Grace had intended the request as a set-down, but the feel of his fingertips brushing her skin made her forget the need to remind him of his place.
Had any man ever touched her there before? Surely she would recall. His fingers left an exquisite fire on the back of her neck, a fire that warmed her from head to toe. She wished he would press his lips to the same spot. She closed her eyes and imagined the pleasure. Then she would turn into his arms and press her mouth to his. Her whole body responded to the fantasy. Oh dear, oh my, this was what lust felt like.
„Your necklace seems quite secure, my lady.“
He was either exerting great control or was totally unmoved. Was that possible? For one party to be on fire and the other uninterested? Of course it was.
She turned and straightened her skirts, making sure that no part of even her clothing touched him. She endured that for a full five minutes before she felt more herself again.
Herself. Whoever that was. A widow, largely happy, interested in all manner of things, and, at the moment, tired of being angry with the one person who seemed to enjoy the same things she did.
She turned to him. „I declare you the winner.“
„I beg your pardon, my lady?“
She really was beginning to hate those two words. Why would he not call her Grace? „I said that you are the winner.“ She let out a puff of breath that was as much annoyance as frustration. „I am tired of being in your bad books. I have never actually lost my temper with anyone before. And this is the second time I have done so with you. It takes entirely too much energy and ruins my sleep. So, I am sorry that I was rude last night. Sorry that I asked what you wanted to do and then was offended when it was not what I wanted to do.“
Lindsay regarded her with some confusion. True, she did not sound gracious in her apology – there was too much of an edge to her voice – but she was speaking English.
„I beg your pardon, but did you say that you have never lost your temper before? Is that what you said?“
„Yes. At least not since I was mature enough to learn self-control.“
He shook his head, but said nothing.
„And now you are not even going to accept my apology, Major? Is that some sort of military training? Never concede?“
He did not answer immediately, but took both her hands and kissed each in turn. Though his expression still bordered on amazement, there was humor in his eyes. „Grace Anderson, it has been my ambiguous pleasure to introduce you to your first burst of temper. May there be many more.“
„What does that mean?“ Now she was the one who was confused. It was hard to be detached when the object of annoyance was holding your hands. It felt almost as good as his touch on her neck.
„It means that no one should go through thirty years of life with such careful control of her sensibilities.“
„One of the differences between men and women, Lindsay. I suspect that most women who are dependent on men control their feelings. I’ve spent most of my life keeping peace, making sure that my father or my brother and then my husband was happy, comfortable and, heaven forbid, not angry with me. Or anyone else.“
„Like a junior officer with never a chance of promotion.“
„If you say so.“
„But you see, my lady, the roles are reversed now. You are the one in charge and I am the one who lives to see that you are happy and comfortable and, heaven forbid, not angry at me.“
„How odd,“ she said, considering his words, „but I see that you are right.“ She laughed a little. „Perhaps that was the real reason I gave into the anger last night. To lose some of that self-control with someone I felt“ – she paused, searching for the right word – „someone I felt safe with.“
The word hung between them for a moment. She felt safe with him? How could any woman be so completely wrong? Safe? When all he wanted to do was lay her on the carriage seat and ravish her. That was what the anger was a cover for – for both of them, he suspected. Surely she knew that as well as he did. He cleared his throat and tried a smile. „As I said, it was my pleasure.“
„Surely you do not mean you liked my ill temper?“
„No.“ He could at least be honest about this. „But it did make a refreshing change from your inclination to phrase all your wishes as questions.“ When she would have spoken, he raised his hand. „I see now where that comes from: a lifetime of caution, trying to appear thoughtful, while still making your wishes known.“
„That makes me sound like one of those managing women that are so unappealing.“
„Not at all. More like someone who feels the need to be circumspect.“ He stopped, realizing how carefully she did protect herself, how guarded she was except around friends or in the security of her home. Did she even grasp that he was another line of defense between herself and society? Probably not, since he himself had only this moment realized it.
She was watching him, waiting for more. But he was not sure how she would react to his revelation and chose to keep it to himself.
„My lady, I can see that your urge to please is much too well developed. Feel free to irritate me as often as you wish.“
She laughed at this absurdity.
He leaned closer and pressed his mouth to hers, because he could no longer resist the look in her eyes, the invitation in her laugh. No coyness from his lady – another convention ignored. She leaned closer, her hands pressed between them, then sliding up to circle his neck. She was feminine, soft, willing. He tasted her passion and felt it rising to match his own.
Some small, still rational part of his brain resisted the temptation to deepen the kiss, to take them to a place beyond friendship. They ended this sweetest of kisses three times, but finally, end it they did. Her response touched his heart. He prayed it would not complicate his life too much.
„Ah,“ she whispered, her mouth still close enough to touch his lips, „I’ve been wishing that you would do that.“
He smiled, a smile he was sure she could feel even with her eyes closed. „Wish or not, I’m not sure that was wise.“
He moved away, and she opened her eyes. „Major, I do not think the pleasure of kissing and wisdom can exist in the same world.“
He raised her gloved hand and kissed it. „Then the pleasure is mine.“
„Not all of it, Major,“ she said with a mischievous grin.
Eleven
Lindsay heard two female voices in the entry and went to open his study door. „I need to talk to Poppy, Miss Truslow.“
„Certainly, Major. As soon as she changes from her play clothes.“
„Now, if you please. I would prefer her being dirty to my being late for my next appointment.“
„Are you going to see your particular friend, Papa?“
He did not answer her, since that phrase was precisely what he wanted to talk to her about.
She took his hand and sat next to him on the settee. She sat very still and tried for a ladylike appearance, the effort seriously compromised by the dirt on her face and her muddy hem. Had Grace Cardovan looked like this as a child, before her natural enthusiasms were curbed by marriage to Anderson? Yes, it was entirely possible that this was the child’s version of her rediscovered joie de vivre.
„Poppy?“
She turned to him with an expression of disdainful interest. He almost laughed out loud.
„Where did you learn mat expression? Certainly not from Miss Truslow.“ At least he hoped not.
„From my friend Verity’s governess. I was trying to look like she does when she comes to the park and Miss Truslow talks to her.“
Miss Truslow must be desperate for friends, Lindsay thought.
„I think I like Poppy’s smile much better.“
She grinned, and he nodded his approval.
„So, Poppy.“ He cleared his throat and considered the best approach to the somewhat delicate subject. „I understand that you have been telling your friends some amazing stories.“