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She moved to stand in front of him He did not look down at her

“My lord, you are aware, I hope, that the 1774 Act for Regulating Madhouses included provisions to protect sane persons from i body composed of imbeciles and criminal lunatics could possibly find you non con every stupid paper those annoying men wave in your face in order to prove you are sane”

“I must prove it to Abonville,” he said stiffly “If he decides I’m mad, he’ll take you away”

She doubted the prospect was intolerable to hireed toreasons She doubted he’d developed a case of desperate infatuation during the last few hours

It was far more likely that he’d come to test her If she failed, he would believe it ise to let her go

Gwendolyn had been tested before, by certified lunatics, aed at present than she Nevertheless she did notthis trial would be easier—or less dangerous She had erous froaze upon her She was sure he fully understood its co effect and kne to use it

Her suspicions were confiraze lowered to hers “What’s left of my reason tells me you represent an infernal complication, Miss Adams, and I should be better off rid of you The voice of reason, however, is not the only one I hear—and rarely the one I heed,” he added darkly

His gaze drifted downlingered at her mouththen slid doard to her bodice

Beneath layers of silk and undergarments, her flesh prickled under the slow perusal, and the sensations spread outward until her fingers and toes tingled

He was trying to make her uneasy

He was doing a splendid job

But he faced madness and death, she reminded herself, next to which her own anxieties could not possibly signify

By the tiolden stare returned to her face, Gwendolyn had collected at least a portion of her composure

“I am not sure you have identified the correct voice as reason’s,” she said “I ah, that if Abonville tries to take ood deal of trouble to get ready for the wedding My head is stuck full of pins and ht it is a wonder my lips haven’t turned blue It took her a full hour to tie and hookto get out of it”

“I can get you out of that gown in a minute,” he said too quietly “And 1 shall be happy to relieve you of your painful stays It would be better for you not to put such ideas into my head”

As though they weren’t already there, she thought As though he hadn’t warned her: he hadn’t had a woman in a year

Though she kneas testing her maidenly fortitude, his low voice set her nerves aquiver

He was taller than she And heavier And stronger

A part of her wanted to bolt

But he was not on the brink of a violent lunatic fit, she scolded herself He was feigning, to test her, and allowing him to intimidate her was no way to win his trust

“I do not see why it would be better,” she said “I do not want you to be indifferent to me”

“It would be better for you if I were”

He had noteyes exerted a suffocating pressure

Gwendolyn re obstacles in her path practically since the day she was born and had confronted her repeatedly with hten her

That was sufficient practice for dealing with him

“I know I am an infernal complication,” she said “I realize you feel put upon, and I do understand your resentainst your better judght side A lack of such urges would indicate a failure of health and strength”

She caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes in the instant before he masked it

“You ought to look upon your anin,” she persisted “You are not as far gone as you thought you were”

“On the contrary,” he said “I find ined”