being cynical when I speak of having an
affair with you."
Victoria bit off what sounded like a
very unladylike oath." You are right," she
conceded." It's this business of being an
heiress that confuses matters. Annabella
tells me I am extremely skittish on the
subject; too wary by half."
Lucas smiled gently, taking pity on
her obvious dilemma." Always looking for
danger in the nearest hedge?"
I suppose so," Victoria said.
Not a bad policy, all things considered."
It has certainly been a very practical
policy for me," Victoria acknowledged.
Because it has seen you safely into
spinsterhood?"
Beast." But her mouth curved back into
an amused smile." You are quite right,
however. I am a spinster and glad of
it. Furthermore I intend to keep things
that way."
Lucas's attention wandered from the
cacti to a spectacular yellow-gold bloom
he did not recognize. The flower, touched
here and there with deep purple, flared like
a crown from the green stalk that held it.
He moved toward it, drawn by the shade
of gold which reminded him of Victoria's
eyes. He cupped the regal bloom in one
hand and studied it." After what happened
between us in the garden last night, you
will never convince me that you intend to
live your entire life without exploring your&
own passions victoria.
You are like this flower, lush and sweet and full of
passionate promise."
She grinned." Really, my lord, you
needn't get carried away by a flower.
I understand your background is in the
military world, not the literary one."
Sometimes a man can learn more of life
when he is surrounded by death than he
can from all the poetry of the ancients.
Even if you did manage to ignore your
womanly passions for the rest of your days,
I doubt that you could ignore your own
intellectual curiosity."
Curiosity. You think you can talk me
into an illicit affair by appealing to my
intellectual curiosity? How very original."
It makes perfect sense to me. Any
woman who can work up an admiration for
beetles and cacti must certainly entertain a
few scientific questions concerning her own
physical nature." He inclined his head in a
small, elegant bow." I offer myself to you
in the interest of intellectual inquiry, Miss
Huntington. I'm hoping you will not be
able to refuse."
Outraged, Victoria stared at him for a
few tense seconds and then the mirth
appeared in her eyes. In a moment she
was laughing so hard she had to grab a
post for support.
Lucas watched her, his hand still cupping
the yellow-gold bloom. He was fascinated
by her wholehearted amusement. She did
not giggle in that annoying way young
woman so often did, as if trying to imitate
tinkling bells and rippling brooks. Victoria's
laughter was full of life and warmth. It
made him want to pull her into his arms
and kiss her until he converted the humor
in her into the passion he had tasted last
night.
He could do it, Lucas thought. He knew
from the way she had responded in the
garden that he could make her feel desire.
And he would use that knowledge, along
with her quest for adventure, to seduce her.
In the end she would be powerless to resist
him. As he had told her in the garden, she
would not easily find another man who
could offer the bait he was holding out.
And once he had her locked safely in
his arms, it would be only a short step to
marriage. Victoria might speak daringly of
engaging in an illicit liaison, but he knew
that she would find it difficult to actually
conduct an affair that threatened her aunt's
as well as her own position in Society. She
was, after all, a young woman of excellent
breeding and she knew both the rules and
the risks that governed the world in which
she lived.
Society required that young women of
her background save their illicit affairs
until after they were wed and had given
their husbands an heir. After that, many
wives felt free to pursue their own romantic
interests so long as they were discreet. Their
husbands, who generally kept mistresses
before and after marriage, did the same,
not always so discreetly.
But as Lucas watched Victoria's laughter
fade slowly back into a glowing smile, it
struck him quite forcefully that he did
not intend to let his unsuspecting future
bride tread the usual social path from altar
to marriage bed to a string of discreet
affairs.
He had always known that he would
never be one of those men who overlooked
his wife's infidelities. It was not in his
nature to share the woman he considered
his own. But the possessiveness he felt was
far beyond what he had expected to feel
toward the woman who would one day
bear his name.
Once she was his, Lucas decided,
Victoria would remain his and his alone.
Social conventions be hanged. He was not
going to share this half-wild, unpredictable
creature with any man.
My lord, you are impossible. Utterly
impossible." Victoria wiped the moisture
from her eyes and shook her head, still
grinning." Imagine offering yourself in the
spirit of intellectual inquiry. How very
altruistic. How very noble. You are far
too generous."
I shall do what it takes to win you."
And just how am I to be won, my
lord?"
With adventure and excitement and
passion. I will give you all of those things,
Victoria."
She looked at him, her decision in her
eyes." I will pick and choose among them,
taking only as much of any of them as I
wish and paying for them as I wish."
He inclined his head in acquiescence,
quietly satisfied with the victory." That is
your prerogative."
She hesitated and then impulsively took
one step forward, reaching out to touch
his sleeve." Lucas, do you mean it when
you say you want me, just me, not my
money?"
He lifted a hand to stroke the fine line
of her jaw." I want you."
I cannot promise you anything," she said
with grave honesty." I enjoyed your kisses
last night, but that is as far as it should
go and we both know it."
He covered her fingers as they lay on
his sleeve." I understand. Don't concern
yourself with promises now. Together we
will find out just how f
ar this liaison of
ours will go."
She did not move for a moment. She just stood
there gazing up at him with a
barely suppressed longing that made him
want to pull her into his arms. It was not
the promise of either passion or reckless
excitement he saw in her beautiful amber
eyes now, but something else, something
sweet and vulnerable, an altogether heart
wrenching look of hopeful expectation.
If you're very sure this is what you want,
if you're sure this will be enough," Victoria
said," then I accept your offer to be my
midnight companion."
Lucas exhaled deeply." Then the bargain
is sealed." He leaned down and brushed his
mouth lightly across hers. She trembled at
the touch and Lucas wanted simultaneously
to 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 when I was
showing him my new dahlia plants. I must
say the earl seems to be developing more
than a passing interest in horticulture and
related matters," Cleo remarked.
Yes, the earl did seem to be developing
more than a passing interest in the subject,
Victoria thought grimly, adjusting her small
hat with a quick yank. Lately, in fact,
his interest in matters of horticulture and
agriculture had begun to border on the
keen. She was beginning to feel she was
running a poor second to such fascinating
topics as methods of manuring and crop
rotation.
For a man who only a week ago had
seemed bent on seduction, he had certainly
veered off course recently. Victoria did not
know whether to be incensed or relieved.
A few minutes later she entered the
park at a brisk trot, her groom following
discreetly behind her on a pony. The
public trails were thronged with elegantly
attired riders, curricles, and small, open
carriages. At this time of day the social
world went into the park to see and be
seen, not to actually ride for pleasure or
exercise. That sort of riding was done in
the early-morning hours.
Victoria automatically smiled and greeted
her myriad acquaintances while keeping an
eagle eye out for Lucas. She was beginning
to think he had deliberately avoided the
meeting altogether and was wondering what
his excuse would be, when he materialized
at her elbow on a spectacular chestnut. For
a moment s
he forgot her annoyance.
What an excellent animal, Lucas. He's
beautiful."
Lucas smiled faintly." Thank you. I'm
rather fond of old George, myself. We've
been through a lot together, haven't we,
George?"
Victoria wrinkled her nose." Did you
name him after the king?"
No. I named him George because
George seemed a simple enough name
for me to remember."
No one's likely to forget a horse like
that, regardless of his name. Have you any
colts by him?" Victoria asked.
Not yet, but George has big plans for
the future."
At this, she grinned." I see. You expect
him to sire a dynasty?"
Why not? The male of the species has
certain obligations when he bears the sort
of bloodlines old George here bears. We
men do what we must, don't we, old
boy?" He patted the stallion's neck and the
horse ducked his head and blew through
his nose.
Victoria's grin faded. She was sorry
she had raised the topic of dynasty
founding. Lucas occasionally made an
oblique reference to the little matter of
his future obligations to his name and title
and she had discovered she preferred to
avoid the subject. The idea of the present
Earl of stone vale someday taking a wife
and getting himself an heir was becoming
strangely unpalatable.
Well, he's a lovely animal, but that
is not what I wish to discuss with you,
Lucas," she said quickly.
I regret to hear that. I enjoy talking
about horses." Lucas nodded politely
toward a middle-aged man and woman
in a handsome carriage. They smiled back
and glanced pointedly at Victoria.
Victoria summoned up a regal smile for
Lord Foxton and his lady and urged her
horse to a slightly faster pace. Lucas and
George promptly fell behind. She glanced
back over her shoulder and scowled.
Really, Lucas, do stop dawdling. I told
you I specifically wish to speak to you
today."
Then don't rush ahead without warning
like that."
I was trying to avoid having to speak
to Lady Foxton. She was giving me a very
knowing look. And she's not the first to do
so. That's one of the things I wanted to
discuss with you, Lucas. People are starting
to notice our, uh, association."
What did you expect? You know as well
as I do that if two people dance more
than twice together at a ball, someone will
wonder if there's a marriage offer brewing,"
Lucas said.
But we do not dance together."
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