“No, no, a few more instructions first before you practice—if I can survive the practice.”
She grinned and twirled a lock of her hair around her finger in a coy manner. “If you keep saying things like that, I might think you’ve lured me here for other reasons.”
He smiled. “Nowthatis a perfect remark for your target. Remember it when you have him at your mercy again.”
Was he joking? “I wasn’t thinking about him.”
He ran a hand through his loose hair in a frustrated manner before giving her a pointed look. “Yes, you were. You don’t want me to think otherwise or we won’t accomplish a bloody thing tonight.”
Her pulse began to race. He was doing it again, implying that she tempted him, yet keeping his distance. He didn’t really want to give these lessons, not when he continued to say or show that he wanted her for himself. He was being so utterly magnanimous in offering to help her in this way. She shouldn’t be making it harder for him.
She pursed her lips and sat back in her chair. “Do continue.”
He nodded. “Now if you find yourself alone with your reluctant fiancé, perhaps on a terrace, you can be bolder, move in close and give him that suggestive smile you demonstrated earlier. And remember to keep gazing into his eyes as you do it. Debutantes will look away, blush, display their nervousness in obvious ways, but you won’t be doing any of that, at least not with him.”
She chuckled. “I’m not sure I’ve ever done any of that.”
“No, you are certainly not the typical debutante. I suppose you have Nestor to thank for that?”
“My father,” she corrected.
“Really?”
She shrugged. “He allowed me to behave as I liked, not as I ought to.”
He smiled. “I’m not sure he did you a favor in that—well, as far as preparing you for normal situations. However, for your particular purpose, you are lucky to be accustomed to boldness and daring. You can be assured that Daniel might be beyond the pale in boldness, so you need to be prepared for that, which we shall address in a moment. For the last minor lessons, always modulate your voice when you’re with him. No matter how angry he might make you, don’t join the fight.”
“I’ve already been practicing that.”
“I’m sure you have. And you could compliment him if the opportunity arises, merely to disconcert him, but as it happens, women aren’t the only ones who like to be told how nice they look. Oh, and end your encounter before he does, just walk away from him without looking back. If he wants you, that will leave him wanting you more.”
“That’s the problem, he doesn’t want me.”
“Yet. But don’t leave if it will make him think you’re angry or shocked by him. That will just make him assume he’s won the ‘you can’t have me’ game.”
“Is it a game to him?”
“Probably not. As I said, by all accounts, he’s too jaded.”
“Are you?”
He grinned. “Not in the least.”
“Do you know why he is?”
“Not exactly, but it would be my guess that over a decade of debauchery has something to do with it.”
She frowned thoughtfully. “But that can’t be the only reason why he steadfastly refuses to marry when he is his father’s only legitimate heir.”
“If there is a deeper reason you will need to ask him, but I wouldn’t advise doing so when it could backfire and incite his rage—and I really don’t think you want to deal with an enraged Rathban.”
She had to agree because her family had been sundered by an enraged Rathban. But Monty added, “There is actually another factor that might account for his confirmed bachelorhood, one similar to my own.”
“Oh?”
“An abundance of heirs, well, at least in my case. My siblings have already given my parents a number of grandchildren, giving me the perfect excuse to steer clear of a wife.”
Lucky you, she almost said sarcastically, but the last thing she wanted to do was show disappointment in regard to his own confirmed state of bachelorhood. So she merely rejoined, “But Daniel doesn’t have siblings, does he?”
