Darcy stood. My eyes immediately began roaming.
"You are ogling me."
"Your powers of observation are most extraordinary, Darcy. It must be your scientific turn of mind which gives you such perspicacity."
He teasingly gave the coverlet another tug in response.
"You keep your naughty books under your bed?" I asked as he knelt down and extracted a large box (much more promising) from beneath the four-poster.
"I did. I am going to move them because I know you are relentless and will sneak into them if I do not."
I could not refute this.
Still on the floor (and still deliciously nude) he selected a tome from the box.
"Here is your book."
I took the offering. "Tom Jones,"I said, reading the cover. To add insult to injury it was only the first volume. "Not fair."
"You did not specify." He was most proud of himself.
"You, sir, are dishonorable."
"Indeed," he replied. Then he grabbed the coverlet away leaving me bare."And you, my dear, are beautiful."
I snatched it back, covering myself once more.
"Tom Jonesdoes not count and you know it!"
"It was not originally part of my collection, no. I hid it to keep it away from Henrietta."
"You played me false."
"It is hardly my fault you are a poor bargainer, Lizzy." It was the first time he had called me Lizzy and I might have taken a moment to revel in the lovely sound of it from his lips if I had not been so determined to have my way.
I leaped at the box. I had to reveal my bare bottom in the process, but sometimes delicacy must be sacrificed in the pursuit of education. The exposure proved enough of a distraction, I reached the box before Darcy could stop me. Grabbing the first item my hand fell upon I yanked it from the box. It was a folio and the contents flew out, scattering everywhere.
"You have naughty pictures as well," I said picking up the nearest engraving.
"I collected those years ago—at university," he said. He was as shamefaced as a child caught sneaking sweets from the kitchen.
"I'm sure," I said, examining my catch. "This couple is copulating like livestock, rather how I thought it would be done actually. Can we try it like this?"
Darcy looked as though his cravat was too tight, except of course he was completely naked. He also appeared more aware of his nudity than he had been previously, he took greater pains to cover himself before finally answering, "Yes, of course."
"And this?" I asked holding up another illustration.
"Yes."
"And this?"
"At your service."
"Good Lord, perhaps not like that."
He made as if to snatch the pages away from me, but then dropped his hand before he could execute the attempt. Clearly he knew me well enough to know any endeavors to stop me would only further my determination to see every illustration. "You are going to shockyourself so completely you never allow me to visit your garden again," he said.
"Oh, this one depicts two ladies and one gentleman. And here, two gentleman and one lady," I said, tilting my head this way and that as I looked at the engraving, trying to understand what exactly was meant to be happening. It seemed the addition of another participant rather complicated things.
