“Ahem.” He cleared his throat loudly.
Caroline whirled around to face him; the fan pointed directly at his chest, her eyes narrowed. He raised his hands in the air in a gesture of peace. When she saw him, her rigid stance softened. Her hand dropped, and she let out a long breath.
“What are you doing sneaking up on me?”
“What are you doing out in the maze without your chaperone?” he countered.
“Why are you always so concerned about my whereabouts?” One raven eyebrow arched.
He shrugged and ignored her question. “Where is your panting suitor? Devonshire, right? He almost knocked me over in his haste to seek you out when he arrived.”
Caroline let out a snort of laughter. “I doubt a giant could knock you over, sir.” She sat down on the bench. “I’ve just escaped his endless nattering. I don’t know why he doesn’t pick one of those other nitwits who always laugh at his innuendo to pursue.”
Cage approached the bench. “May I?” She nodded, and he sat next to her in the shade of the boxwood hedge. “So Devonshire won’t be lucky number thirteen?”
She blew out a long breath. “So you’ve heard?”
“That you have turned away a dozen proposals of marriage? Yes, I’ve heard.” He glanced sideways at her and saw a pink blush creep across her cheeks. Her earrings swung to and fro as she tipped her head down to stare at the buttons of her satin gloves.
Then her head popped up. Her blue eyes met his. “Yes, I have received quite a few offers of marriage. I have the luck of having a kind brother who would never force me to choose someone I do not wish. Not that it is any of your business.” Her chin jutted out.
It was, of course, never any of his business. And she was right, but this was his opportunity to get her opinion on the many gentlemen who made up his suspect list. So he couldn’t help but goad her, just a bit. “They all seem like decent fellows.” He shrugged.
And his casual shrug sparked that fire in her eyes, just as he hoped. She stood abruptly. “Oh, you think so, do you? Well, let me enlighten you.” She held up one finger. “First was Hughes, an inveterate gambler. My mother knew his mother, and let me tellyou, women talk. Andrew put a stop to that offer quickly. Blyth has no backbone. I’m not interested in leading my husband around by the nose. Danville wanted my money. He’s perfectly happy with his American heiress anyhow.” She began pacing, her heels crunching in the pea gravel. “Gaylord, mean to his horse.” Her fan made a slashing motion through the air.
“Smythe, he was in love with someone else, of whom his family disapproved. I heard they ran away together to Belgium or something.” She waved a hand around before continuing to raise a finger for each gentleman. “Linkwood wanted my money. Grendel, too ridiculous about fashion, can’t have a husband that dresses better than me. Corby wanted my money. Benson, far too pious.” Her nose wrinkled. “Elverson, sweet but so dumb. Yates wanted my money. Tennyson wanted my money.” She rolled her eyes. “And Devonshire looks at me like he owns my body already. He makes my skin crawl.”
Her arms swung out wide. “And that’s the whole list. What can I say; I’m selective.”
Cage whistled low and long. “That’s an impressive list.” He stood and walked over until they stood toe to toe. “A whole list of fools if they couldn’t figure out what you really need.”
He stared down at her. She drew in a deep breath, causing her breasts to strain against the satin fabric of her dress. What he wouldn’t give to run one finger down the creamy column of her neck to the lacy edge of that dress.
“And what’s that?” she asked.
When he looked up from her cleavage, she snared his gaze. Her eyes filled with the same need he felt low in his gut. But now was not the time, and this woman was not for him to plunder. She was an assignment.
He bent to whisper in her ear. “Adventure.”
Chapter 13
Adventure? Yes, she craved that. His voice was like a promise, his warm breath in her ear causing her to shiver. She stared up into his golden-brown eyes, distracted by the molten heat there. But losing her head to passion only led to trouble.
Caroline took a step back. “It’s more than adventure that I crave. It’s purpose. How can one go through life and never have had an impact on anyone, on anything? I need to be more than a commodity. That’s what all those other gentlemen were lacking. They never saw me.”
Morgen gazed at her for a long moment. He didn’t argue or try to convince her she was silly. He simply nodded once. Then he held out his arm, “Let’s get you back to the party.”
They walked back through the maze toward the noise of chatter and laughter. At a bend, she tugged Morgan’s arm as he tried to lead them left. “This way will let us out further down. It will be a less conspicuous exit.”
“How do you know the maze so well?” he asked.
“Lady Davenport is a good friend of mine, so I have visited often. In fact, I introduced her to her husband. My matchmaking skills are excellent.” She grimaced. “Of course, I tried to match Davenport with Vivian once upon a time, but nobody’s perfect.” She winked at Morgan.
He grinned. “Caroline Langdon is not perfe…” A loud complaint interrupted him from the other side of the hedge.
“I never get invited to the Bacchanal.” A man’s voice whined.
“That’s because it’s the kind of party you cannot bring your wife too, Grendel. And Devonshire knows she keeps you on a short leash.” Loud male laughter followed.
