“The easiest way to find you, is that what you’re telling me?”
She affirmed that with a nod. “Tonight, after charades.”
“Hmm. Yes. I will have to replace my copy of Shakespeare and find another book to read.”
“You always were a fast reader,” she added, complicit in his fiction.
“More than that, my sweet lady, I will be your finest lover.”
Her knees went weak at his promise.
He pressed her to the book shelves and spread kisses over her jaw and down her throat. He caressed her breast, his thumb stroking her nipple to a high hard point. If they continued, she would allow him anything. And do it here, too.
“Tonight,” she said, cupping his jaw, grasping at a diversion. “Cleopatra.”
“I’m sorry.” He raised his head, his gaze clouded with desire. “What?”
“You could be Caesar and I would be Cleopatra.”
He threw back his head and hooted. “Do I get to roll you out in a rug?”
“And conquer the world?”
He grasped her hand and pressed it to his heart. “My darling, with you, I could fly to the moon.”
“Ahem!”
They both froze and turned toward the sound of footsteps headed past them.
“Good afternoon, my dears!” Lady Bridgewater, book tucked under one arm, waggled her fingers at them. In the dim candlelight, her smiling face looked like a crinkled parchment with two dashes of rouge. “Do carry on. I am—” She pointed toward the hall. “Leaving.”
At the click of the doors, Penn put her forehead to his chest and laughed in horror.
“Look at me, Cleopatra.” He snickered. “I haven’t had such fun in years.”
She snorted and gave him one gentle kiss as promise for the night to come. “Find a suitable rug, darling.”
“And when I do?”
“Rewards await us both after you roll me out!” She waved a hand at him and strode up the staircase, laughing more than she had in years.
* * *
One fact he did note as she left him was that for the first time when she walked away from him, she was not running. Nor was she tripping.
He grinned. An omen, it was, that she was headed in the right direction! Into his arms.
Chapter 5
The second their scene of Cleopatra and Caesar ended, Penn picked up her skirts and rushed away. With polite excuses to Theo and then to Gertrude, the countess, she hurried toward her rooms and the only thing she had obsessed about all day long.
She’d prepared for it, too. Extensively. Early this morning, she’d found Simms in his pantry counting the silver for luncheon and she’d ordered a service of tea for ten o’clock in her rooms. Dear man, as butler, he was honor-bound not to tell anyone she requested a large pot, two cups, a few biscuits and orange marmalade, plus a decanter of brandy and two glasses. A few hours later, she’d feigned a headache and instructed her maid that this evening, she’d have her dress her but not undress her. Her maid raised her eyebrows at that. After all, Penn was never ill and to have a megrim at a house party—thishouse party which she always enjoyed immensely—was very odd. But the maid complied with a word that if Penn improved and wished her help, she need only reach for the bell pull.
She’d sailed down the stairs to the gathering before dinner attired in a gown she’d ordered new for this occasion. Bright pink with an overskirt ofwhite tissue, the satinmolded to her breasts. She’d ordered the maid to leave her gown’s laces loose and give her room to breathe. Ease of movement was what she said she wished but ability to get out of her corset and folderol with more facility was what she needed. And she needed all of that. Because simply to gaze upon Theo during any minute of that day had been torture, delight and an unbearable temptation to grab his hand and disappear with him into the bliss of his arms.
But she’d refrained. She’d been good all day long. Appropriate. Polite to all. A star guest, chatting with all, reminiscing with many about their Christmases past and what the new year would bring now that Bony had gone to St. Helena, forever more. She lunched, she played a set of whist, she took herself off to the library and pretended to read.
Theo had appeared, winking at her as he strode to the far corner to supposedly search for a book.
