"'Not particularly."
"I'd prefer an explanation."
"As to why I'd wish to kiss a beautiful woman? It is not difficult to figure out." A frown burrowed his brow and he tapped his index finger against his bottom lip, as if to make certain it was still there. His intense gaze settled on hers. "What did you think?"
Not quite sure how to answer without wounding his feelings, she hedged, "What did you think?"
He drew a deep breath, then said, "I'm not good with pretty words the way you Brits are so I'll just spit it out. I've missed my opportunity with more than one woman I've admired since coming to England, and I didn't want to let another one get away. But our kiss wasn't… what I expected."
"What had you expected?"
"Pyrotechnics." A sheepish look crossed his face. "I like you too much not to be perfectly honest with you. I didn't feel any… spark. I'm sorry." He dragged a hand through his hair. "I think you should slap my face."
She couldn't help but laugh. "I like you too much not to be honest. I didn't feel any spark, either."
He blinked, then smiled. "Really?"
"Really."
"Well." He blew out a sigh of obvious relief then chuckled. "I suppose my manly pride shouldn't allow me to be so happy about that."
"Nor my womanly vanity." She grinned. "You can bear it if I can."
He chuckled. "Agreed. It would it appear we are destined to only be friends."
"So it would appear." And while she was happy for his friendship, she was deeply troubled by what was now patently clear-that what she felt for Daniel obviously ran deeper. She held out her hand. "Friends?"
"Friends." He lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across the backs of her fingers. "Mon ami."
Carolyn blinked in surprise. "Do you speak French?"
"As a matter of fact I do."
"Fluently?"
"Yes." His eyes took on a teasing gleam. "Shall I dazzle you with some verb conjugations?"
She pushed aside her troubling thoughts and instead recalled a button-eyed Droopy. "Actually, there are several phrases I'd like very much to learn."
"I'm sorry I missed seeing you this afternoon," Sarah said, after greeting Carolyn that evening with a tight hug when they found each other at the crush that was Lord and Lady Exbury's soiree. "I'm very relieved you're all right. What a horrible, frightening episode. Thank goodness Lord Tolliver is in custody and cannot hurt anyone else." Sarah released Carolyn, studied her for several seconds, then pushed up her spectacles and blinked. "I must say, you're looking none the worse for your fright. Indeed, you're positively glowing."
Good heavens. Little had she known that her tryst with Daniel would cause her to still glitter like a candle. She looked at her sister and, after a pause, said, "I could say the same about you, Sarah. You look as if you're lit from within."
Her sister's coloring deepened. She grabbed Carolyn's arm and pulled her into the nearby corner of the crowded drawing room, bypassing snippets of conversation dominated by Lady Crawford's murder.
"Can't believe the killer hasn't yet been apprehended-"
"Surely it won't be long…"
"I heard they think a former lover-"
"-and now another shooting last night-"
Once ensconced in the privacy provided by the dimly lit corner, Sarah said in an undertone, "I know why I'm glowing, and it is entirely the fault of that husband of mine, who finally sent me one of those "time and place' notes described in the Memoirs?
"Clearly it worked remarkably well."
"You have no idea." Sarah lifted a brow. "What is your excuse?"
It is entirely the fault of your husband's best friend, who demonstrated the "carriage lovemaking" described in the Memoirs.
Unwilling to say that aloud, Carolyn hesitated. She'd never kept secrets from Sarah, but how could she expect her sister to understand something that she barely understood herself? An attraction so unexpected, yet so powerful it had her acting in ways she never thought herself capable of? An attraction she was beginning to fear might be turning into something more-with a man who'd made it clear he wanted nothing more than an affair.
And what if she told Sarah and her sister disapproved? She didn't think she could bear to see censure in Sarah's eyes. Yet, she couldn't bear the thought of lying to her, either.
Deciding her best recourse was to offer a bit of the truth and gauge Sarah's reaction, she said, "My excuse is that I've been… kissed."
Rather than appearing aghast, Sarah's eyes sparkled with interest. "Indeed? Based on your glow, it must have been a most excellent kiss."
"It was." She barely refrained from heaving a gushy sigh. "Most excellent."
"And who, may I ask, is this excellent kisser?"
Carolyn shook her head, confused. "You're not shocked? Disappointed?"
"Heavens, no. I'm delighted." She moved closer. "So, who was it?"
Humph. While she hadn't wanted to upset Sarah, the very least her sister could have done was act a bit surprised. "Why aren't you scandalized?"
"Because I think you're a beautiful woman who deserves to be kissed and who hasn't been in a very long time."
Sarah's quiet words swelled Carolyn's throat. "In that case, I suppose I must confess mat I was actually kissed by two men today."
Sarah's brows shot upward, but instead of appearing appalled, her eyes twinkled. "Heavens, you've had a busy day. So, who are these two extremely intelligent, discerning gentlemen of impeccable taste?"
"How do you know they're intelligent, discerning, and possess good taste?"
"Because they chose you to kiss."
Some inner devil prompted Carolyn to hike a single brow and ask, "What makes you think I didn't choose them to kiss?"
"If you did, that only serves to prove my point, as you'd hardly choose to kiss a man who didn't possess intelligence, discernment, and impeccable taste. Now, are you going to tell me who they are before I expire of curiosity, or must I locate a fire poker with which to prod you?"
Carolyn shook her head, half in disbelief, half in amusement. "When did you become so unshockable?"
"It is completely the fault of that husband of mine. In a scandalously short period of time he's completely stripped me of all my maidenly modesty."
Just as his best friend has done to me.
Sarah nudged her with her elbow. "Do I need to fetch the fire poker?"
"No." She stepped closer to her sister and whispered, "Kiss number one was from Daniel… Lord Surbrooke."
"Ah," Sarah said, a smile that could only be described as knowing playing at the corners of her lips. "And how was it?"
Incredible. Delicious. Amazing. "Nice."
"Just nice?"
"Very nice. Botheration, why aren't you surprised?"
"Because I've seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is looking."
"And how is that?"
"Like he wants to kiss you. No, actually like he's dying to kiss you. Very thoroughly. For starters."
Oh, my. And he had. Very thoroughly. For starters.
"And kiss number two?" Sarah asked, with another elbow prod.
"Was courtesy of Logan Jennsen."
This time Sarah's brows rose. "Interesting."
"But not surprising?"
"Not particularly, as I've also observed the way he looks at you."
"And how is that?"
"Like you're a bowl of cream and he's a very thirsty cat. And how was Mr. Jennsen's kiss?"
"Also nice."
Sarah stared at her over the rim of her spectacles. "It's not like you to be so uncommunicative, Carolyn." Her expression turned to one of concern. "Is something wrong?"
Carolyn shook her head. "No." Then she nodded. "Yes." She frowned. "I… don't know."
A trio of ladies walked by, and Sarah drew her deeper into the corner. "Something's amiss. Please tell me."