The Chaperon Bride
"It is perfectly
understandable that people should discuss you, my lord,"
Annis said, "but I cannot believe that anyone has
been talking about me."
Adam stopped and took her gloved hand in his. "I
have been asking about you," he said softly. There
was something in his tone that brought the blood up into
Annis' cheeks. She knew that this was the moment that she
had to make certain things clear between them.
"Then pray do not ask about me in future, sir."
There was a note of entreaty in her voice. She freed
herself and walked on. "I have a job of work to do
and it does not allow for an idle flirtation with the
local lord of the manor."
It was Adam's turn to laugh. "How charmingly
medieval you make that sound, as though I go about taking
my pleasures with the local populace! I do assure you,
ma'am, that is hardly my intention."
"No..." Annis looked troubled. "But
when we met two nights ago..."
"Yes?"
"I feel that I must tell you... Oh, how difficult
this is!" Annis raised her eyes to his face. "I
fear that you must have received a certain impression of
me that is quite false, my lord. I do not generally go
around embracing strange gentlemen in the garden."
Adam gave her a brief smile. "You did not need to
tell me that, Lady Wycherley. I never imagined that you
did."
Annis gave him a glance that was half-ashamed, half-grateful.
"Thank you, my lord. So we are agreed that it should
never have happened."
Adam straightened slightly. "I certainly did not
say that. That is a different matter entirely."
Annis shot him a pleading look. "But surely-"
"I am not going to pretend that I did not enjoy
it." Adam met her gaze very directly. "The
truth is that, given the opportunity, I would do exactly
the same thing again."
From Chapter 10
She cast a glance over the hill at the tollhouse fire,
burning lower now. The rioters had gone and the night was
still.
Adam's hand came up to cup her chin, the thumb
stroking along the line of her jaw. "You do not find
danger an aphrodisiac, Annis?" His voice was a
little rough. "You do not feel the excitement like a
fever in the blood?"
"I have never done so before."
"And now?"
Annis was trembling. It would be easy - and wise - to
deny it, but there was something about this man...
"I admits that something attracts me-"
His mouth took hers with unerring accuracy and without
gentleness. her lips parted instantly under the pressure.
He was demanding, overpowering, and the shock and the
excitement hit Annis in one irresistible blow...
Eventually he had to let her go, for neither of them
could breathe.
"If I had done that the night we first met-"
Annis' breath caught at the raw undertone to his voice.
"I would have run away from you."
"Do you want to run now?"
"There is nowhere to run to."
