“Do you not think us beyond formality?” He cast another look in her direction. Their gazes clashed, and something gripped him, deep within.
Something unfathomable.
In her eyes, he could see the heat of awareness, the flare of remembrance. But then her gaze grew shuttered once more. “I think I have been inexcusably foolish where you are concerned, my lord.”
Yes, she had. And, likewise, so had he.
But her response filled him with disappointment just the same. He cleared his throat and returned his attention to the vista ahead of them. The sleigh drew softly, slowly over the snow. He was timing their outing with care. They could not be gone for too long. Just a few minutes more before he needed to turn around and return them to Abingdon House.
For all that he had gone beyond the bounds of propriety with her, committing the ultimate sin without benefit of matrimony, he was determined to keep her reputation as scandal-free moving forward as possible.
It would not do to encourage gossip to flourish. Thankfully, given the tight space of the open sleigh, the coldness of the air, and the festive nature of the house party, they had some latitude.
Just enough, he hoped.
“We have both been foolish,” he allowed then, “but I am attempting to set matters right.”
“By marrying me and gaining my fortune,” she said cynically. “And absolving your debt.”
“By marrying you so I can have you in my bed.” Just the thought sent a rush of heat to his loins. “In my arms. So I can kiss you whenever I wish.”
Silence descended between them once more, and he feared he had gone too far, that he had pushed too hard. Had he shocked her? He had not meant to be so forthright, but Eugie Winter did something to him. She had changed him.
“What a wicked thing for the Prince of Proper to say,” she murmured at last.
But she did not sound shocked.
Rather, she sounded intrigued.
“I suppose it is better to be wicked than to be a pompous bore,” he could not resist teasing.
A surprised burst of laughter left her for just a moment until she squelched it. “I was dreadfully rude to you at the welcome ball, was I not?”
Damn him, but the sound of her laughter curled around his heart, squeezing it tight. “We were rude to each other, as I recall.”
The time had come to turn the sled and begin making their way back to Abingdon House, and he already dreaded the hours they would spend apart. What was it about her that so bewitched him? That made him weak in a way no other woman before her ever had?
“I am sorry for insulting you,” she said quietly as he steered them in the direction from which they had come. “After Baron Cunningham spread such vicious gossip about me, I find myself distrusting everyone.”
Her candor pleased him, but the mention of Cunningham once more filled him with unanswered anger. Something had to be done about a blackguard who would stoop so low. Along with it, came guilt. For he had believed the gossip.
“And I am sorry for judging you before I knew you,” he returned.
He looked over just in time to catch her sending a small smile his way. “Thank you, Cam.”
It was not much, but as the sun glinted off the snow around them and the horses plodded back home, her use of his given name again at last rather felt like a victory.
The parlor gameof the evening was snapdragon, but Eugie was not in the mood to attempt to rescue a raisin from a brandy-soaked flame and risk catching the sleeve of her gown on fire in the process. Instead, she had wandered to the library, where pine boughs had been liberally hung in preparation for Christmas Day. A fire crackled merrily in the massive hearth, and braces of candles and chandeliers brightened the room with a warm glow.
It was all quite cozy and festive. But the beauty of it was lost upon her, for she was too caught up in her own musings. For several days now, Cam had been courting her. There was no other word to describe it. He was charming her.
Wooing her.
And her heart was having a difficult time resisting him.
As was the rest of her.
“I thought I may find you here.”
