could hold up to them herself. She sent herself a stern, warning glance in the mirror. One false move, and he’ll take control of everything.
That’s not going to happen, she assured herself. She might have taken the manacles off him, but she still intended to keep her trained wolf on a very short leash.
Then she turned with a rustle of satin and proceeded down to dinner.
Chapter 4
N ick remained on his guard at supper that evening. Still suspicious of her motives, he refused to let the wine lull him into lowering his defenses, nor her beauty to turn his head. It was impossible, though, not to feel the impact of her allure.
She was ravishing, and God, it had been so long since he had known the pleasures of a woman’s bed. The emerald hue of her gown turned her blue eyes sea green and made them sparkle like a warm, tropic sea.
Her intricate coiffure was a work of enchantment to behold, and her skin . . . her rosy cheeks, her alabaster throat . . .
The creamy expanse of her chest bared by the low, pointed neck of her gown, tortured him with a cruel show of cleavage.
But considering that she held all the power, at least for the moment, his cool demeanor toward her was the only act of defiance he could afford, under the circumstances. It wasn’t easy. They were both wary and polite, not talking much at table.
The spread of food was lavish. After the privations of the past year, Nick fought himself not to devour everything in sight. Hell, for all he knew, the sumptuous feast before him might only be intended to fatten him up for the slaughter, he thought wryly.
They sat at the two distant ends of the long, formal dining table. Between them, the staff laid out a rapturous spread of dishes, symmetrically arranged—elegant blends of textures and tastes, contrasting and complementing, with new bottles of wine to sample with every course.
All the while, from its place of honor above the white fireplace, the large, gilded portrait of a weak-chinned man in uniform stared down at them in prim disapproval.
The husband.
Nick eyed the pasty-faced figure warily as he chewed. How the hell does a chap like that get a woman like her?
Lady Burke noticed him looking at it and supplied the answer to his unasked question. “The late Lord Burke.”
“Tell me about him,” he invited her, keen to gather information about his mysterious hostess. “Nabob?”
“His family has had various lucrative enterprises under way in India for decades. He was sent over there after his graduation from Oxford to familiarize himself with the holdings he’d inherit. He spent a decade there, then returned to England to settle down and find a bride.”
Nick stared at her. “Well, he was obviously successful in that quest.”
“Oh, yes,” she said with a bland smile and took a drink of wine.
This reaction intrigued Nick in the extreme; and now he couldn’t leave it alone. “I am sorry for your loss. It must have been very difficult for you.”
Not really, said her cool gaze. “Thank you,” said her lovely lips.
You despised him? Nick thought. He bored you to death?
“How did you two first meet?” he asked in a cordial tone.
“Well . . .” Lady Burke glanced at the dining-room door, making sure that none of her servants were in earshot. “It’s a funny story, actually.”
“Do tell.”
“He originally started out courting another girl in my debutante class, but I stole him.”
“Oh, really?” Nick was both astonished and amused. “You stole him from a friend?”
“Oh, no, not from a friend. An enemy,” she answered with an arch smile. “That was why I did it. Of course, I was very young. Seventeen. I had no idea my mischief would end up in marriage.”
“What happened?”
“The girl Burke was courting at the time was the bane of our lives—all the other debs, I mean. I won’t mention any names, but she was a horrid little beauty. Arrogant, spoiled in the extreme. Had to be the center of attention at
That’s not going to happen, she assured herself. She might have taken the manacles off him, but she still intended to keep her trained wolf on a very short leash.
Then she turned with a rustle of satin and proceeded down to dinner.
Chapter 4
N ick remained on his guard at supper that evening. Still suspicious of her motives, he refused to let the wine lull him into lowering his defenses, nor her beauty to turn his head. It was impossible, though, not to feel the impact of her allure.
She was ravishing, and God, it had been so long since he had known the pleasures of a woman’s bed. The emerald hue of her gown turned her blue eyes sea green and made them sparkle like a warm, tropic sea.
Her intricate coiffure was a work of enchantment to behold, and her skin . . . her rosy cheeks, her alabaster throat . . .
The creamy expanse of her chest bared by the low, pointed neck of her gown, tortured him with a cruel show of cleavage.
But considering that she held all the power, at least for the moment, his cool demeanor toward her was the only act of defiance he could afford, under the circumstances. It wasn’t easy. They were both wary and polite, not talking much at table.
The spread of food was lavish. After the privations of the past year, Nick fought himself not to devour everything in sight. Hell, for all he knew, the sumptuous feast before him might only be intended to fatten him up for the slaughter, he thought wryly.
They sat at the two distant ends of the long, formal dining table. Between them, the staff laid out a rapturous spread of dishes, symmetrically arranged—elegant blends of textures and tastes, contrasting and complementing, with new bottles of wine to sample with every course.
All the while, from its place of honor above the white fireplace, the large, gilded portrait of a weak-chinned man in uniform stared down at them in prim disapproval.
The husband.
Nick eyed the pasty-faced figure warily as he chewed. How the hell does a chap like that get a woman like her?
Lady Burke noticed him looking at it and supplied the answer to his unasked question. “The late Lord Burke.”
“Tell me about him,” he invited her, keen to gather information about his mysterious hostess. “Nabob?”
“His family has had various lucrative enterprises under way in India for decades. He was sent over there after his graduation from Oxford to familiarize himself with the holdings he’d inherit. He spent a decade there, then returned to England to settle down and find a bride.”
Nick stared at her. “Well, he was obviously successful in that quest.”
“Oh, yes,” she said with a bland smile and took a drink of wine.
This reaction intrigued Nick in the extreme; and now he couldn’t leave it alone. “I am sorry for your loss. It must have been very difficult for you.”
Not really, said her cool gaze. “Thank you,” said her lovely lips.
You despised him? Nick thought. He bored you to death?
“How did you two first meet?” he asked in a cordial tone.
“Well . . .” Lady Burke glanced at the dining-room door, making sure that none of her servants were in earshot. “It’s a funny story, actually.”
“Do tell.”
“He originally started out courting another girl in my debutante class, but I stole him.”
“Oh, really?” Nick was both astonished and amused. “You stole him from a friend?”
“Oh, no, not from a friend. An enemy,” she answered with an arch smile. “That was why I did it. Of course, I was very young. Seventeen. I had no idea my mischief would end up in marriage.”
“What happened?”
“The girl Burke was courting at the time was the bane of our lives—all the other debs, I mean. I won’t mention any names, but she was a horrid little beauty. Arrogant, spoiled in the extreme. Had to be the center of attention at
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