innocently perplexed.
“But do be after telling me what reward you’ll be seeking in this gamble, sir?”
“Why, I thought you’d have guessed by now.” For a moment he dropped his foppish facade and looked directly into her startled green eyes. “I want nothing more or less than your dear self, Lady O’Brien.”
“The devil you say!” she spat, giving a warning nod in the direction of the servants around them, including her own companion.
Druscilla, unaware of the danger her mistress was encountering with the earl, stood in a nearby corner shamelessly flirting with Davis.
The earl shrugged, as though he were talking of merely inviting her to tea.
“Of course, it would be at a suitable place of my choosing. As for the rest . . .” His gaze strayed from her startled emerald eyes down to the low décolletage of her gown. Creamy, white breasts rose with an indignant intake of breath from beneath the lace lining.
“The rest, I believe, will depend on how well we manage together, won’t it?” he finished with a suggestive wink.
“For certain, Your Grace,” she mocked, her tongue at last finding its habitual sharpness, carefully slicing the words out evenly. “And I’ll even clean out your castle, if you like.”
Aye, she told herself. The silver-tongued rake didn’t fool her not one wit by his so-called desire for her. Too many empty-pocketed, money hungry fops had paid her court. No doubt he was like the rest, sniffing out the silver, which clinked so thunderously around her purse strings.
This English dandy was no different. All she needed was for him to confess his true reason for courting her. Then she’d go directly to her loving father with the truth. And the revelation would put an end to all this foolishness.
She leaned across the table and whispered, “What be ye really after? You needn’t be afraid of telling me. I promise I’ll confide in no one the truth. Not even my father will know the real reason for your courting me.”
He threw back his head and laughed. His laughter rumbled merrily in her ears. “My lovely colleen, do distrust me. For in the end, I’ll have you!”
“You’ll what?” she asked, raising her voice. She dared him to repeat his audacious words.
“’Tis best I show your ladyship.” Swiftly, he breached the remaining space between them. Grasping her shoulders, he pulled her forward, half-lifting her out of her stiff-backed chair. Before she could utter a protest, his mouth descended on hers, sealing her surprised lips with his own ardently warm ones.
Stunned, she at first tried to draw away, but the heat of the kiss sparked the hidden embers she’d thought to have successfully doused. A hot, tingling sensation invaded her entire being, rekindling the burning desire she had felt in his bedchamber.
She unwittingly uttered a soft sigh. And upon hearing the sound, pulled back out of his arms as if she’d been slapped, her breath coming out in short pants.
“Do you need any further proof of how much I desire your company?” he asked, taking out a monogrammed handkerchief to give her.
“Nay,” she said, wiping angrily at her now swollen mouth, pretending that the kiss had been horridly bitter instead of alluringly sweet. Her hands were shaking and she could feel her cheeks were red hot.
“I see,” he said. “Then you believe in the old adage that the mouth that remains closed is a melodious one.”
“Aye, Your Grace. But there be another even better.” She nodded, her voice dripping with biting sarcasm. “That a man ties a knot with his tongue that his teeth can never unloosen.”
“Yes, the Celts do have a way with adages, don’t they? But perhaps, my sweet, my tongue would do better elsewhere?” He gave her a roguish smile and a flash of white gleaming teeth.
She would’ve retorted something equally pointed, but it suddenly struck her how silent the room had become. The normally soft murmurs of conversation between the servants standing
“But do be after telling me what reward you’ll be seeking in this gamble, sir?”
“Why, I thought you’d have guessed by now.” For a moment he dropped his foppish facade and looked directly into her startled green eyes. “I want nothing more or less than your dear self, Lady O’Brien.”
“The devil you say!” she spat, giving a warning nod in the direction of the servants around them, including her own companion.
Druscilla, unaware of the danger her mistress was encountering with the earl, stood in a nearby corner shamelessly flirting with Davis.
The earl shrugged, as though he were talking of merely inviting her to tea.
“Of course, it would be at a suitable place of my choosing. As for the rest . . .” His gaze strayed from her startled emerald eyes down to the low décolletage of her gown. Creamy, white breasts rose with an indignant intake of breath from beneath the lace lining.
“The rest, I believe, will depend on how well we manage together, won’t it?” he finished with a suggestive wink.
“For certain, Your Grace,” she mocked, her tongue at last finding its habitual sharpness, carefully slicing the words out evenly. “And I’ll even clean out your castle, if you like.”
Aye, she told herself. The silver-tongued rake didn’t fool her not one wit by his so-called desire for her. Too many empty-pocketed, money hungry fops had paid her court. No doubt he was like the rest, sniffing out the silver, which clinked so thunderously around her purse strings.
This English dandy was no different. All she needed was for him to confess his true reason for courting her. Then she’d go directly to her loving father with the truth. And the revelation would put an end to all this foolishness.
She leaned across the table and whispered, “What be ye really after? You needn’t be afraid of telling me. I promise I’ll confide in no one the truth. Not even my father will know the real reason for your courting me.”
He threw back his head and laughed. His laughter rumbled merrily in her ears. “My lovely colleen, do distrust me. For in the end, I’ll have you!”
“You’ll what?” she asked, raising her voice. She dared him to repeat his audacious words.
“’Tis best I show your ladyship.” Swiftly, he breached the remaining space between them. Grasping her shoulders, he pulled her forward, half-lifting her out of her stiff-backed chair. Before she could utter a protest, his mouth descended on hers, sealing her surprised lips with his own ardently warm ones.
Stunned, she at first tried to draw away, but the heat of the kiss sparked the hidden embers she’d thought to have successfully doused. A hot, tingling sensation invaded her entire being, rekindling the burning desire she had felt in his bedchamber.
She unwittingly uttered a soft sigh. And upon hearing the sound, pulled back out of his arms as if she’d been slapped, her breath coming out in short pants.
“Do you need any further proof of how much I desire your company?” he asked, taking out a monogrammed handkerchief to give her.
“Nay,” she said, wiping angrily at her now swollen mouth, pretending that the kiss had been horridly bitter instead of alluringly sweet. Her hands were shaking and she could feel her cheeks were red hot.
“I see,” he said. “Then you believe in the old adage that the mouth that remains closed is a melodious one.”
“Aye, Your Grace. But there be another even better.” She nodded, her voice dripping with biting sarcasm. “That a man ties a knot with his tongue that his teeth can never unloosen.”
“Yes, the Celts do have a way with adages, don’t they? But perhaps, my sweet, my tongue would do better elsewhere?” He gave her a roguish smile and a flash of white gleaming teeth.
She would’ve retorted something equally pointed, but it suddenly struck her how silent the room had become. The normally soft murmurs of conversation between the servants standing
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