She grabbed his arm. “You mustn’t.”
“Henrietta, it’s the best way. Let’s see what he has to say.” His expression turned hard. “If he hedges, I’ll know.”
It thrilled her when he acted so decisively, but she shook her head. “We cannot let him know we suspect him.”
“I’ll handle him.”
Henrietta studied his face. Once the charming gentleman was stripped away, he became someone else. Someone she didn’t know. He was yet to explain his own actions. “Why are you in France?”
“Business.”
“Business? When our countries hover on the brink of war?”
“I work for the government, Henrietta.”
Henrietta sighed. She’d suspected as much. A spy perhaps. This man made her head swim. She wanted to kiss him and curl up in his arms. She wanted the danger hanging over them, like the heralding of a storm, to vanish and allow her to concentrate on him alone.
His smile reassured her. “Allow me to deal with François. I’ll get you all back to England safely.”
“You’ll find out what he’s up to?”
“I will.” He chucked her under the chin. “No more eavesdropping. Promise me?”
Why couldn’t he take her seriously? She wished she wasn’t so young. She shrugged. “Unless I discover something—”
He cradled her head with long elegant fingers and lowered his mouth to hers, stunning her into silence. At the touch of his cool lips everything faded into insignificance. She reached up to stroke his silky black hair, something she’d longed to do since she’d first met him.
He would have stepped back had she not wrapped her arms around his neck. Her breasts rubbed pleasurably against his chest Her hand on his nape, she drew his head down to hers. “Kiss me again.”
With a grin, he obliged, his lips teasing hers until warmth curled down to her toes.
“Promise me?” he asked again, in between planting kisses on her forehead, cheeks and neck, his voice husky against her ear.
She wasn’t about to promise. No matter how appealing and experienced he was. “I’ll try.”
He tucked a curl behind her ear, disordered after her run through the field, and kissed her again, drawing her closer within the circle of his arm. His strong body against hers made her knees tremble. She leaned in to him, and when he released her, she almost fell.
Christian steadied her. “Have a heart, Henrietta. For my peace of mind, I need your firm promise. Let’s not quibble over this. You must trust me, and I must be able to trust you.”
“But to trust someone, you must allow them some freedom.”
She pushed away from him, annoyed to find him smiling. He was so confident of himself. So confident she would obey him without question. Did he think because she was young she was naive? Country girls learned a lot at an early age.
“Freedom?” He frowned. “We are not free until we reach England.”
She plucked a blossom from a low bow and held it to her nose. How could she deny him? But she must be guided by what the gypsy had told her. Had she not been proved right when Molly’s betrothal came to naught? The crone had said it would be her responsibility to save them all. She and Verity had got them this far safely. She frowned. He had not declared himself. Was he just seducing her merely to make her compliant? France had changed her. She wasn’t ready to relinquish all control to him.
As if he sensed her inner struggle, he attempted to draw her back into his arms.
“You take liberties, sir.” Her faint voice lacked conviction.
He gave that lop-sided grin that made her breath quicken. “Shall I take a little more?”
Henrietta fought to ignore his effect on her, the wild and reckless desire to throw all to the winds. She stepped away. With some distance between them, her thoughts cleared. “You are taking advantage of this situation, sir.”
He took her hand, raised it to his lips. “Would many red-blooded males resist? A lovely young lady beneath a perfumed bough? Yes, I want to kiss you, but my main aim is to protect you. To get you safely back to England so you can enjoy your London Season. It’s where you should be. What madness brought you here?”
Her aunt was right. He toyed with her. She meant nothing more to him than a light flirtation. “I’ve heard it said that you’re a rake.” Henrietta pulled her hand free. Her heart felt strangely heavy as he turned back to the path.
