She released the abused lip and soothed it with her tongue, making it all the harder for him to concentrate on anything but her.
“I wish for you to pick a page,” she said.
Pleased for something to do, he opened the book to a random page. “Here, page—”
“No, don’t tell me.” She snatched the book back from him. Her eyes skimmed the page with rapid speed, the same way she’d inspected Randell’s books. With a curt nod, she pushed it back to him. “Now please look at it.”
As he stared down at the words, she began to recite the page verbatim. When she was three quarters complete, Langdon stopped reading and stared at her, confused and awestruck over what she just demonstrated. There had to be a reasonable explanation. “Did you write this book? Are you Mrs. Elliott?”
“Me, Mrs. Elliott? No, I am not Mrs. Elliott. I wish I had her talent, but no, I am not she.” She shifted in her seat, her chest moving more quickly in her agitation. From the way she continued to struggle, her upcoming confession was not easy for her. “I see things and they stick in my mind. It has always driven my father crazy for I... never mind.”
He stared at her, speechless, unsure how to respond to such a revelation. She had proven the claim not a minute past, thus he could not discount her word. “You have a gift most would envy.”
“I have a curse, you mean. I am, well, I am too intelligent for a female.” Head down, she twirled the ring on her finger.
There was a quarter-moon shaped scar on her thumb. He clasped her hand in his and brought it to his lips, unable to stomach her self-doubt. Since first meeting her, she had projected a strong will and inflexible constitution. The vulnerable woman made him wish to bring her into his arms and comfort her. He had no right to do so. “Who told you such nonsense? Your husband?”
“No, I never told Harold, or anybody else. Society frowns upon a woman being more than a wife and mother. As you well know, no man, no matter his station, appreciates a female who can perform advance mathematics or can memorize a whole book from front to finish in less time than it takes most to read the first paragraph.” Her voice rose in anguish lined with resentment. She had rallied her spirits since his arrival and the sight gave him a sense of relief.
An odd emotion to feel on his part, but there it was. “You’re right on that score and it is a shame, really. I have had the fortune to know many women who have more to discuss then fashion or gossip.”
Admiration lit her eyes. “Then you are indeed an exceptional gentleman.”
“Tell me Mrs. Adare, what other talents are you keeping from me?” The warmth in her regard sent shots of longing into his core. Sunshine broke through the clouds, the heat from the sun rivaling the spark of need she evoked in him.
Elizabeth laughed, looking young and free of spirit after her confession. “I can ride of course, am a decent shot, an excellent bowman, and I fence well.”
Her smile pulled him in. He leafed through the book he still held, trying to get ahold of his attraction to the lovely widow. He had to get them back to a solid foundation and out of the mire that entrapped his will. “I see by your choice of reading material you enjoy a good novel.”
With a mischievous grin, she admitted, “I like a bit of intrigue.”
“Strange, I would never have guessed this about you.” Or the fact that she would have this kind of invisible hold on him.
The playfulness in her manner eclipsed her earlier sadness. Her amusement was contagious despite the burden she carried. If he could lift it from her petite shoulders, he would. “I am a woman with many secrets, Langdon,” she said.
“Or a diamond with many facets.”
“Are you telling me I am hard and cold?” Elizabeth asked, her eyes twinkling.
Langdon found his gaze drawn to her lips, and his voice softened to a mere whisper. Throwing caution to the wind, he cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing her bottom lip. “I have held you in my arms and I can tell you with emphatic confidence, there is nothing hard about you, save your head.”
He kissed the corner of her mouth, and she raised her hand at his caress, her fingers fluttering against his chest. Ever since their first encounter, he yearned for a repeat. Today, he had his wish. He played his mouth over her parted one, increasing the pressure with every sweep of her seeking lips.
A bee fluttered against his ear, the buzzing sound alerting him to trouble. Alarmed, he lifted his head, careful not to move too quickly lest the bee sting him. “I seem to have attracted a curious bee, or I pray it is curious and not bent on mischief. Is it still flying around us?”
“No, it appears to be gone,” she said. She pushed away from him, the moment of intimacy lost but never forgotten. “I realize you don’t want to me to explore Mr. Pike’s office tonight, but now you see why I must be there.”
“I never said I was breaking into Pike’s office.” He slipped a hand behind his neck and rubbed, too distracted by her luscious body to think about his mission. He had sworn after Maria that he would never mix business with pleasure again. With Mrs. Adare, he was powerless not to.
“But you had planned on it.”
“You are the most aggravating woman,” Langdon said. The smile he couldn’t stop from forming belied his words. She was adept at reading his mind and he wasn’t sure if he liked the uncanny ability to guess his moves before he was sure of them himself. He might as well give into the inevitable.
“I beg you don’t fight me on this. You know I am right.”
“If I say yes, I have some rules and they are non-negotiable.” If he couldn’t dissuade her, he would try to gain some concessions to assure her safety. “You will promise to follow my directions without question.”
“What if you’re incapacitated?” Head tilted, she studied him with shrewd eyes
