“I am not sure…” Mari hesitated.
“About what? The painting would be artfully done and the talk of theton. I was thinking perhaps exposure to here.” Nicholas raised his hand, indicating the area just across the tips of her nipples. Mari leaned back quickly.
“That would be far too much.”
He tilted his head. “Why? I assure you, in France, many aristocratic ladies have their portraits done like that.”
“This is not France. Besides, that would expose my birthmark.”
“You have a birthmark? How intriguing.” He narrowed his eyes slightly. “What does it look like?”
Mari shrugged and looked away, embarrassed. “It is small and pink. Jillian always said it looked like afleur-de-lis.”
“How fitting,chère. The flower of France. Please do not think me indelicate, but where might this delightful feature be precisely?”
Her face felt on fire. “We should not be discussing this.”
“A thousand pardons, but there is no reason to be embarrassed,chère. To a man, the idea of such a beautiful little mark is enticing. Do not keep me in suspense,s’il vous plait.”
Still looking at the ground, Mari indicated the top of her right breast. Nicholas caught her hand and squeezed it briefly.
“Mercifor trusting me.We will not speak about this again, but I shall dream of it.”
Not knowing how to respond to that, Mari closed her eyes and turned her face upward toward the sun peeking out from fluffy white clouds. Perhaps its warmth would steady her nerves…and then she gasped as Nicholas’s mouth came down on hers.
It was not a long kiss, nor a particularly tender one as Nicholas took advantage of her open lips to thrust his tongue inside her mouth. Mari pushed at his shoulders instinctively and he slowly withdrew, smiling as he straightened. “I have wanted to do that for a long time.”
Mari felt flustered, but not in the way she had when Jamie kissed her. That had made her insides go all mushy and warm. This kiss merely shocked her and, looking over Nicholas’ shoulder, she could see it had the same effect on the two mothers who grabbed their children and hurried off.
“That was most improper.”
“Forgive me. Did I offend you?”
“Yes. No. I mean—” Merciful heavens, what should she say? “I think we had better go back.”
“Certainement.” He stood and extended his hand. Mari put hers into his, not sure if she should.
He bowed gravely, although he looked like he was trying not to laugh. “I promise not to bite,mademoiselle.”
Oh, dear. Nicholas must think her a complete twiddlepoop to let a kiss bother her so much. He was probably used to sophisticated French women who would take such a thing as a casual endearment and nothing more. And he was calling hermademoisellerather thanchérie.Had he suddenly lost interest because she was so naïve? Resolutely, she tucked her hand inside his arm and managed a smile. “I did not think you would bite, Mr. Algernon.”
He smiled. “Call me Nicholas, please.”
“Nicholas.” Ah. Well, if he wanted her to call him by his Christian name, perhaps all was not lost. Mari wished suddenly that Jillian were here for her to talk to about keeping a man interested but within bounds. “I hope you do not think—”
He placed a finger lightly on her lips. “I do not think anything. It is time we got back since I asked the driver to return within the hour.”
The carriage had just arrived as they reached their picnic spot. Effie was asleep, propped against a tree. Mari frowned. It was not like Effie to fall asleep during the day, much less while she was acting as a chaperone, even given the fact she had let Mari and Nicholas walk alone. Perhaps it would have been wise to have had Effie along, at that. Mari leaned down to shake the maid’s shoulder. “We are ready to go home.”
Effie’s eyes fluttered open slowly, and she struggled to sit only to fall back against the tree. “I feel ill.”
Alarmed, Mari knelt down and felt the maid’s cheek. “You do not seem feverish.” She couldn’t remember when—if ever—Effie had been sick. “Perhaps it was too much rich food and all that chocolate.”
The maid groaned and clutched her stomach. “You may well be right. I was a glutton.”
“Let me help you,” Nicholas said as he took the maid’s arm to help her stand. She moaned again, turning pale. “I feel quite dizzy.”
Nicholas beckoned the driver to help him lead Effie to the carriage. Mari climbed in first to aid her, although the maid nearly slipped from her grasp as she fell onto the squab. Nicholas climbed in behind her, pushing Effie’s shoulders down when she attempted to sit.
