How would she feel, then, if she deliberately went into his embrace and allowed him all the intimacy that she had given for four years in a marriage bed? How would she feel when he went away? When she saw him with another female in the doorway of his bedchamber? How would she cope with the turmoil that behavior so contrary to her upbringing and experience would cause? How would she ever look herself in the eye again?
Besides, there was no real debate in her mind, was there? She could not seriously be considering allowing the Marquess of Kenwood to seduce her. Not him of all people. What number would she be on his list of conquests?A very high number, doubtless.But not nearly as high as the woman of this time next year, or the year after that.
She would not be a number on anyone's list.
"What do you think, my lord?" Angela was asking breathlessly.
"Well," Lord Crensford said doubtfully, laying down his violin, "it will have to do, I suppose."
Diana climbed the stairs beside Angela a few minutes later.
"I can't do anything right as far as his lordship is concerned," Angela said. She sounded quite crestfallen.
"Ernest?" Diana said in surprise.
"He always frowns at me or outrightly scolds me," the girl said. "I don't think he has realized that I am no longer fourteen years old."
Diana squeezed her arm. "I don't see how he could have missed it," she said.
"I know I was a bother to him then," Angela said. "He was a dashing gentleman already, and I was just a nuisance of a young girl whom he was expected to entertain. I thought it might be different now. But I think he admires you. I wish I had your beauty.And your poise."
She ran the distance from the top of the stairs to her room and whisked herself inside before Diana could think of a response to make.
10
"Well," the Marquess of Kenwood said, looking around the empty music room the following morning and strolling toward the pianoforte, "it seems that this is our hour. I gather the countess has seen to it that all the others have business that will take them elsewhere for the duration of those sixty minutes."
"Yes, I believe so," Diana said.
"What has she done with Ernie? That is what I would like to know." He was thumbing through the pile of music to find their duet piece. "It must have taken some ingenuity to persuade him to leave you alone in my clutches for such a lengthy period of time."
''Angela wanted to explore the castle again.'' Diana smiled faintly. "And I believe the countess convinced her that this morning was a convenient time. Ernest had to accompany her, of course, to make sure she does not hurt herself among the ruins. Russell and Barbara have gone too."
"Ah," the marquess said, apparently intent on looking through the music. "I wonder Ernie did not first lock you in your room and pocket the key."
"I assured him that I would be quite safe," she said.
Lord Kenwood looked up from the music, one eyebrow raised, his eyes amused. "Did you indeed?" he asked. "Perhaps you would like to cross the room to the fireplace while you still may, Diana, and pick up the poker. It may be a little difficult to man the keyboard with it clutched in your hand, but you may very well need it if I decide to become amorous again."
She flushed, but her chin remained up and her eyes on his. "I wish to say something," she said.
His eyes were laughing. "Say on, my dear," he said. "We have a whole hour before it is the viscountess's turn to run through her scales."
"I am sorry," she said, "for what I said two days ago. I was at least as responsible forthat.. . embrace as you were, and it was hypocrisy to blame you as I did afterward and cast scorn on your morality. It was not fair."
His eyes traveled lazily down her slim frame, the sprigged muslin dress hinting at the feminine curves that he knew all about. "Oh, but it was very fair," he said. "You were quite right, you know, Diana. I did maneuver you into my arms, and I had every intention of kissing you if the opportunity arose. I had every intention of taking more liberties if I had the chance. Unfortunately I did not have the chance."
"Well," she said after an uncomfortable pause, "well, perhaps we should leave it at that."
His eyes were laughing again. "And perhaps in future it would be unwise to allow Ernie to let you off the leash," he said. "I want you, Diana Ingram. And if Ernie has told you that I am a dangerous man, then perhaps you should listen. For when all is said and done, Ernie does know something of the world and its ways."
"But you have one weakness," she said, completing her journey to the pianoforte and seating herself on the bench. "I have discovered it on more than one occasion."
His eyes and that one raised eyebrow mocked her.
"You cannot continue an embrace when you know your victim to be unwilling," she said, stretching out a hand for the music. "There is something of the gentleman in you after all. I believe I am safe."
He grinned slowly at her as he handed over the music. "From me, perhaps, my dear," he said. "But from yourself, Diana? I count on your weakness too, you see. Your very prim and ladylike demeanor hides a very unprim and unladylike zest for passion, I have discovered—on more than one occasion. Am I not right? However, fascinating as this discussion is becoming, I do believe we should turn our attention to this music. Since you and I and the pianoforte all finished at different moments the last time we tried it, and since the concert is tonight, I think we should put what remains of our hour to musical use."
