soothe her and pull her down onto the
tile floor and make passionate love to her.
Before he could deal with the conflicting
emotions, she was slipping out of reach
and thrusting a small piece of paper into
his hand.
What's this?" he asked, frowning at
the elegant writing on the paper." A
gaming hell? A brothel? A race meeting?
A gentlemen's club?"
Those are the first items on my list,"
she informed him.
What list?" Then it hit him. He had
seriously under-estimated his opponent, a
mistake he rarely made.
Bloody hell. You expect me to take you
to a gaming hell and a brothel? Good God,
Vicky, be reasonable. A nighttime visit to a
fair or the dark walks of Vauxhall Gardens
is one thing. It is quite another matter to
sneak you into a brothel or take you to a
gaming hell. You cannot be serious."
You are wrong, my lord. I am very
serious," Victoria said, unyielding.
He looked at her and saw that she was.
Damn it, Vicky. This wasn't quite what I
had in mind."
Victoria dismissed the protest." Thursday
night would be an excellent time for our
next adventure. I will no doubt see you
at the Kinsleys" ball earlier in the evening
and we can make our final plans. In the
meantime"
Cleo Nettleship's voice broke into Vic
toria's instructions." Vicky, dear, are you
still out there? Don't get too carried away
or you will bore Lord stone vale. Not
everyone enjoys an extended tour of the
conservatory, you know."
Lucas turned to see Lady Nettleship
standing in the doorway, beaming at him.
I assure you, madam, I have never been
less bored in my life."
One rarely is around Victoria."
Lucas glanced at Victoria's satisfied
expression and then be looked once more
at the yellow-gold bloom he had been
examining earlier." Before we leave the
conservatory. Miss Huntington, I would
appreciate it if you would tell me the
name of this strange plant."
Strelitzia reginae. Everyone was thrilled
when the first one flowered at Kew. Aunt
Cleo and I were very fortunate to have
this one bloom, too. Magnificent, isn't it?"
Victoria said excitedly.
Lucas looked at her. She was glowing
with life in her yellow-gold gown. Her
amber eyes were brilliant." Yes," he said.
Magnificent."
One week later Victoria put on her
new yellow-trimmed brown riding habit,
adjusted the dashing little military-style hat
with its yellow feather at a rakish angle over
one eye, and called for her favorite horse
and groom. It was five o'clock and nearly
everyone would be riding in the park.
Everyone today had better include the
Earl of stone vale. Last night, during
the five minutes she'd had with him
at the Bannerbrook rout, Victoria had
given him very strict instructions to put
in an appearance. She had a few things
to say to him.
The problem in dealing with Lucas,
Victoria had discovered, was that although
he appeared unfailingly obedient when it
came to receiving her instructions, he had
a nasty habit of carrying them out in his
own way. Enough was enough.
Cleo was crossing the hall into the library
when Victoria came down the stairs. She
peered at her niece in mild astonishment.
Going riding this afternoon, my dear?"
Yes, I am. I feel in need of a little
exercise." Victoria paused briefly to kiss
Cleo's cheek before hurrying toward the
door." Don't worry, I shall be home in
plenty of time to dress for Grimshaw's little
lecture on recent agricultural improvements
in Yorkshire."
Excellent." Cleo smiled benignly." I am
quite looking forward to it and so is
Lucas."
Victoria halted on the threshold and
whirled around." I beg your pardon?"
I merely said I was quite looking forward
to Grimshaw's lecture."
You said Lucas was looking forward
to it."
Oh, yes, I did, didn't I? And so he is.
Told me so himself Well, it's only natural
he'd be interested, isn't it? His estates are,
after all, somewhere in Yorkshire, I believe.
I invited him on Wednesday
tile floor and make passionate love to her.
Before he could deal with the conflicting
emotions, she was slipping out of reach
and thrusting a small piece of paper into
his hand.
What's this?" he asked, frowning at
the elegant writing on the paper." A
gaming hell? A brothel? A race meeting?
A gentlemen's club?"
Those are the first items on my list,"
she informed him.
What list?" Then it hit him. He had
seriously under-estimated his opponent, a
mistake he rarely made.
Bloody hell. You expect me to take you
to a gaming hell and a brothel? Good God,
Vicky, be reasonable. A nighttime visit to a
fair or the dark walks of Vauxhall Gardens
is one thing. It is quite another matter to
sneak you into a brothel or take you to a
gaming hell. You cannot be serious."
You are wrong, my lord. I am very
serious," Victoria said, unyielding.
He looked at her and saw that she was.
Damn it, Vicky. This wasn't quite what I
had in mind."
Victoria dismissed the protest." Thursday
night would be an excellent time for our
next adventure. I will no doubt see you
at the Kinsleys" ball earlier in the evening
and we can make our final plans. In the
meantime"
Cleo Nettleship's voice broke into Vic
toria's instructions." Vicky, dear, are you
still out there? Don't get too carried away
or you will bore Lord stone vale. Not
everyone enjoys an extended tour of the
conservatory, you know."
Lucas turned to see Lady Nettleship
standing in the doorway, beaming at him.
I assure you, madam, I have never been
less bored in my life."
One rarely is around Victoria."
Lucas glanced at Victoria's satisfied
expression and then be looked once more
at the yellow-gold bloom he had been
examining earlier." Before we leave the
conservatory. Miss Huntington, I would
appreciate it if you would tell me the
name of this strange plant."
Strelitzia reginae. Everyone was thrilled
when the first one flowered at Kew. Aunt
Cleo and I were very fortunate to have
this one bloom, too. Magnificent, isn't it?"
Victoria said excitedly.
Lucas looked at her. She was glowing
with life in her yellow-gold gown. Her
amber eyes were brilliant." Yes," he said.
Magnificent."
One week later Victoria put on her
new yellow-trimmed brown riding habit,
adjusted the dashing little military-style hat
with its yellow feather at a rakish angle over
one eye, and called for her favorite horse
and groom. It was five o'clock and nearly
everyone would be riding in the park.
Everyone today had better include the
Earl of stone vale. Last night, during
the five minutes she'd had with him
at the Bannerbrook rout, Victoria had
given him very strict instructions to put
in an appearance. She had a few things
to say to him.
The problem in dealing with Lucas,
Victoria had discovered, was that although
he appeared unfailingly obedient when it
came to receiving her instructions, he had
a nasty habit of carrying them out in his
own way. Enough was enough.
Cleo was crossing the hall into the library
when Victoria came down the stairs. She
peered at her niece in mild astonishment.
Going riding this afternoon, my dear?"
Yes, I am. I feel in need of a little
exercise." Victoria paused briefly to kiss
Cleo's cheek before hurrying toward the
door." Don't worry, I shall be home in
plenty of time to dress for Grimshaw's little
lecture on recent agricultural improvements
in Yorkshire."
Excellent." Cleo smiled benignly." I am
quite looking forward to it and so is
Lucas."
Victoria halted on the threshold and
whirled around." I beg your pardon?"
I merely said I was quite looking forward
to Grimshaw's lecture."
You said Lucas was looking forward
to it."
Oh, yes, I did, didn't I? And so he is.
Told me so himself Well, it's only natural
he'd be interested, isn't it? His estates are,
after all, somewhere in Yorkshire, I believe.
I invited him on Wednesday
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