Page 41 of A Highland Lass for the English Duke

"Lissie," he said hesitantly. He had stopped to scoop up the shoe, once again holding it out for her stocking feet. Wordlessly, he handed it over to her, all the while fighting a desire to rip the hosiery from her legs and caress their smooth texture.

He had had a glimpse of her skin beneath their cover—silken, glistening, and sweet—and wished to confirm it. Will hovered overhead as Lissie knelt by the edge of the hunting ground.

Overhead, the cloud thickened, a deep gray nimbus blocking out the hazy rays of the morning sun. It was like the sun was conspiring with them, giving them the cover of darkness to hide in. Will looked furtively about to see if Jane was there, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"She's nae there," said Lissie, emboldened. She had seen the look in Will's eye and moved nearer. Now she was crouched on the floor, her leg dangling temptingly near to Will's hand.

Will felt himself heat up.

From the flirtatious look she sent him, it would seem there was nothing accidental about it. By stealth, Will moved closer. She was near now, the scent of her perfume hovering overhead.

Suddenly, everything swirled around to create momentum in him. Will's heart pounded.

He had to have her. It was the most natural thing in the world for him to caress it.

"Here..."

He found her shoe lying nearby. Just like yesterday, he helped her with them, his fingers tracing the delicate outline of her feet in them. Instantly, Will felt his temperature rise.

Ruefully, Lissie smiled, pushing an errant curl behind her head. Something massive leaped inside Will. He had to kiss her. The sight of her there, her hair disheveled and unraveling. She was just pure temptation.

Lissie smiled at him a little unsurely as she quickly fastened her shoe. He could feel her willing him to make the first move. But he could not. Tension ached all over him.

With a nod, Will walked back to where his horse was waiting. A little flash in Lissie's eyes told him she understood.

Will smiled sadly. He didn't want to go. Every inch of him wanted to go back to her. But he knew it was impossible. Backing away, Will patted the horse and waited patiently for Lissie to join him.

He knew she would. And in full time, Lissie put on her shoes, straightened her headdress—that she had somehow reattached—and grinned at him.

Jane even reappeared. Rather conveniently, just when there was definitely nothing to see, leading Will to feel sure she had, in fact, seen everything.

And then, it was gone. Their little moment was over, just like that. But as they mounted their horses and trotted slowly through the passageway, it was definitely not forgotten.

Shaking hands, they parted after he accompanied her to Annice's. Lissie smiled but noncommittally, and somehow they made their farewells as if nothing much had happened on their ride.

Except it had. They both knew that.

The real question was what were they going to do about it.

* * *

"Brother!"

Trenton's dramatic entry into the room got looks from all eyes.

It was late the next morning. Will had been up for some time and had already done a tour of the manor. He was about to go and meet with his steward and discuss household duties when his foppish brother crashed the hall.

Louchely, Trenton meandered into the room, seeming to grapple with the furnishings on his way around. As he came near, the pungent odor of last night's liquor clung to him. Bumping into furniture, Trenton finally arrived next to Will, swaying awkwardly like a frail tree in the autumn winds.

"Forsooth, I must congratulate you, Brother," he slurred, thumping Will fervently on the back. Will, who had been about to depart, looked at him confused.

It was getting late. He had business to attend to and had spent the last half an hour extricating himself from his mother, the duchess, who was still poised at the top table, hovered uncertainly as Trenton wobbled into view.

"As I said, Brother, congratulations are in order. 'Tis all around the manor."

"Trenton, you speak in riddles," said Will, briskly removing his brother's inebriated hand. Every inch of him seemed to exude alcohol. Mentally, Will tutted.

But Trenton was looking at him oddly, a sly little grin starting in the corner of his face. Despondent, Will recognized that look. It meant he had something on him.