“Your eyes are pure silver in the moonlight,” he told her. “And you are easily the most beautiful woman here.”
“Am I?”
He couldn’t discern from her husky tone what she was feeling.Passion, perhaps?
“Yes. And easily the most captivating.” It was true. He’d known it from the moment he’d seen her in the rich wine-colored gown, making all those around her look washed out and wan. The ballroom’s massive chandeliers had made her honey-colored hair glow with a golden halo.
Without asking for permission, he leaned toward her and kissed her. She was motionless, at least for a second, and then her lips moved on his.
Groaning at her acquiescence, Adam slanted his mouth against hers and licked the satin seam of her lips, ready to dive in and taste her sweetness. He felt a fist slam into his gut.
“Ooph!”He didn’t double over, but he stood back in case her knee was coming next.
“How dare you!” she raged.
Was it possible both the trembling he’d felt and the passion in her voice had been from fury not desire?
“My apologies, Mrs. Malcolm. When you sought me out, running after me into the garden, I thought —”
He stopped and flinched when she reached forward. However, all she did was go for his pocket and snag the end of her shawl, entirely forgotten by him.
“Whatever you thought, you were wrong.” Turning heel, she ran just as quickly back inside.
“Bloody hell!” Adam swore viciously at his own stupidity. He had cocked that up for certain.
Adam sent his cardin the morning via a footman, asking if he might come calling the following day. Then he waited on tenterhooks. If the answer was no, Mrs. Malcolm had told her employer of his despicable behavior. If it was yes, then at least he would get his foot in the door. He wanted to apologize in person to the governess, and that would be made difficult, especially if he was confined to the drawing room sipping tea.
Which was precisely where he found himself. In a repeat of the previous visit, he was seated opposite Lady Beasley and Lady Susanne.
“I wanted to thank you personally for introducing me to others at the assembly,” he said to explain his visit.
“A pleasure, my lord. The entire evening was a delight, was it not?”
“Indeed,” he said, hoping to hear the bright tone of Mrs. Malcolm’s violin floating from the other room.
“I understand you danced together twice,” Lady Beasley said. “And now, here you are.”
He tugged at his cravat, which was suddenly choking him. She considered him to be a suitor, and in a way, he was. Lady Susanne was a solidly acceptable choice for a wife. He liked her company already both for her soft-spoken manner and her gentle ways. Moreover, she was a good dancer and smiled a great deal. She was pretty in a sweet, cherubic way, and he might become fond of her if he spent more time in her company.
What’s more, his sisters would like her, and his mother would be especially pleased if he made a match with her friend’s daughter.
However, that didn’t change the fact that he’d kissed Mrs. Malcolm, nor how his thoughts were even then wandering to her silvery-green eyes and her full lips.
“The musicians were fine,” he said, trying to come up with something to say, “and yes, I believe we did dance twice.”
“And the supper was better than expected, Mother,” Lady Susanne said. “The spread in the Tea Room contained everything from absolutely transparent broth to sandwiches to the most delicious little cake squares.”
Lady Beasley nodded. “No thick, white pottage and stale bread?” she quipped.
Adam ignored their conversation and craned his head to see past them to where the door at the far end stood open. If only Mrs. Malcolm would come into view, then he would rise to his feet and, in some way, impart his apology even if only with his eyes.
A shadowy figure was down the other end, he thought, although it might be his dire imaginings.
“What did you think, my lord?” came Lady Beasley query.
Was she still talking about the food?“It was as good as any at a London ball, to be sure.”
They stared at him.
