“That you are a scoundrel. That you have had absolutely fascinating adventures. That you are a danger to all decent women.”
“And you are not afraid of being held in my arms?”
She lifted an innocent gaze to meet his. “In front of all these people, my lord? What harm could possibly come to me?”
“None, I assure you,” he said, though a wicked gleam of amusement in his eyes said otherwise.
“I would like to hear of your adventures sometime, my lord. I have always longed to see something of the world.”
“If I were to have my lady’s permission to call, perhaps we could talk of faraway places while we go for a carriage ride. The weather is fine now.”
Abby lifted her gaze to his, her glance deliberately bolder than before. “Perhaps you would share one such tale with me now. I long for a breath of air. The room has grown quite close.” She regarded him imploringly. “If you wouldn’t mind escorting me to the balcony, my lord? There is one quite nearby.”
He remained silent for some time and Abby thought for sure that her scheme was unraveling. When she dared to meet his eyes again, she saw that he was studying her thoughtfully.
“I wonder just what it is you are up to, my lady?”
“Up to, my lord?” she repeated, feigning what she hoped was just the right touch of indignation. “Do you accuse me of scheming?”
“I accuse you of nothing,” he protested. “It is just that I find your request most intriguing, especially in light of all the warnings you have obviously had about me. Who is it that you are defying?”
“I defy no one, my lord.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I seek only to please myself.”
The laughter she had heard so often as others charmed him filled the air again. The sound warmed Abby in a most unexpected way. She began to wonder if she had taken into account the possibility of her own susceptibility to the Earl of Wilton’s charms.
“Then by all means, let us go outside where it is cooler,” he said, tucking her arm through his and leading the way.
Abby saw, with a sense of satisfaction, that several eyebrows lifted at the sight of their departure. There was a sudden silence along their path, then a flurry of startled murmurs. It was all quite gratifying. It seemed she had judged the situation quite correctly. There was no way that the Earl of Drake would not be made aware of what was happening practically under his very nose. Hopefully he, and not her papa, would choose to remedy the situation. It was the one aspect of all this that she had not considered too closely.
Outside, standing in the shadows, she breathed in the sweetly scented summer air and congratulated herself on the success of her plan thus far. Now all that was left was to persuade the Earl of Wilton to steal a kiss.
The timing, of course, was everything. It wouldn’t do if the kiss came too soon, before Drake’s arrival. Nor would it do for them to be just on the verge of such a brazen act when interrupted. There would be no scandal at all in that. In fact, Drake would be considered quite the hero for having rescued her and thereby preventing a disaster.
She realized now that she had counted on the Earl of Wilton’s reputation to carry them forward from this point, but what if he did not? What if he was no rake at all? Worse and not to be borne, what if he didn’t find her the least bit attractive, the least bit desirable? Perhaps he was only humoring her, because for the moment he found her intriguing, a bit of a puzzle, but nothing more.
She met his gaze and a sudden chill sped down her spine. A woman could lose herself in the mysterious depths of those green eyes. No doubt scores of women had done just that, finding their hearts conquered before they knew what he was about. She had no intention of losing her heart to him. The only thing she intended to lose tonight was one unwanted fianc;aae.
Unfortunately she couldn’t get even a tiny glimpse of what was happening inside the ballroom. The Earl of Wilton had deftly maneuvered them in such a way that the interior of the house was not in view. Nor could they be seen from inside, no doubt. The Earl of Drake could be rushing toward the balcony even now. Or he could be happily chatting with his cronies, unaware that his betrothed was about to allow herself to be seduced. Abby prayed to heaven that Lizzy had the wits necessary to send him hurrying to his lady’s defense.
“Now that we are here, my lady, I cannot help but once again wonder what is on your mind?” the Earl of Wilton said, regarding her with evident curiosity. The steady, intense appraisal gave her very pleasant goose bumps, not at all like those Martin had aroused.
“Nothing more than the summer air, my lord,” she assured him, while gazing purposefully at his well-formed mouth in the hope that the direct stare would set him on the right path.
“Is that so?” he said softly, doubtfully, his gaze locked on her lips exactly as she had planned. “I wish I knew for certain if you know precisely what you are about?”
“Most assuredly,” she responded, suddenly surprisingly breathless.
His lips curved in a devastating smile that revealed a most beguiling dimple. “One thing you should know about me, Lady Abigail, is that I cannot abide disappointing a lady.”
Thank heavens, Abby thought to herself. “Is that so, my lord?” she whispered in a choked voice.
He raised a hand until his fingers could trace the contours of her face, the touch gentle, persuasive. “Is this what you would like of me?” he inquired lazily. “A tender caress and no more?”
Stunned by the
