Page 41 (1/2)

As she grew unbearably hot with her thoughts, she wished they hadn’t put a warlass, she welcoainst her skin She didn’t want to arrive with her cheeks flushed All of a sudden she didn’t want to arrive at all What if she no longer had the strength to resist him?

But it was too late The coach ca to take her in through the front, not usher her in through the servants’ door as though her arrival was to be kept secret Did this action mean that he held respect for her? Or did he care so little for her reputation that he didn’t care who saw her coht?

The coach door clicked open and the foot up her resolve, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her out of the coach

After the footman opened the door, Frannie preceded hi her arrival He bowed slightly "Miss Darling, His Grace is waiting for you in the library If you’ll be so good as to follow me?"

Surprised by the nuht, she nodded and followed him down the wide hallway A footman opened the door to the library Inside the ht her attention, and there he was Greystone

For the span of a heartbeat, as she crossed over to hiht she saw pleasure in his face at her arrival, but it quickly vanished She indulged in the luxury of feasting her eyes on him She’d never seen him absent a waistcoat and jacket His shoulders were broad, even without the outer layers of clothing She re them in the throes of passion, hoerful they had felt beneath her fingers His er, and she felt a sudden burst of jealousy hoping that his fingers--and not a lady’s--were responsible for the dishevelment

"Would you care for some refreshment?" he asked, so damned formally that her heart lurched Was this the man who had sed her cries of pleasure?

"I don’t believe so Thank you" She wasn’t opposed to spirits, had drunk with the lads many a time, but she wanted to keep her head about her for this encounter So between them had shifted, and not in the direction she’d hoped "Your et to that in a moment Please, sit down" He indicated two chairs near theThey were no doubt safer than a sofa, but in all honesty, she was no longer certain she wanted safe She took the one farthest from him He promptly sat in the one left vacant

"How have you been? I’ since you arrived so quickly, they found you at Dodger’s"

With the flatness of his tone, they ht to sound just as disaffected by his nearness "Yes, I orking on the books I usually go to the orphanage during the day I have staff there at all hours" Why was she ra about inconsequential matters when more ier’s of late"

"I thought it best to stay away"

She almost asked him hy nohen he hadn’t before The ease that had existed between theer there, had been replaced with stiff politeness "I received your flowers"