Had she changed her mind about that? If she let Luke Watson lure her into indecency, where would she be when it was over?
Nowhere she wanted to be. She was certain of that one pertinent fact.
“I wasn’t sure of your preferences,” he said, “so I had my chef prepare a little of everything.”
“Well, I like everything, so you made a wise choice.”
There was a second table set up next to them, and it was covered with pans of hot food. A half-dozen footmen stood at attention, eager to be helpful.
He gestured to the food. “I thought we’d dine buffet style and serve ourselves.”
“That will be perfect.”
“Can I chase the footmen away? I’d like to have you all to myself without them hovering.”
“I guess you can chase them away. I can’t imagine you’d ravish me in your garden.”
“You might be surprised by what I’d attempt with you.” He waved toward the trees. “There’s a bench over there. We could commit all sorts of wicked acts on it, if I could lure you over there.”
“If that’s the case, I can guarantee I shall remain right where I am.”
He nodded to the footmen, and they trudged off, hating to depart. No doubt they were anxious to eavesdrop so they could gossip later in the kitchen. She and Luke were silent until they disappeared inside, but one of them was a sentinel at a window, ready to rush back if Luke motioned for assistance.
It would be lovely to be rich and pampered. Did he realize how fortunate he was? Probably not. In her experience, wealthy men took their affluence for granted. The more elevated the bloodline, the more convinced they were that they deserved every boon with which they’d been showered.
“Shall I fill a plate for you?” he asked. “Or will you join me to evaluate our options?”
“I believe I’d like you to wait on me hand and foot.”
He grinned a grin she felt clear down to her toes.
“If I spoil you rotten, will I win a prize?”
“Don’t be greedy.”
He went over to the buffet and snooped under the lids, then he peered over his shoulder. “They’ve brought enough to provision an army.”
“Then I shall be a disappointing guest. When I have to perform at night, I never eat much in the day. It makes me tired.”
“I’ll serve you tiny portions. What would you like? There are slices of beef and some fish in a white sauce. I see various steamed vegetables, a pudding, and two kinds of pie.”
“Let me sample all of it. We’ll decide if your chef is earning his wages.”
“I must admit I don’t really know. I’ve only just arrived in London myself. I’ve been off in the navy, remember? I haven’t had much of a chance to appraise any of my properties or servants.”
She noticed that he’d said properties, as in plural. Again, she thought it would be lovely to be rich. She wasted so much energy worrying about money, trying to hoard it, trying to accumulate a sufficient amount so she didn’t have to fret.
Her current situation was typical. She’d rented her house for three months, not being able to ever plan farther ahead than that. She liked the city and hoped she’d book plenty of work so they could stay where they were. If not, they might have to sign on with a traveling troupe where they’d journey around England, having to hunker down during the winter months and praying their funds lasted until spring.
She was never overly concerned about herself, but she had Simon and Fish to consider. She would never permit them to suffer. She would never leave them behind.
Luke carried over several plates, the food piled high and nearly falling off the edges. He placed two of them in front of her and two in front of his own chair, then he sat across from her and whipped out his napkin, laying it on his lap.
She was completely fixated on him, and she distracted herself by pouring them both a glass of wine. He lifted his and toasted her with it.
“Here’s to us,” he said.
She blanched. “Us? There is no us.”
“I’m declaring there is, and I always get my way.”
“Fine, you bully. Here’s to us.”
They clinked the rims together.
“And here’s to our new friendship,” he added.
“Are we friends?”
“Yes, and we’re going to become more than friends.”
“What would that indicate?” she asked. “I’m not marriageable material for you, so where would I fit in your life?”
“You could be my mistress,” he blithely announced.
“In some foreign world where corrupt people reside, that might happen. But in the world where I reside, it’s not in the cards.”
“We’ll see what you wind up giving me in the end.”
She snorted with amusement. “You’re so vain. Should I tell you how many men over the years have voiced a comment like that to me? It’s why I made you promise we wouldn’t quarrel when you can’t persuade me.”
“I don’t care how many there have been in the past. You didn’t like any of them as much as you like me. I might be worth it.”
The cocky statement had her laughing. “You are so full of yourself.”
“Yes, I always have been.”
He dug in ravenously, as if he’d been starving in a famine, and she was fascinated by every little detail: how he held his utensils, how he stuck his fork in his mouth, how he chewed.
She’d never dined intimately with a handsome gentleman before. Generally, she avoided this sort of encounter, and she still couldn’t deduce why she agreed to participate in this one. Pathetic as it was to admit, she simply liked him much more than she should.
Finally, he noticed she wasn’t eating, and he halted, his fork dangling in mid-air.
“Don’t you like the food?” he asked.
“It’s delicious,” she said, even though she hadn’t tried a single morsel.
“What’s wrong then?”
“All of this is too odd for me.” She gestured
