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Eliza’s smile widened. ‘I would love to. Perhaps you could call me Eliza? In private, of course.’

‘Of course.’

She nodded and patted his chest gently, feeling an overwhelming need to touch him. Reassure him. He was warm and strong.

‘Eliza?’ he murmured, not moving. Her name a question.

‘Robert?’ Her response was barely a whisper.

‘May I kiss you?’

Eliza thought she might faint. She knew she should probably say no, but… ‘You may.’

He hesitated, breath coming quickly, then took her face oh so gently between his palms and then bent slowly to place his lips on hers. Eliza clung to his arms as her eyes fluttered closed and she kissed him back. She could feel the warmth of his skin, the softness of his breath touching her cheek, the heat of his mouth. The strength in his arms made her shiver. He pulled back and looked down at her with an expression of something close to wonder in his eyes. ‘Oh, Eliza,’ he murmured, gathered her more firmly into his arms, pulled her against him and kissed her again, this time with more intent, with… oh dear God… Eliza’s breathing stuttered as she followed his lead and kissed him with an aching rhythm that exploded warmth through her entire body. He moaned softly into her mouth; she gasped into his, tangling her fingers in his dark hair… and a discreet cough brought them to earth with a shattering thump.

Chapter 35

ELIZA

London

Robert immediately pushed her gently behind him and stood to face their intruder. Eliza didn’t want to look. She knew this would mean complete and utter ruin and Robert would be forced to offer for her. She didn’t think she could bear it if he were pushed into something he didn’t want.

‘There you are, my dears,’ a familiar voice said. ‘We thought you may have strayed and got lost. Do come and join in the dancing with us. It’s terribly exciting.’

Eliza clutched Robert’s waist and peered around to see Hart grinning at them like an idiot.

‘Hart!’ she gasped.

He shook his head, still grinning, and whispered, ‘For crying out loud, you two. Get yourselves back on the path fast. Your brother is but moments away.’

Robert had appeared frozen to the spot, but that unfroze him rapidly. He paused and looked at Hart. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Decent of you.’

‘Not at all. Return the favour someday, hmm?’

Robert took her arm, and they moved quickly and found their way back to the main pathway with Hart, where they ambled arm in arm as if they had not a care in the world, but Eliza could feel the tension running through Robert. It ran through her, too.

Hannah and Edward caught up with them momentarily, then disappeared to look at something. Hart diverted Charles’s attention, and they were alone again. She could feel the tremors running through Robert as she clutched his arm.

He turned to her with an agonised look.

‘Eliza, Miss Courtney, I am so… I am…’ He cleared his throat. ‘I will call on your brother on the morrow.’

His tone became increasingly formal as he went on, and Eliza groaned.

‘Robert, stop. Please stop.’

‘What? Stop what?’

‘There is no need to call on Charles or make any rash declarations. We kissed. It is not the end of the world. No-one saw but Hart, and he will speak of this to no-one. I am sure he will tease me mercilessly, but please. I don’t want you offering for me out of some misplaced sense of obligation.’

Robert’s mouth opened and closed twice. ‘Are you not angry with me?’

‘Why would I be angry?’

‘I could have compromised you. I did compromise you.’

Eliza sighed. She had no idea how to reassure him without sounding like she was fast.