“The places you want to visit too?”
She nodded, and turned the page. “I expect you have been to most of them.”
“Not as many as you may think. Like most men my age, a grand tour became difficult with the war. I did go over after it ended. I visited Venice and Florence, but I did not go to Padua, for example.”
“I still envy you.”
He reached around her and turned another page. “You will get there. I do not doubt it.”
She did not see the new picture. His closeness distracted her. His confidence that she would achieve her dreams touched her. She wished she had such faith in herself. He could not know how for a woman the passage of time alone eroded one’s self-confidence.
His breath warmed her neck and shoulder when he reached to turn the page again. She controlled the way her body trembled only by drawing on all of her force of will.
She closed the book and turned in her chair. She pulled her blue wrap tighter. “I think I will go to my chamber now.”
“Not yet.” He held out his hand, to help her to stand. “Sit for a while, and reassure me that my family did not overwhelm you.”
She should go. Every instinct shouted that she should.
She accepted his hand. He led her over to a divan. She sat. He sat beside her.
The pulse of her heart seemed to throb out of her and right into the air. What had already occurred betweenthem existed in the small space that separated their bodies, begging for attention. Even at fifteen she would have felt the lure Ives had become since he joined her in the library, and she was far older now, and hardly ignorant.
“I enjoyed our little dinner party,” she said. “I was not overwhelmed. Eva has been only kind, and it is a revelation to see how three brothers treat one another when they are not being watched by anyone who matters.”
“I will not accept your description of yourself.”
“I meant that no serious guests were present, to interfere with your camaraderie and jokes. You all could be as outspoken as you wanted. I doubt you behave the same when you are among your equals at London dinner parties or balls.”
“I suppose we did let our guard down, despite your presence. We have not all been together in some months.”
“I am glad no one stood on ceremony. If conversation had remained formal and steady, I would have wondered if it was because of me and felt bad for robbing the reunion of its joy.”
He turned toward her. His arm rose to rest on the back of the divan. “They are all curious about you.”
“What did you tell them?”
“Nothing about your father. I explained that you are a damsel in distress who needed to leave London for a while. I also told them that you are not my mistress.”
“Wouldn’t they recognize your mistress?”
“Not currently, since there isn’t one.”
She took more pleasure in hearing that than she should have.
His gaze shifted to the top of her head. She felt vague movements in the hair on her crown, as his fingertips toyed with some curls. The small stimulation sent happy chills down her spine.
“They also wonder if I intend to seduce you.”
“Don’t they know you don’t seduce?”
“It is not something I have explained to them. Even if I had, bringing you here would make them speculate. Lance is suspicious enough that he has forbidden it.”
“I am trying to picture him saying that.” She laughed. “I suppose if the duke forbids it, I am safe.”
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I don’t think so.” He kissed again. “I do not indulge Lance during his fits of hypocrisy.”
She did not pretend she did not like those soft kisses.
