the devil would you know that, Tamerlane? Cook said she made a loaf of only six slices. Was there another slice and you filched it? Stuffed it down your own gullet? Actually robbed me of a seventh?”

“No, my lord, it was a measly extra piece that didn’t fit nicely into the glorious loaf that Cook fashioned. She allowed me to eat it, to ensure that it would be to your exacting standards.” Tamerlane beamed and passed the platter first to Miss McCrae. Judith grabbed a slice and had it in her mouth so quickly it set her nose to quivering. She chewed, eyes closed in bliss, before Uncle Simon could grab his slice off the platter, which he did soon enough.

Corrie was laughing so hard she was having trouble breathing. It gave Judith time to snag a second slice right off the plate beneath Uncle Simon’s nose, back quickly away from him since he looked ready to grab it out of her hand, and say, her mouth full, “I don’t think you’re too thin at all, Corrie. Indeed, I was thinking that perhaps your face was a little on the plump side and you could cut yourself down to one slice-oh goodness, this is the best ci

Simon said, “You’ve already eaten two slices, and to the best of my knowledge, you weren’t even invited here this morning, you simply arrived. You probably smelled them cooking and hied yourself over, your mouth open. You’ve had quite enough.” He was talking around his second slice, the platter balanced now on his knee, his other hand covering it.

James walked into the drawing room to see Corrie nearly blue, she was trying so hard to stop laughing. Then he smelled the bread and heard his taste buds sing hallelujah. The famous Twyley Grange ci

“Ah, James, is that you?” Simon asked, and quickly slid the platter, now holding only two slices, behind his back. “You’re looking quite well again, my boy. Not at all thin.”

“Yes, sir, I am nearly fit again, and quite on the plump side,” but his watering mouth wanted one of those slices, desperately. He forced himself to turn to the young lady who was trying to see that platter. James knew this was Miss McCrae, the young lady who’d managed to snag Jason’s attention a second time-which was amazing-and then even a third time, something no girl had managed before. She was licking her fingers now, humming with pleasure. James, who knew all about the immense power of the Twyley Grange ci

Corrie jumped to her feet, one eye on her uncle and the other on Judith McCrae, who was rising slowly, staring at James.

Uncle Simon swallowed and-it seemed like magic-another slice of bread seemed to appear in his hand and was fast moving toward his open mouth. “Take her,” Simon said, and bit down, nearly shuddering with delight. “Now. Before she tries to nab the last slice.”

“This is quite remarkable,” Judith said, her head cocked to one side, thick black curls nearly hitting her shoulder. “I’ve been told that you and Jason are quite identical, but here, up close, I don’t think you look a thing like your brother.”

“I myself have been told that,” James said. He took her hand, looked into those dark eyes of hers, and said, “You are Miss Judith McCrae, and I am James Sherbrooke. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Thank you,” Judith said. “I am pleasured as well.” She stared up into those incredible violet eyes. “Perhaps Jason is a bit taller than you are, my lord, and now that I am standing only three feet from you, I do believe Jason’s eyes are more violet than yours.”

“That is ridiculous, Judith,” Corrie shouted. “James has the most beautiful violet eyes in all of England, everyone has remarked upon that, and since Jason is said to be his exact twin, then how could you possibly believe that his eyes were more violet?”

“I suppose,” Judith said slowly, never looking away from James’s face, “that I could be wrong about the eyes. But Jason is taller, no doubt about that at all. And perhaps he is also broader in the shoulders.”

James burst into laughter. Corrie whirled around to frown at him. As for Miss McCrae, James knew that she was trying to keep a straight face.

But Corrie, still hooked on Miss McCrae’s line, leapt at that. “Broader in the shoulders? That is absurd, ridiculous! Even though James has been quite ill-nearly dead he was so ill-even so, his shoulders remained exactly the same, and that means he’s perfect. Look at him-I’ve never seen more perfect breadth in the shoulders in all my life! The idea that Jason’s-”

“Corrie,” James said, reaching out to touch her arm, “thank you for defending me, the obviously inferior twin. Now, Miss McCrae has nearly pulled your leg clean off. Let go of the bait now, Corrie.”

“But, she-”

“Let go.”

Corrie stared from Judith to James, reviewed Judith’s outrageous comments, her own responses, and felt like the village idiot. She said, looking down at her slippers, her voice soft, a bit sad, “I fear you might be right, Judith. I have been thinking, actually for some time now, that perhaps it is Jason I prefer, not James here, with his meager shoulders.”