Twilight with the Infamous Earl by Alexandra Hawkins Page A

gentlemen at six feet, two inches; the lady had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. A long, narrow nose, not-too-full lips, and a stubborn chin gave the impression that this was a woman who relied on her intelligence rather than her looks.
    “Are you not enjoying the wine?” he asked when she set her glass aside.
    “Yes, but it’s early and my encounter with those young gentlemen proved that I need a clear head if I wish to get through the evening without embarrassing my family.”
    “Your family is in attendance?”
    She nodded. “My mother, my younger brother—you have already met Cedric—and his twin sister, Judith.”
    “And what of your father?”
    “Work has kept him from my mother’s side.” She hesitated. “He is a barrister, and the case he is working on requires all of his attention.”
    “How fascinating,” he murmured, noting that some of the stiffness in her shoulders eased at his reaction. Had she been worried that he would have thought less of her because of her father’s profession? “So you are interested in the law as well?”
    “Not particularly,” she confessed. “Besides, he has Ashley. My older brother is currently studying law so he can follow in our father’s footsteps. What about your family? Did they join you this evening?”
    Very few people were courageous enough to mention his family. Her curiosity pleased him, so he decided to indulge her. “I arrived alone. My father passed away a long time ago, and my mother … suffice to say, she has not been a part of my and my sister’s lives for years.”
    Her face pinched with sympathy. “Forgive me. It is unlike me to pry. I, too, have lost family. My sister. It has been five years, and I am still mourning the loss.”
    The death of a beloved sibling might explain why they had never met until now. Had Emily buried herself in the country while she grieved for her dead sister? What she needed was someone to disrupt her comfortable world.
    That someone was him.
    “Now I must apologize for making you sad.” He reached forward, deliberately ensuring that his arm would brush against hers as he picked up her wineglass. “Here. Let us drink. A toast to family lost.”
    “Very well.” Emily gave him a sweet, endearing smile as she accepted the glass he had handed her. She dutifully raised her glass. “To family lost.”
    Frost touched his glass to hers. “And newly found friends,” he said, before drinking. They would become very good friends if he had his way.
    And he could not wait to begin.
    Impulsively, he leaned closer to kiss her. Women highly praised his kisses, and they tended to be more reasonable when he was pleasuring them.
    At the first tentative touch, Emily whispered, “What are you doing?”
    Not withdrawing, he whispered back, “Kissing you. Now cooperate.”
    “I think not.” With no place to retreat, she slumped down to avoid his mouth and then rolled to her side so she could stand.
    This was not the first time a lady had rejected his advances. During his thirty years, he had encountered a few reluctant ladies who claimed they had not enjoyed his kisses. Since they had gone on to marry his friends, he assumed that they had feigned their dislike out of respect for their husbands.
    Telling the truth would have made their frequent gatherings rather awkward.
    However, Emily had dismissed him without giving him a chance to prove himself. He set his wineglass down and staggered to his feet. “Why not? What harm is there in a kiss, Emily?”
    She rolled her eyes and laughed. “It is Miss Cavell to you, Lord Chillingsworth. Granting you liberty to use my given name will only encourage you.”
    “And what is wrong with encouraging me?” he asked in reasonable tones.
    “Do you want me to make a list?” she replied, while positioning herself behind one of the chairs. “I appreciate what you have done for Katie, and rescuing me from those young—”
    “Damn puppies!” he exclaimed with disgust. “You assume