fires of passion and wild, wanton sensations again began to flare within. A touch, a kiss, a look, and he could rouse her. What madness.
‘Your heart beats much too quickly for you to claim disinterest, Miss Lisette Napier.’
Her lips trembled as he claimed them fiercely with his own. For a long moment his hungering mouth searched the sweetness of hers. Then she pulled back. ‘Please let me go,’ she said, her soft lips still throbbing from the demand of his. ‘I have been away long enough. I must go back. Miss Araminta might have need of me,’ she announced abruptly, embarrassed by her own musings.
Gleaming whiteness flashed as Ross grinned down at her. He took her hand in his and looked deep into her eyes. His skin was warm to the touch and somehow reassuring. But he seemed too much of a man, too knowing and strong, too able to bend her to his will. She was dizzy with conflicting emotions and the turmoil made her momentarily speechless. She wanted to tell him to go away, and at the same time wanted him to lean closer and kiss her again.
Ross smiled and for a moment looked wickedly mischievous. ‘I believe there is a danger of you stealing my heart, Miss Napier. If you do I pray you will be gentle with it.’ He kissed both her hands and then released them.
Something in their exchange pulled Lisette back from the brink of dangerous recklessness, and she remembered the deference due to the man before her. No matter how much he desired her, she was his servant. She depended on him for almost everything, and he had indeed been generous to her.
‘Colonel Montague, I—I beg you not to do this. You have been good to me. I...am in your debt. But I am maid to your sister. I can never be more to you than that.’
Her speech was halting. His eyes held hers as he said, ‘We shall see. I find what is called fate often has the workings of most worldly hands. Sometimes a whim or a fancy, a base desire, can deny the best-laid plans.’
Ross did not try to detain her further. When she turned away he followed along in her wake, appreciatively watching her hips as they swayed with a natural graceful provocativeness. She turned languidly and looked back, smiling to herself when she saw how he strode after her with that slowly deliberate saunter that reminded her so much of a hunting animal.
It wasn’t until she got back to the inn and went to the ladies’ room to put on her stockings that she realised she had lost herself and all sense of propriety. She was quite horrified by her behaviour. Colonel Montague would think her forward and impertinent. Shame swept over her like a fever, washing her face in colour. He was her employer and she must see that nothing like that happened again.
After that, whenever she saw him ride by or join them in the coach she could hardly bring herself to look at him, knowing that if she did she would begin to tremble. He had a particular gift. He possessed a unique ability to compel and captivate with his words, and this, combined with his handsome features, meant there was no woman he could not persuade.
Over the following days that episode would stay with her. She did what was expected of her and tried to smother those feelings to which her heart had succumbed. But her pulse would leap at the sight of him or the mention of his name, and she could not quench the forbidden spark that smouldered in her heart.
* * *
Accompanied by Blackstock, Ross felt an odd sensation of unreality as he rode through the wrought iron gates of Castonbury Park.
The drive wound through the neatly tended deer park to the upper lake. Here a beautiful cascade spanned by a three-arched bridge separated the upper and middle lakes, the bridge providing a splendid view of the grand and impressive sprawling mansion with its Palladian central facade embellished with Georgian lavishness, the immense stone steps rising on either side to the marble hall behind the portico. Linked by curved corridors, at each end of this
‘Your heart beats much too quickly for you to claim disinterest, Miss Lisette Napier.’
Her lips trembled as he claimed them fiercely with his own. For a long moment his hungering mouth searched the sweetness of hers. Then she pulled back. ‘Please let me go,’ she said, her soft lips still throbbing from the demand of his. ‘I have been away long enough. I must go back. Miss Araminta might have need of me,’ she announced abruptly, embarrassed by her own musings.
Gleaming whiteness flashed as Ross grinned down at her. He took her hand in his and looked deep into her eyes. His skin was warm to the touch and somehow reassuring. But he seemed too much of a man, too knowing and strong, too able to bend her to his will. She was dizzy with conflicting emotions and the turmoil made her momentarily speechless. She wanted to tell him to go away, and at the same time wanted him to lean closer and kiss her again.
Ross smiled and for a moment looked wickedly mischievous. ‘I believe there is a danger of you stealing my heart, Miss Napier. If you do I pray you will be gentle with it.’ He kissed both her hands and then released them.
Something in their exchange pulled Lisette back from the brink of dangerous recklessness, and she remembered the deference due to the man before her. No matter how much he desired her, she was his servant. She depended on him for almost everything, and he had indeed been generous to her.
‘Colonel Montague, I—I beg you not to do this. You have been good to me. I...am in your debt. But I am maid to your sister. I can never be more to you than that.’
Her speech was halting. His eyes held hers as he said, ‘We shall see. I find what is called fate often has the workings of most worldly hands. Sometimes a whim or a fancy, a base desire, can deny the best-laid plans.’
Ross did not try to detain her further. When she turned away he followed along in her wake, appreciatively watching her hips as they swayed with a natural graceful provocativeness. She turned languidly and looked back, smiling to herself when she saw how he strode after her with that slowly deliberate saunter that reminded her so much of a hunting animal.
It wasn’t until she got back to the inn and went to the ladies’ room to put on her stockings that she realised she had lost herself and all sense of propriety. She was quite horrified by her behaviour. Colonel Montague would think her forward and impertinent. Shame swept over her like a fever, washing her face in colour. He was her employer and she must see that nothing like that happened again.
After that, whenever she saw him ride by or join them in the coach she could hardly bring herself to look at him, knowing that if she did she would begin to tremble. He had a particular gift. He possessed a unique ability to compel and captivate with his words, and this, combined with his handsome features, meant there was no woman he could not persuade.
Over the following days that episode would stay with her. She did what was expected of her and tried to smother those feelings to which her heart had succumbed. But her pulse would leap at the sight of him or the mention of his name, and she could not quench the forbidden spark that smouldered in her heart.
* * *
Accompanied by Blackstock, Ross felt an odd sensation of unreality as he rode through the wrought iron gates of Castonbury Park.
The drive wound through the neatly tended deer park to the upper lake. Here a beautiful cascade spanned by a three-arched bridge separated the upper and middle lakes, the bridge providing a splendid view of the grand and impressive sprawling mansion with its Palladian central facade embellished with Georgian lavishness, the immense stone steps rising on either side to the marble hall behind the portico. Linked by curved corridors, at each end of this
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