There was no winning this game. She knew she couldn’t keep him. But maybe it was all right to pretend, just for this fortnight.
As long as she was careful to remember that kissing was just kissing, she could keep the armor around her heart intact.
He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers with obvious reluctance. “The sun is setting. I have to return to the party.”
“I’ll go with you,” she said. “I have to check on Gertie.”
“What are your plans for tomorrow?”
“I’ve a date to gossip about you behind your back at four o’clock.”
“Before that,” he amended.
“Hmm.” She pretended to think it over. “I have a party I was planning not to attend.”
“Excellent,” he said. “I’ll go with you.”
She bit her lip to hide a wicked smile. “Only if you agree to do any activity of my choosing.”
“I’m going to regret this,” he muttered. “But yes. Anything.”
Cynthia kissed him.
Tomorrow, he would truly live.
Chapter 10
Cynthia Louise tried not to giggle as the Duke of Nottingvale’s skis bumped hers for the twentieth time as they smuggled the long wooden runners out through the rear servants’ exit.
“I’ve never sneaked out of my own house before.” Alexander had looked bewildered all morning. “You’re a bad influence.”
“I’m a terrible influence,” she agreed cheerfully. “It’s the best thing about me.”
Fortunately, the close proximity of the duke’s cottage to the castle meant they could hike up through the woods rather than conspicuously lug skis up the primary public road.
She had been disappointed but unsurprised when her cousin Gertie refused to take her still new skis for a practice slide. The idea had sent her straight into her burlap sack.
Cynthia had been delighted andverysurprised when the Duke of Nottingvale had agreed to the adventure. He had stuck by her side all morning.
She slanted him a suspicious look. “Are you doing this because you made the mistake of agreeing to ‘anything’ yesterday, and now feel it’s your ducal duty to honor your word?”
“No. I meant ‘anything.’” His brown eyes held hers. “I wanted to spend time with you.”
Oh.
Very well, then.
No more questions.
With her cheeks flushing with heat, Cynthia averted her gaze to the woods and pointed at a nearby break in the evergreens. “There. That’s our entrance to the castle.”
“How did you know?” He narrowed his eyes. “Have you sneaked through my servants’ access door before?”
She laughed, neither confirming nor denying the accusation. “I know because the only trick is to keep goingup. The castle is at the top of the mountain and so is our launching-off point.”
“Launching off,” the duke repeated. “This plan sounds worse by the second.”
“You can stay at the bottom of the hill and watch me have all of the merriment,” she offered.
