The Hawk and the Dove by Virginia Henley Page B

a secluded alcove, and as he looked down at her she realized his grin and his intent were wicked!
    Hawk was delighted to discover that the temptress’s eyes were like pale green pools. He’d lain awake hours picturing their color. His own, a shade of deep indigo, raked her now as he pictured again the nubile curves she offered beneath the gown. His eyes were playing with herbody, and she realized that in another moment it would be more than his eyes. He lifted her high against him and took her mouth in a teasing kiss. Power and forcefulness emanated from him. He had enough muscle to make her feel completely dominated. She opened her lips to deny him, but his mouth came down hard on hers, silencing her objections with a fierce, devouring kiss. Hot waves of sensation were sweeping through her body. Quickly she pulled her mouth from his, and as she did so she noticed the tip of his tongue. My God, she thought wildly, would he put his wicked tongue in her mouth?
    Her hand swept back and the stinging slap startled him momentarily. It was the last thing he was expecting. He lowered her feet to the ground and with narrowed eyes demanded, “What game is this you play, mistress?”
    “You lecher….” Her breasts heaved with her outrage. “You—you … ravisher of virgins!”
    He laughed, genuinely amused at the quaint phrase. “Virgin? I think not, sweeting. You invite me to take you to an alcove by pretending to be lost, then tease me with slaps and deny me what you were just begging for.”
    “Pretending … oh, you damned rake … to take advantage of my innocence,” she stammered.
    “Innocence?” He laughed. “Any woman who has been at this court longer than twenty-four hours has lost her innocence.”
    Her eyes blazed their outrage. “I have been here exactly twenty-three hours—you have one hour left in which to debauch me!” she challenged, and suddenly he felt he was in the wrong. Her nearness had had the same throbbing physical effect upon him as the previous night. Usually he had an iron control over his body, and it irritated him that this little wench, with her flaming hair,could so easily make him lose that control. He bowed formally. “May I escort you, mistress?”
    “Go to hell!” she snapped, and turning upon her heel, she marched off as if she knew exactly where she was going.
    “Little bitch!” He swore under his breath. “Rebuffs me when I play the man, rebuffs me when I play the gentleman.” He stood staring after her. Was she an innocent or a practiced courtesan? Either way she needed a good bedding!
    Kate found Sabre lost in a trance, staring from the window of her chamber. “Wake up, sleeping beauty. I thought you’d been kidnapped.”
    “Aunt Kate, quickly, who is that man riding off on that black stallion?” She pointed her finger through the glass.
    “Ah, no wonder your senses have been addled. That’s the Sea God! All the women are hot as bitches in heat for him.”
    I wouldn’t spit on him if he was on fire,
thought Sabre vulgarly, but she knew she was lying through her teeth.
    “Come, dear, if we can get a few dozen gowns finished this afternoon, we can start cleaning her jewelry tomorrow. You’ll take such delight in the jewels, Sabre. Any woman would sell her soul for them. Wait until I unlock some of her coffers. You did very well to get an invitation from Anne Leighton for tomorrow night. I hope you know how to play cards. She’ll have gambling to lure the men, don’t you see?”
    Sabre didn’t know how to play cards very well and thought about consulting Matthew. “Isn’t Lady Leighton married?”
    “Of course, both she and Mary Barow. Their husbands are off fighting in Holland with Leicester. But of course it wouldn’t make a scrap of difference if they were present tomorrow night. All husbands and wives at court learn to turn a blind eye where advantageous liaisons are concerned.” Kate gave her a sharp look. “You must keep a shrewd head on your shoulders