The Lady Gambles by Carole Mortimer

to tell him anything about herself other than her name—and he suspected even that was a fabrication!
    He gave a slight shake of his head as he straightened. ‘It would appear, Caro, because Butler and Jackson make no effort to hide their admiration of you, that you are under the misapprehension that every man you meet must necessarily be as smitten as they are,’ he drawled mockingly.
    Caro’s cheeks flushed a fiery red at the accusation. ‘Of course I am not—’
    ‘Perhaps that is as well.’ He looked down the length of his arrogant nose at her with those pale and glittering eyes. ‘I assure you, my own jaded tastes require a little more stimulation than the touch of a woman’s fingers—moreover, a woman with an eye for fashion that would surely make even a nun weep!’ That silver gaze raked over her critically.
    Caro had no idea why, but she felt that he was being deliberately harsh with her. Not that this green gown was not as unbecoming as the brown one she had worn the night before, because she knew that it was. But that had been the purpose in buying them, had it not? Besides, Dominic had not seemed to find her gown so awful when he’d made love to her earlier! ‘I chose my gowns to suit myself, my lord, and not you,’ she said calmly.
    ‘Your choices are deplorable.’ His top lip curled. ‘I will arrange for a dressmaker to visit you later today. Hopefully she will have some suitable day dresses already made that can easily be altered to fit you, but you will also need to choose some materials for an evening gown or two.’ He scowled. ‘If I must have you asa guest in my home for the next few days, then I can at least ensure you are a decorative one.’
    ‘I am your unwilling guest, remember?’
    Dominic shrugged. ‘Your reasons for being here are not important—what is far more pressing is not having the delicacy of my senses constantly offended by your drab appearance, even for the short time you will reside here!’ He was being deliberately cruel, he knew. Because he had not cared earlier, or even a few minutes ago, how unbecoming Caro’s gown was, or even who she might be; he had only been interested in the alluring curves of the silken body he knew lay beneath that gown.
    Those sea-green eyes sparkled up at him angrily now. ‘You are offensive, sir!’
    He looked completely unaffected by her annoyance. ‘If you choose to find the truth offensive, then who am I to argue?’ He turned to walk over to the door, coming to a halt halfway across the room as the garment he had thrown on the chair earlier drew his attention. ‘In view of your earlier reticence, it occurred to me that you might feel uncomfortable asking Simpson to find you something suitable in which to sleep, and so I brought you this.’ He indicated the white robe draped across the chair.
    The thought was a kind one, Caro acknowledged—the offhand method of bestowing that kindness was not! Any more than she appreciated having Dominic Vaughn arrange for a dressmaker to call on her here later today. ‘I cannot possibly—’ She broke off abruptly as she recalled this man’s scathing comment earlier when she’d stated what she could and could not allow.‘I am afraid, where my gowns are concerned, that your “delicate senses” will just have to continue to be offended, my lord!’
    He eyed her incredulously. ‘You are saying you do not care for pretty gowns?’
    Of course she liked pretty gowns—did she not secretly long for all the beautiful gowns she had left behind at Shoreley Hall? If only so that she could wear one of them to show Dominic Vaughn how fashionable she really was!
    But she did not long for those pretty confections of silk and lace enough to agree to have a dressmaker attend her here—almost as if she really were about to become Dominic’s mistress! ‘Not at the moment, no,’ she said mendaciously, only realising the error of answering so unguardedly as she saw the earl’s eyes narrow