But what kind of gentleman wore suchtight breeches?
Lily giggled. “Delia’s right, Charlotte. That man is handsome enough to render any woman speechless.”
Eleanor opened one eye to peek at Camden, then closed it again at once. No—not safe yet. She’d been unable to take her eyes off him all morning, and until she could, she’d keep them closed. Why, oh why did he have to appear to such advantage on horseback? Was it too much to ask he be slump-shouldered and awkward in the saddle?
Delia turned back around in her seat. “So pleasant, too, and that story he told about his travels in India? He’s rather fascinating. Both Alec and I thought so.”
Ellie grunted in reply. So much for Alec’s protective instincts.
“His devotion to his sister is what struck me,” Lily said. “It’s singular, don’t you think, for such a young man, especially given the disparity in their ages? It’s lovely to watch them together.”
She gave Ellie a playful nudge in the ribs.
Eleanor reluctantly opened her eyes. Amelia had opted to ride with the gentlemen rather than remain in the carriage, and now she trotted alongside her brother, chatting and laughing with him, the jaunty little feather in her riding cap waving in the breeze. They were utterly at ease with each other, even though he’d been absent for most of Amelia’s eleven short years of life.
Then again, one could be physically present in a child’s life, and still be absent in every way that mattered. Ellie knew that better than most, and as she watched Amelia prance along on her mare, she couldn’t prevent a burst of admiration for Camden West. She almost envied the little girl. Whatever else might be true of him, he’d brave the flames of hell for his sister.
He’d force a lady into marriage for her, as well.
Amelia West was somehow connected to this mad scheme of her brother’s. Eleanor knew it. She could feel it, just as surely she could feel the breeze against her face. But how? She was missing a vital piece of this puzzle, and nothing less than a hope of getting it could have induced her to agree to a truce with the man. One didn’t make a deal with the devil, no matter how handsome and persuasive he was.
Especially then. After all, he wouldn’t be the devil if he weren’t both.
Shall I take yourlips with mine?
Eleanor shivered at the memory of those whispered words, the feel of his warm lips against her forehead. He’d wanted her mouth. She’d felt the thrum of desire in his powerful body, so close to her own. Her heart had slammed against her ribs as his mouth descended, but a moment before his lips met hers, he’d hesitated. One heartbeat. Another. Then a soft touch, his lips against her forehead, so chaste, and almost . . . tender.
A villain with a conscience. It should have reassured her, but somehow, it made it worse.
She’d been . . . disappointed. Eleanor’s face heated, but she couldn’t deny she’d thought of nothing since then but how it would feel to have his lips pressed against her own. He’d taste sweet, like strawberries drowned in rich cream—
“Of course,” Lily went on, oblivious to the drift of Ellie’s thoughts. “Robyn could talk of nothing but the ship. TheAmelia. He’ll tease mercilessly, I’m sure, until Mr. West takes him to see it.”
“Robyn’s just as useless as Alec, then.” Charlotte had remained ominously silent while Delia and Lily effused over Camden, but she never could hold her tongue for long.
Lily’s face darkened, as it always did when anyone dared to cast aspersions on Robyn. “What in the world does that mean, Charlotte?”
Oh, no. For the third time that morning, Ellie wished her mother had decided to accompany the party to Lindenhurst. She’d put a quick stop to this discussion. Unfortunately, she’d opted to remain in London with her grandson instead.
Ellie gave Charlotte a warning nudge with her toe, but Charlotte ignored her. “Why, they may as well strip Ellie down to her corset and stockings and deliver her to Mr. West’s bedchamber, for they certainly made no attempt to chase him away.”
Delia’s and Lily’s identical blue eyes went wide with shock.
“Charlotte!” Eleanor cried, even as she knew it was too late. “For pity’s sake, will you hush?”
Delia ignored Charlotte, however, and instead leaned forward and fixed her eyes on Ellie. “He is courting you, then? Alec and I thought so.”
Ellie stared at Delia, taken aback by the look of satisfaction on her face.
She hadn’t a chance to say anything, however, for that same look sent Charlotte headlong into a temper. “For pity’s sake, Delia—of course he’s courting her, ifthat’swhat you wish to call it. One needn’t be a mind reader to see that. What I fail to understand is why neither you nor Alec did a thing to discourage him.”
Both Delia and Lily looked at Charlotte as if she’d lost her mind.
“Why would she wish to discourage him?” Oddly, Lily directed this question to Charlotte rather than Ellie. “Unless this is about his being in trade—”
Charlotte waved an impatient hand in the air. “No, no. I don’t care about that. None of the family does. You know that, Lily. No, I—I simply don’t like the man, that’s all.”
Lily opened her mouth to argue, but Delia interrupted her. “That’s all very well, Charlotte, but I rather think Ellie’s opinion is the one that matters, and she seems quite taken with Mr. West.”
