time together. Fleur seemed to be holding up well after her confrontation with O’Rourke, but Chantel was trembling and making weak, fluttering gestures with a silk fan. Fanny, on the other hand, was obviously trying hard to control her temper.
When the four women began talking at once, Heath kept his gaze fixed on Lily. She was a fascinating maze of contradictions, infuriatingly headstrong and stubborn, yet amazingly generous and compassionate and loyal. She wouldn’t give an inch in their courtship game, yet she was ready to give away her fortune to her friends if they needed it.
Lily was also delightfully novel and intriguing. And courageous and tenacious to the point of being foolhardy. Heath remembered her feistiness when she’d chased O’Rourke with that bronze statue. It might have been humorous if he hadn’t feared what a man like O’Rourke might do in revenge.
Even so, he couldn’t fault Lily entirely for her passion in defending the weak. It was one of the things he admired most about her.
She had her own weakness, though, Heath was coming to realize. Not for the first time he’d sensed vulnerability beneath that firebrand demeanor. He’d seen the tormented look that had crossed her features once she had won her skirmish with the gamester. Something wounded had flashed behind her eyes, a haunted glimmer that had made Heath want to hold her, to comfort her.
The powerful feeling wouldn’t leave him. Lily aroused his protective instincts as well as his body, although he knew she would swallow nails before accepting any man’s protection.
But someone had hurt her before this, he was certain. Perhaps that was why she was so unattainable now.
He wasn’t about to let anyone hurt her again, Heath vowed. He protected what was his, and Lily was his now. Even if she hadn’t accepted it yet.
Tenderness ran through him, irrevocably strong, as he watched her console her friends. He intended to discover why Lily was so self-protective, so defensive. And he was more determined than ever to succeed in winning her.
Lily thought she didn’t need men, didn’t need
Chapter Eight
– Lily to Fanny
Heath stared as Lily lightly skipped down the front staircase toward him the following afternoon. She had managed to surprise him yet again, this time because her shapely form was garbed in men’s breeches and boots and cambric shirt. With her hair worn long and tied back with a ribbon, she looked the complete hoyden-and she knew it, judging by her arch expression.
“Good afternoon, Heath,” she said blithely in greeting as she reached him.
Since her challenging smile dared him to object to her choice of apparel, Heath kept his response mild. “So what is the point of your unusual costume, sweeting?”
“I can hardly learn to fence dressed in skirts, can I? Breeches allow me comfort and freedom of movement. Moreover, they should make it easier for you to pretend I am a man.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Why the devil would I want to pretend you are a man?”
“So you won’t treat me as a mere female and coddle me as a weakling.”
She was gravely mistaken if she thought for one instant that he could ever think of her as a man. Those breeches only called attention to the lithe, feminine curves of her hips and legs, while her shirt molded the ripe swells of her breasts.
“You are not just dressing outrageously in order to put me off?”
Her laugh was low and delighted. “I confess the thought had crossed my mind. You don’t want a marchioness who wears such scandalous attire.”
Heath shook his head. Lily’s scandalous attire didn’t daunt him in the least. In truth, it was enjoyable, finding a woman who was more rash and rebellious in nature than he was. “You will discover that I am rather broadminded. I don’t plan to dictate your wardrobe when we are wed.”
“But society would care and condemn me as a Jezebel.”
“Not necessarily. The wealthy nobility are held to different standards than most denizens of society. If you wear breeches as my marchioness, you’ll more likely be termed an eccentric.”
His observation made Lily’s expression turn thoughtful, and Heath pressed his point. “Furthermore, as my wife, you will enjoy much more freedom than you are permitted now as an unmarried young lady. And I can assure you, life with me would never be dull. We can hold fencing bouts every day if you wish.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Not even that delightful prospect can tempt me, my lord.”
“You are to call me Heath, remember?”
“Oh, yes, then…Heath. Are those rapiers?” she asked, indicating the long leather case he carried.
“Yes, my practice foils. The blades are kept dull and the points are buttoned with leather safety tips.”
“Good.” She flashed him a bright smile. “I would not want to skewer you accidently.”
She could still catch him off guard with her smile, Heath thought, arrested by the dazzling sight. Indeed, her sparkle and vibrancy impacted him like no woman he had ever met.
Yet Lily seemed completely unaware of her uncommon charms. “Come,” she said, “the makeshift salon is this way.”
He followed her from the entrance hall toward the rear of the house, admiring the gentle sway of her derriere. The parlor she led him to was a fairly large room. The floor had been cleared to practice dance steps, the chairs and tables all pushed against the walls, the carpet rolled up to expose a shining wood surface.
“Will this suffice for my lesson?” Lily asked.
“It will do very well.”
Shutting the door behind him, Heath quietly turned the key in the lock. This was a rare opportunity to be alone with Lily, and he wanted no interruptions.
He intended to give her a much more potent lesson than mere fencing, though. For all her passionate nature, she was sexually innocent and badly needed awakening. Teaching her about physical pleasure, he surmised, would soften her defenses and make her more willing to wed him.
Smiling to himself in anticipation, Heath set his rapier case down on a table, then casually removed his coat and waistcoat and cravat.
“So where do we begin?” Lily wondered aloud as he opened the case.
“With the basics. Stance and handwork first. Then the fundamentals of movement and hitting. And finally simple attacks and defense. In some future lesson, we’ll cover tactics and strategy for beating your opponent, but for today we will keep it elementary.”
Withdrawing a long, slim foil, he let her examine the button that kept the sharp steel point from becoming deadly. Then he showed her the proper position for her body-right arm extended, foil raised, left arm bent upward. Next he demonstrated the basic elements-thrust and parry, feint, riposte, recovery, counter-parry, lunge-and had her practice each technique.
Heath enjoyed that he was able to touch her frequently, and admired the fact that Lily caught on quickly because of her agility and natural athleticism.
Lastly, he stood opposite her and taught her how to advance and retreat.
“Fencing is not unlike our game,” Heath commented as they slowly moved back and forth across the floor. “You engage and disengage and try to score a hit while keeping up your own defense.”
“I can see that,” Lily replied a little breathlessly. “Your skill is amazing,” she declared a while later when he allowed her to rest.
“A little more practice and you will be ready to take me on.”
She laughed outright. “It will take me a lifetime of practice to ever be a good enough match for you.”
Heath couldn’t agree with her. Lily was easily a match for him already. Not with foils, of course. But her zest
