past ten years.
But she was Lucinda Devering, pawn of the Duke of Raynewood, and this man was a danger to her future.
Somehow she had to resist him. Somehow she must dredge up the will to deny herself the joy of finally living again. To find the power to turn away from something she wanted more than she wanted her next breath, and concentrate on what had to be.
The music came to an end. With a flourish, Garrett swept her into one more turn and then bowed, pressing his lips to her hand in a courtly gesture she hadn’t expected. The feel of his warm mouth on her flesh surprised a gasp from her, and he met her eyes with unabashed desire.
She shivered at his power over her. Thank God she would be rid of him once they went to London. If she could manage to resist him for one more week, then she and Meg would begone from Raynewood and Garrett would go back to America.
Somewhere she would find the strength to deny her innermost longings. If she gave in to Garrett’s advances, not only would she be risking her only chance at a decent future, but he would no doubt become disappointed with her, just as Harry had.
It was much better to quietly glory in the fact that he was attracted to her than to torment herself worrying about what could not be.
A burst of applause brought her back to reality with a jolt.
“That was wonderful!” Meg cried, clapping. “Garrett, you must dance with me next!”
“Splendid, my lord!” Monsieur Collineau trilled. “Quite splendid!”
Lucinda slowly stepped away, slipping her hand from Garrett’s. His other hand dropped from her waist. She had to swallow hard before she could speak. “You are an excellent dancer, my lord.”
“We do dance in America,” he replied easily.
Trying to pull her scrambling emotions together, she gave him a polite smile. “I simply didn’t expect a man like you to be so big…I mean,” she hurried on, cheeks flaming, “I mean, I did not expect a big man like yourself to be so good at this. Dancing, that is. You are quite graceful.”
“Why, thank you.” The twitch of his lips indicated that he knew her thoughts had drifted onto the path of impropriety. His voice held seductive nuances that only she seemed to hear, as he said, “I look forward to dancing with you again, Mrs. Devering.”
“Yes, how regrettable that we shall not have the opportunity,” she said coolly.
“Oh, but you will!” Meg cried. “When we go to London you’ll have plenty of chances to dance together, since Garrett is going with us.”
Lucinda’s heart stopped. “Wh-what?”
“Meg has asked me to accompany you to London,” he said. “I’ve agreed to go.”
“How splendid!” Lady Agatha chimed in from the pianoforte.
“Yes. Splendid,” Lucinda echoed hollowly. “If you’ll excuse me, Captain, the dance has left me a bit breathless.”
“Are you certain it was the dance?” Garrett murmured.
Ignoring his comment, she walked stiffly to the chair beside the pianoforte as Garrett took his position again with Meg as a partner.
“Simply keep the count and follow his lordship’s lead,” Monsieur said to Meg. “Lady Strathwaite, if you please.”
Lady Agatha started playing again, and Garrett swept his sister into the waltz to the accompaniment of Monsieur’s counting. Meg’s giggleof pleasure echoed over the well-tuned notes of the pianoforte.
Lucinda found herself captured by the sensual grace of Garrett’s movements. His lack of coat allowed the flexing of his back and arm muscles beneath his white shirt to be easily seen. Against her will, her eyes were drawn to his well-shaped thighs and tight buttocks, moving in rhythm with the music. An image drifted through her mind, of Garrett sans clothing, his muscles rippling as he tumbled her onto the bed…
“He’s a handsome devil, isn’t he?” Lady Agatha murmured, still playing.
Lucinda took a moment to calm her pounding heart. “My lady?”
“My great-nephew. He’s a handsome devil.” Lady
But she was Lucinda Devering, pawn of the Duke of Raynewood, and this man was a danger to her future.
Somehow she had to resist him. Somehow she must dredge up the will to deny herself the joy of finally living again. To find the power to turn away from something she wanted more than she wanted her next breath, and concentrate on what had to be.
The music came to an end. With a flourish, Garrett swept her into one more turn and then bowed, pressing his lips to her hand in a courtly gesture she hadn’t expected. The feel of his warm mouth on her flesh surprised a gasp from her, and he met her eyes with unabashed desire.
She shivered at his power over her. Thank God she would be rid of him once they went to London. If she could manage to resist him for one more week, then she and Meg would begone from Raynewood and Garrett would go back to America.
Somewhere she would find the strength to deny her innermost longings. If she gave in to Garrett’s advances, not only would she be risking her only chance at a decent future, but he would no doubt become disappointed with her, just as Harry had.
It was much better to quietly glory in the fact that he was attracted to her than to torment herself worrying about what could not be.
A burst of applause brought her back to reality with a jolt.
“That was wonderful!” Meg cried, clapping. “Garrett, you must dance with me next!”
“Splendid, my lord!” Monsieur Collineau trilled. “Quite splendid!”
Lucinda slowly stepped away, slipping her hand from Garrett’s. His other hand dropped from her waist. She had to swallow hard before she could speak. “You are an excellent dancer, my lord.”
“We do dance in America,” he replied easily.
Trying to pull her scrambling emotions together, she gave him a polite smile. “I simply didn’t expect a man like you to be so big…I mean,” she hurried on, cheeks flaming, “I mean, I did not expect a big man like yourself to be so good at this. Dancing, that is. You are quite graceful.”
“Why, thank you.” The twitch of his lips indicated that he knew her thoughts had drifted onto the path of impropriety. His voice held seductive nuances that only she seemed to hear, as he said, “I look forward to dancing with you again, Mrs. Devering.”
“Yes, how regrettable that we shall not have the opportunity,” she said coolly.
“Oh, but you will!” Meg cried. “When we go to London you’ll have plenty of chances to dance together, since Garrett is going with us.”
Lucinda’s heart stopped. “Wh-what?”
“Meg has asked me to accompany you to London,” he said. “I’ve agreed to go.”
“How splendid!” Lady Agatha chimed in from the pianoforte.
“Yes. Splendid,” Lucinda echoed hollowly. “If you’ll excuse me, Captain, the dance has left me a bit breathless.”
“Are you certain it was the dance?” Garrett murmured.
Ignoring his comment, she walked stiffly to the chair beside the pianoforte as Garrett took his position again with Meg as a partner.
“Simply keep the count and follow his lordship’s lead,” Monsieur said to Meg. “Lady Strathwaite, if you please.”
Lady Agatha started playing again, and Garrett swept his sister into the waltz to the accompaniment of Monsieur’s counting. Meg’s giggleof pleasure echoed over the well-tuned notes of the pianoforte.
Lucinda found herself captured by the sensual grace of Garrett’s movements. His lack of coat allowed the flexing of his back and arm muscles beneath his white shirt to be easily seen. Against her will, her eyes were drawn to his well-shaped thighs and tight buttocks, moving in rhythm with the music. An image drifted through her mind, of Garrett sans clothing, his muscles rippling as he tumbled her onto the bed…
“He’s a handsome devil, isn’t he?” Lady Agatha murmured, still playing.
Lucinda took a moment to calm her pounding heart. “My lady?”
“My great-nephew. He’s a handsome devil.” Lady
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