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He laughed and then grew serious, but Felicia was already going to hiers and aze as she said, “What is it, sir? Surely not because I was late?”

“Why were you late?” he asked quietly

“James took me first just around the square, but said, if ere in the park, he would let o, and of course I si reins, you see …”

In spite of his irritation, the duke laughed “Of course you did”

“We did go to the park, and it was glorious His four are exquisite to look at and absolutely wondrous to drive At any rate, on our way back …” Sheup into his eyes “We hit a great deal of traffic, and that slowed us”

“You were unchaperoned,” he said gruffly

“His tiger ith us the entire time,” she answered, now nearly in his arms

“I don’t call that a proper chaperone,” he answered

“You and I are always alone,” she answered, and now she pressed herself up against him

His hand went to her waist in spite of his deteruardian”

“Ah, so you are,” she answered and moved her hands slowly up his chest

It took everything he had to take her hands and set her apart All he wanted to do was scoop her up, carry her to her bedrooe her He was a cad, he told hihts away

“I repeat, I a more”

Had he slapped her, he couldn’t have wounded her quite so thoroughly She dropped her gaze from his

Her heart quivered with pain His words echoed in her brain, and she couldn’t hear anything else All hopes were shattered She had been a stupid fool to think he would ever love her