Alexandra jumped as Kilcairn materialized out of the dark hallway behind her. “My goodness!” she whispered when her heart resumed beating. “You frightened me half to death!”
“If you hadn’t been concentrating so intently, you might have heard me stomping up behind you.”
She couldn’t imagine him stomping anywhere. “You are supposed to simply apologize.”
“For your lack of attention?”
Alexandra sighed. “You’re up and about early,” she amended.
“So are you.”
“Shakespeare and I are taking a walk.”
The earl moved a step closer. “With Sally or Marie.”
“Of course.”
He reached out and touched her cheek. “A pity.”
She sternly stopped herself from leaning into his gentle caress. “Lord Kilcairn, there is something I need to make clear to you.”
His fingers dropped. “First, let me make something clear to you, Alexandra. I want you. I desire you. But I am not some mindless beast, nor am I an idiot. You are in my employ. I willaskyou—a few more times. I won’t order you. After that,youwill have to askme.” He leaned still closer, favoring her with the sensual smile that was so different from his cousin’s open, affable expression. “But I will say yes.”
“And what about the kissing, my lord?” she whispered, hoping the Delacroix ladies were still abed, and that he wouldn’t realize—or at least he wouldn’t admit that he knew—that she was asking for his embrace.
“The kissing,” he repeated, his gaze lowering to her mouth. “Yes, that, too.” Leaning down, he brushed her lips in a featherlight kiss that immediately left her aching for more.
He straightened, and she nearly toppled over as his mouth left hers. Hurriedly she righted herself. “My lord,” she said shakily.
“Just ask me if you want another,” he said, grinning.
“You are very arrogant,” she snapped.
“Yes.” Lucien stepped around her, bending down to pet Shakespeare as he passed.
For a moment Alexandra had to close her eyes and concentrate on breathing. Lucien probably thought he had shocked her, but she appreciated his blunt words. The problem was that his lessons were so much more interesting than hers.
Since she was headed the same way, not following him down the stairs seemed foolish. “Where are you going so early this morning, my lord?” she asked, as they reached the foyer and Wimbole appeared with the earl’s caped greatcoat. “Surely you don’t rise this early to ride.”
He accepted his coat and hat from the butler. “Unfortunately, I won’t be riding this morning. I’m going on a picnic.” Kilcairn flashed her his devastating smile again. “Jealous?”
Alexandra flushed, very conscious of the apparently deaf Wimbole. “I am only curious about which duties and attentions to your cousin you mean to neglect today.”
His expression immediately darkened. “All of them, if possible,” he snapped.
Wimbole hurriedly pulled open the front door, and the earl strode out to his phaeton and a waiting groom. A moment later the horse and carriage left the drive at a fast trot.
“A picnic?” she repeated skeptically, trying to decide whether she was more frustrated or annoyed with the earl. “At six o’clock in the morning? Whom does he think he’s fooling?”
“Mrs. Halloway the cook packed the basket herself,” the butler unexpectedly contributed, as he closed the door again. “Sally will be present to accompany you in just a moment.”
“That’s fine.” Alexandra donned her own heavy cloak. Her attention on the front door and the departed earl, she fastened the wrap’s single clasp at her neck. “It seems awfully early for luncheon, don’t you think?”
“His lordship said I shouldn’t expect him back until evening. I would surmise that wherever he’s going is some distance away, or that he had other business to see to first.”
“He didn’t inform you of his destination?”
The butler smiled briefly. “Lord Kilcairn keeps his own counsel, Miss Gallant.”
