Kissing Cousins by Joan Smith

Edward had been rather curt and said, “ You ’ ve been very helpful, Jonathon. Perhaps we ’ ll meet again sometime. If I ’ m ever in trouble in this part of the country, I shall know whom to call on. ”
    “ Your humble servant, Miss Oakleigh. ”
    He bowed, then spoiled the handsome gesture with a broad wink, and left.
    “ Definitely an original, ” Samantha said.
    Salverton picked up the paper holding the directions to Sir Geoffrey ’ s house in Tunbridge Wells and glanced at it.
    “ Just this side of Rusthall Common, half a mile north of town, ” he said. “ Sir Geoffrey calls this cottage The Laurels as well. I wonder how many of these Laurels he has scattered about the countryside. ” He slipped the paper into his pocket. “ Shall we go now? ”
    Samantha picked up her reticule. As Salverton helped her on with her pelisse, a light, flowery scent assailed his nostrils. A pleasant smell, calling to mind wild flowers and meadows — fresh and wholesome. Lady Louise used nothing but French perfume with a heavy, musky scent.
    Salverton was relieved to get into his own well-sprung carriage, and especially he was happy to have seen the back of Jonathon Sykes. As they bowled along toward London, he settled in for a friendly chat with Samantha. He decided he should, after all, apologize for barging into her room that morning.
    “ When I didn ’ t hear a sound, ” he explained, “ I took the notion you had gone tearing off with Sykes again. I ’ m sorry I caught you en déshabille. ”
    She gave him a pert look. “ Are you, Edward? I took the notion you were far from unhappy. ”
    He didn ’ t blush, but he looked disconcerted. “ I didn ’ t say I didn ’ t enjoy it. Merely I am sorry if I discommoded you. ”
    “ You didn ’ t. I wasn ’ t exactly naked, after all. ”
    A small but reckless smile curved his lips. “ Not quite, ” he murmured as a memory of that diaphanous nightgown wafted through his mind.
    A spontaneous bubble of laughter erupted from her ripe lips. “ I think you ought to get yourself another Esmée, Edward. If you leer at the other ladies the way you leered at me, your fianc é e will be disgusted with you. ”
    “ Leer! I didn ’ t leer! Any man would take a second look at such a — Well, you ain ’ t exactly an antidote, Samantha. ”
    “ Why, thank you, Edward. Are you always so effulgent in your compliments to the ladies? ”
    “ What sort of compliments do your other — your beaus offer? ”
    “ Oh, I shan ’ t tell you. It would smack of conceit to say Mr. Abercrombie called me an Incomparable, and Sir Lawrence Chiswick said I was the finest-looking filly that ever walked on two legs. ”
    His lips twitched. “ High praise indeed. I see I must step up my flattery if I hope to get anywhere with you. ”
    “ I think you mean with Lady Louise, ” she said demurely.
    “ Is that what I mean? ” he murmured.
    “ Edward! ” She pinned him with a sapient eye. “ Are you trying to flirt with me? ”
    “ So it seems. Am I so out of practice that you didn ’ t even recognize it? ”
    She gave the matter a moment ’ s consideration. “ Well, it did sound rather like flirtation, but when I considered the source, I thought perhaps you were being satirical. I ’ m sure you ’ ll do better when you ’ re with someone other than your cousin. ”
    Samantha felt she had dropped Edward the hint that he was ignoring his body ’ s needs and suggested they play bury all your horses to pass the time.
    “ I haven ’ t played that since I was in short coats. A white horse counts for two points, if memory serves, and any other color for one. ”
    “ A white horse is three points — and the other player must bury all his horses and begin counting over again. Whoever gets a hundred horses first wins. ”
    “ What ’ s the prize? ” he asked. His glinting smile still held a touch of flirtation.
    “ We shall play for pennies. ” He lowered his brow at her. “ Or do you