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They both halted, their breaths heavy.

Somehow, in the course of the dance, they’d drawn closer together. So close, in fact, that now Adam cradled Beatrice near, eliminating any proper distance, until only their clothing kept their flushed bodies apart.

Adam immediately let go of her and took a step back. But their chests heaved with exhaustion from the dance, and perhaps arguing, and now the image of Beatrice’s tousled locks and blushing face sent indecent pictures to his mind.

He imagined Beatrice just like this, her cheeks flushed, her chest rising and falling with the intensity of her breaths, her eyes glittering, only instead of the ballroom, they were in his room.

In his bed.

He shook his head. What was wrong with him?

“I pray, Miss Fowley, that our next encounter shall be our last.” He bowed sharply, and without offering his arm or escorting Beatrice back to his sister, Adam turned on his heel and stalked away.

He needed to rid his mind of this tenacious bluestocking. And he needed to do it fast.

Chapter 10

A week had passed without a word from Adam.

At first, Beatrice was relieved that he’d given her a couple of days of reprieve. Her feet had still ached from the ball the following day, and all she wanted was to lie at home with a book in hand.

And who wouldn’t enjoy lounging about in the library, reading books to her heart’s content? She didn’t have any duties in this house. She didn’t need to look out for her sisters or run her father’s household. She had nothing to do at all.

And it was driving her mad.

Sure, life in her little village was monotonous, but it was also boisterous and full of life. She missed reading aloud to her father. She missed combing her sisters’ hair and their constant arguing. She missed going on long walks in the village just to get away from them.

She missed everything about her little ordinary life, and now she realized that she was never going back to it. Her heart squeezed at the realization.

Would Lansdowne even let her see her family after they were wed?

Beatrice had thought that her month in London would be full of adventure and that it would mark a big change in her life. Now, she wasn’t certain it was going to happen.

Adam clearly wanted nothing to do with her. He had promised to take her to at least one more location and scratch at least one more item off the list, yet it seemed like he had forgotten all about it. Perhaps she’d been wrong about him. Perhaps he was the dishonorable scoundrel he denied he was.

Now, he’d effectively locked her in her own home with her promise not to attempt anything without him, while he wasn’t keeping his end of the bargain. What if that was his plan all along? Just sit back, do nothing, and wait for the time to run out.

Upset and confused, Beatrice decided she wouldn’t sit passively by and wait for him any longer. She wasn’t one to give up easily. And she also wasn’t one to sit around and wait for things to happen to her… Well, she had been like that before, but not anymore. Her entire life was at stake.

So, she took a piece of paper and wrote a stern and uncompromising letter to Adam, which basically said that if he didn’t show up by the end of the week and do as he promised, she was going to go and finish her list on her own.

She handed the note to her footman and, feeling lighter, as if a huge weight dropped off her shoulders, picked up a book and curled up in an old leather chair by the hearth in the library.

However, not two minutes had passed when the butler appeared at the door and knocked on the door jamb. “There’s a gentleman here for you, Miss Fowley.”

Beatrice looked at the clock on the mantel, then back at the butler. But I’ve just sent the note!

Her cheeks burned, as she realized that Adam was going to return home after their conversation or after taking her to whatever location he had in mind and find the hastily—and angrily—written note from her.

She must tell him to burn the note without reading it.

Of course, he would not heed her warning.

Beatrice let out a frustrated breath and jumped out of the chair, her book tumbling to the floor.

“I shall be right there!” she called as she collected the book and tossed it back onto the chair. “Have him wait in the drawing room.”

Smoothing her hair with one hand, she dashed toward the door, only to pause when she felt locks of hair getting loose from her coiffure. She rushed after the butler who had already bowed and stepped outside the room. “Wait! Tell him I shall be there in fifteen minutes.” She ran toward her room but paused once more as she surveyed her simple day gown. “No, tell him I shall be there in thirty minutes.” He doesn’t care about your gown, Bea! “Never mind, I’ll be down in fifteen minutes.”