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He opened his mouth, shut it, said finally: "I would never speak to another woe while betrothed to you"

"I didn’t know if you considered yourself betrothed After all, I simply announced the fact"

"Oh, I considered"In fact, I’m still betrothed"

"No, you’re not"

"Until you leave the balcony, and I leave the balcony"

She laughed, but sohter fade

"I’ less" With one movement, so swift that she didn’t even see it, he plucked her toay and dropped it to the ground She was so startled that she didn’t even squeak Didn’t try to cover herself or run for the door

Their eyes caught and he didn’t lower his "May I?" he asked

They weren’ttoher like the Pied Piper This was merely…

This was ht

She felt a surge of womanly power, a force as seductive as the shape of his body "You may look," she instructed "But youto h He’d chosen Lisette And soht that--well, to be truthful, it wasn’t a sht he was even more blind than Lisette was crazy, which was to say: coot And just like Gideon, he deserved to lose what he was about to lose So she stepped back and se

Of course, being Leopold, he surprised her His eyes moved so slowly

If he were naked, she wouldn’t even knohere to look first…Perhaps his chest She kneas hs felt when pressed against hers, hard and potent

Her ie, feel liquid and powerful She opened her legs slightly, not even glancing at the discarded towel, and leaned back against the balustrade

Leopold was inspecting her as slowly as if she were a sovereign he suspected of being copper rather than true gold She arched her back a little She liked the way her breasts curved, and her delicate pink nipples, and the way those nipples didn’t point doards, like soed but he was taking too long in his inspection, so she bent over to pick up the towel, taking her tiain The look in theht do so foolish It was time to leave

She blew hiroaned as if he was in pain

Good

She left

Chapter Nineteen

Knole House, country residence of the Duke of Gilner

June 19, 1784

The nextof the house, trailed by Oyster and a foot "How are you feeling?" Eleanor asked

"Tea!" Anne cried rapturously "You are my favorite of all sisters"

"You are thedoith her cup of tea

"Marie, will you come back in two minutes?" Anne asked her maid And then: "She told me about Ada I’ive me particular condolences"

"Yes, there is," her younger sister said, s ruefully "I’ve known you for years, after all I would guess that you stayed up half the night weeping into your pillow"