“I very much want a dog of my own.”
Despite moving closer a second earlier, perhaps to drop another kiss upon her lips, Malcolm leaned back, looking astounded as if she’d said she wished for an exotic giraffe or her own ship. Surely a dog was a reasonable wish.
“A dog?” he echoed, and his mouth lifted in an attractive grin. “Any particular type? Something for hunting perhaps? Or protection? Or chasing wild boar?”
She laughed. “Not a dog with any purpose. Just for being good company, I suppose. For walking with and stroking. And even for hugging.”
“Hugging,” he repeated, his tone incredulous.
She sighed. “Dogs are warm and soft, and they make me laugh. I feed the mongrels in my grandparents’ courtyard, yet I don’t know why we have so many milling about.”
He chuckled. “Because you feed them, silly girl.”
Oh!She hadn’t thought of it like that. He was right, of course. When she’d first moved into her grandparents’ flat, she’d only noticed one sandy-colored dog, and she’d given it scraps. Soon there had been two, then three, then the small pack that had taken up residence. No one seemed to mind. In fact, she’d seen other tenants feeding the good-natured mutts who were often simply lying in the sun on the warm stones of the central courtyard.
“In any case,” she persisted, “I want my own dog, one I can name and leash and bring indoors with me.”
“Dogs are so permanent when one actually owns the beast,” Malcolm pointed out. “They tie a man down. It means one must stay put.”
Odd how he would say that. Serena supposed it cut to the heart of being a rake, the very image of which was a man who didn’t want to stay with one woman.
“And a wife doesn’t do that? Tie a man down, I mean?” she asked, trying to make light of it.
Cocking his head, looking so disarmingly handsome he practically stole her breath, he said, “I wouldn’t know, having not yet had a wife. Nor am I particularly eager to find out.”
Yet Malcolm seemed to think a little dog would be reason enough to settle down. He was a riddle indeed, one Serena wished she had more time to understand.
Taking in this scrap of information, however, she reminded herself firmly he was not suitable for marriage. She ought to cease at once the fond feelings that had been steadily growing inside her, strengthening each time she was in his company.
While pondering this, the carriage came to a halt.
“Thank you,” he said, sounding entirely genuine, “for your help.”
“You’re welcome.” She wanted to thank him for kissing her so perfectly and bit her tongue to stay silent and proper.
After he helped her down like a gentleman, she let him take her into the central courtyard of the apartments, past the concierge’s little hut. Even the stray dogs were already sleeping.
At the foot of the staircase leading to her grandparents’ home on the second floor, she stopped him.
“I’ll go alone from here, monsieur.Bonsoir.”
He hesitated. “I would like to see you again, but I can’t think of an excuse.”
Serena simply could not keep herself from smiling at his honesty, as the thrill of conquest raced through her.He enjoyed her company, too!
Then he added, “But I can think of nowhere we can be alone except my garret.”
Her exaltation plummeted. He had one thing upon his virile, rakish mind. She would not behave in such a manner again, leaving him with the wrong impression just before she disappeared from Paris.
“Only because I don’t think after tonight, you should be seen with me,” Malcolm said by way of explanation, softening her impression that he was merely trying to get her into his bed. “Too many men saw me with Versanne tonight, and you with both of us.”
“But those men were prisoners. They are not our enemies,” she protested.
He shook his head. “We don’t know who they are, only that the emperor thought them a danger.”
Malcolm was a cautious member of the British spy network, and she was too careless, as evident by her prior actions.
“You are right,” she said.
