“Not like yours. Come, Lady Emma. We both know it was you. Tell me, what sort of business can a naïve young innocent like yourself have with a notorious courtesan?”
Lady Emma’s fingers twitched in her lap. “Why, no business atall, my lord.”
Samuel studied the tip of one of his flawlessly shined boots, letting the silence stretch between them before he turned his attention back to her. “Is that all, then? Nothing else to say? No furious arguments, no outraged denials?”
She shrugged. “I daresay it won’t make much difference to you what I say. You seem to have made up your mind about me already.”
“I’ve wondered about you from the first moment I laid eyes on you.” Samuel leaned forward, his gaze holding hers. “For all your sweet, guileless smiles, you don’t strike me as a sheltered young innocent making her first foray into London society.”
“I see. Dare I ask what I do strike you as, my lord? A female adventurer, perhaps? A spy, or a thief, or some other sort of criminal?”
“You strike me as a bewitching young lady with a face that scatters a gentleman’s wits before he’s even aware he’s said a word.”
“Ah, yes, the poor, helpless gentlemen.” She gave him a thin smile, herblue eyes cold.
“I don’t pretend to know what you want with my cousin, but you may reconcile yourself to not getting it. As I told you before, Lord Lovell’s affections are already engaged. Even if his heartwasfree, I’d object to his giving it to a young lady with so many secrets. Do we understand each other?”
She was quiet for a moment as she considered his question, then she shook her head. “Not entirely, no. I’m not certain what it is you’re threatening me with, Lord Lymington. Are you saying you’ll expose my alleged brothel escapade to theton?”
“I’ve no wish to reveal your scandals, Lady Emma. Play your games, if you must. It’s no business of mine, as long as you keep Lovell out of it.”
“Why, how generous you are, my lord. But I confess I’m almost inclined to take my chances, if only to see whatcomes of it.”
It wasn’t until he saw that hint of challenge in her eyes that Samuel realized a part of him had been hoping she’d defy him. “Do you really want me digging into your scandals? Because if I start, I won’t stop until I know them all. I wonder, Lady Emma. How many secrets do you have?”
A slow, sly smile curved her lips. “I could ask you the same thing, Lord Lymington.”
Samuel was still as hard as stone, his cock never having once subsided during the whole of his skirmish with her, but it wasn’t just the desire pounding through his veins thaturged him on.
Hidden beneath that fetching smile and that soft voice, that long, delicate neck and those distracting curves was a woman with nerves of iron, one who’d struggle against him every step of the way. She’d fight him, she’d brawl and claw and scratch. He sensed that courage in her, felt it down to the very depths of his bones.
God help him, he wanted it. He wanted to match wits with her, to scheme and battle and scrap until he overcame her, and then…then he wanted to take her to his bed and hold her breathless body in his arms until she begged him to sink into her heat, to take herand claim her.
He wanted her, but Lady Emma was as far out of his reach as a star in themidnight sky.
Lovell was at last waking up to his love for Lady Flora. He was poised on the edge of happiness, and whatever dubious business Lady Emma was tangled up in, he didn’t want his cousin anywhere near it.
Samuel took in Lady Emma’s soft red lips, the flush of color on her cheeks, the blue eyes now darkened with emotion, and he saw a lady who tempted him unlike any he’d ever known before.
Yet it didn’t make the least bitof difference.
“Tell me, my lady,” he drawled, his tone deceptively bland. “Why are you and your friend Letty so interested in Caroline Francis?”
Ah, now that got a reaction. Lady Emma’s entire body went still for an instant, then she rose from the settee, went to the window and gazed out for a long moment, her back to him.
Samuel waited, his heated gaze trailing from her narrow shoulders to her curved hips. The back of her gown was just as prim as the front, and just as maddening, with tiny buttons marching in a perfect row down her spine. She drew in a deep breath, her back rising, then falling againas she exhaled.
“I don’t know if you’re aware, Lady Emma, but until she went missing six weeks ago, Caroline Francis was a housemaid at Lymington House, my country estate in Kent.”
Caroline wasn’t the first to go missing, but she was the only one who’d since reappeared, and Samuel’s hopes that the other two missing housemaids would be found were fading. He wanted the name of the man who’d trifled with Caroline, and God help the scoundrel when Samuel caught up with him.
“I was not aware, my lord.” Lady Emma turned to face him again.
There wasn’t a tremor in that husky voice, but somehow, Samuel knew she was lying to him. “I’m anxious to speak to Caroline, but she’s proved strangely elusive. I don’t suppose you’d know anything about that, would you, Lady Emma?”
“I don’t know why I would, Lord Lymington.”
“No? I wonder if your friend Letty does.” He held her gaze. “I’ll have to pay her a visit, and find out for myself.”
