Affair by Amanda Quick
Authors: Amanda Quick
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Detective and Mystery Stories, Mystery Fiction, Love Stories, Large Type Books, London (England)
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comprehend matters entirely until I was much older. But even then I understood that you had dealt with a very dangerous situation. And I saw the expression in your eyes afterward. It was not the same look I saw there last night." "I'm sorry. I did not mean for you to ever' learn just how evil Winterbourne was." "His companion was infinitely worse, was he not?"
Charlotte shuddered at the memory. "He was a monster. But that was a long time ago, Ariel. And we both came through it safely. "
I IThe point is, I recall your demeanor on that night quite clearly. You were cold to the touch. Your eyes were stark."
Charlotte rubbed her temples. "I do not know what.to say. I was terrIfied. I do not recall anything else about my emotional state."
11 Last night you had a scare, too. But you were not cold. Your ,yes were anything but bleak. Indeed, you were excited and ani- ,ated and almost exuberant." "Get to the point, Ariel." "The point is, I believe that Mr. St. Ives kissed you." Charlotte groaned and threw up her hands. "Very well, he kissed
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Amanda Quick
me. We were both overwrought and somewhat overstimulated by the night's events. Danger sometimes has that effect on the sen4,,,,, you know." "It does?"
"Yes," Charlotte said very firmly. "The poets are always writing about the problem. Even the senses of a person who is cool
clearheaded and not inclined toward strong passions can be civercome by a thrilling experience." "Even a person such as Mr. St. Ives?"
"Actually, I was referring to myself." Charlotte smiled ruefully. "Mr. St. Ives is cool and clearheaded also, of course, but it is obvioUs that he must employ a fine degree of self-discipline in order to
achieve that serene state."
Ariet's tips parted in astonishment. "I beg your pardon?" "Underneath that stern, steady exterior, be is a man of dangerously strong passions." "Strong Passions? Mr. St. Ives?" "I know that I expressed some concerns in the beginning but I no longer believe his temperament will present any great difficulties for us," Charlotte said with a false heartiness. "I am convinced lie
will do very well in his position." "I'm glad you're satisfied, but I'm beginning to have a few
qualms. Charlotte, if Mr. St. Ives has kissed you, things have taken on a whole new aspect. How much do you really know about him @ " "What do you mean?" Charlotte gave her a searching look. "Mr. Marcte sent a glowing letter of reference." "Yes, but we have not done any research on St. Ives ourselves.
We have not even made the sort of inquiries that we would have
made if we were examining him on behalf of a client."
"Don't be ridiculous. My instincts are perfectly sound In Such
matters. You know that."
"My instincts are very sound, too. And I'm beginning to wonder
about St. Ives."
"There is absolutely no need to be concerned."
77
"Charlotte, you allowed him to kiss you." "Well, wl,.,,t of it?" Charlotte clasped her hands together on her
desk. "it was werely a kiss."
"You are riot given to entertaining yourself with gentlemen's kisses," Ariel retorted.
Charlotte knew she could not argue with that observation. Her mother's experience with Lord Winterbourne and a career spent looking into the murky pasts of several callous gentlemen with so-called honorable intentions had left her with few illusions
about men.
That did not mean that she did not have a few lingering roman-
tic inclinations and the perfectly natural curiosity of a healthy young woman. Her memories of her parents' marriage were good ones, after all, and there were times when she would have given a
great deal to know the same kind of intimate happiness her mother had shared with her father.
But she was all too welt aware that the risks of marriage were
very great for a woman. She had no interest in the wedded state, which was )'List as well, given her age and circumstances, but she had toyed with the notion of a discreet affair.
Unfortunately, such things were easier to
Charlotte shuddered at the memory. "He was a monster. But that was a long time ago, Ariel. And we both came through it safely. "
I IThe point is, I recall your demeanor on that night quite clearly. You were cold to the touch. Your eyes were stark."
Charlotte rubbed her temples. "I do not know what.to say. I was terrIfied. I do not recall anything else about my emotional state."
11 Last night you had a scare, too. But you were not cold. Your ,yes were anything but bleak. Indeed, you were excited and ani- ,ated and almost exuberant." "Get to the point, Ariel." "The point is, I believe that Mr. St. Ives kissed you." Charlotte groaned and threw up her hands. "Very well, he kissed
76
__t!@
Amanda Quick
me. We were both overwrought and somewhat overstimulated by the night's events. Danger sometimes has that effect on the sen4,,,,, you know." "It does?"
"Yes," Charlotte said very firmly. "The poets are always writing about the problem. Even the senses of a person who is cool
clearheaded and not inclined toward strong passions can be civercome by a thrilling experience." "Even a person such as Mr. St. Ives?"
"Actually, I was referring to myself." Charlotte smiled ruefully. "Mr. St. Ives is cool and clearheaded also, of course, but it is obvioUs that he must employ a fine degree of self-discipline in order to
achieve that serene state."
Ariet's tips parted in astonishment. "I beg your pardon?" "Underneath that stern, steady exterior, be is a man of dangerously strong passions." "Strong Passions? Mr. St. Ives?" "I know that I expressed some concerns in the beginning but I no longer believe his temperament will present any great difficulties for us," Charlotte said with a false heartiness. "I am convinced lie
will do very well in his position." "I'm glad you're satisfied, but I'm beginning to have a few
qualms. Charlotte, if Mr. St. Ives has kissed you, things have taken on a whole new aspect. How much do you really know about him @ " "What do you mean?" Charlotte gave her a searching look. "Mr. Marcte sent a glowing letter of reference." "Yes, but we have not done any research on St. Ives ourselves.
We have not even made the sort of inquiries that we would have
made if we were examining him on behalf of a client."
"Don't be ridiculous. My instincts are perfectly sound In Such
matters. You know that."
"My instincts are very sound, too. And I'm beginning to wonder
about St. Ives."
"There is absolutely no need to be concerned."
77
"Charlotte, you allowed him to kiss you." "Well, wl,.,,t of it?" Charlotte clasped her hands together on her
desk. "it was werely a kiss."
"You are riot given to entertaining yourself with gentlemen's kisses," Ariel retorted.
Charlotte knew she could not argue with that observation. Her mother's experience with Lord Winterbourne and a career spent looking into the murky pasts of several callous gentlemen with so-called honorable intentions had left her with few illusions
about men.
That did not mean that she did not have a few lingering roman-
tic inclinations and the perfectly natural curiosity of a healthy young woman. Her memories of her parents' marriage were good ones, after all, and there were times when she would have given a
great deal to know the same kind of intimate happiness her mother had shared with her father.
But she was all too welt aware that the risks of marriage were
very great for a woman. She had no interest in the wedded state, which was )'List as well, given her age and circumstances, but she had toyed with the notion of a discreet affair.
Unfortunately, such things were easier to
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