sensibilities, there is an easy
remedy for you. Simply open the carriage
door and depart."
Lucas realized in that moment that
Victoria Huntington had the power to
slice through his iron-willed self-control as
no one else had been able to do in years.
Furthermore, she accomplished the trick
quite effortlessly. This lady was dangerous.
He was going to have to work hard at
staying in command of the situation.
Lucas cleared his throat." My sensibilities
will survive your indelicate manners, Miss
Huntington. And I could not possibly exit
now. My honor still requires that I pay my
gaming debts."
Hah. This is no honorable gaming
debt, sir. This is blackmail, pure and
simple."
I assure you," stone vale returned," I am
fast discovering that blackmail is neither
pure nor simple, not with you cast in the
role of the victim."
Her eyes gleamed with mischief at that
sally and Lucas felt his whole body react
with sharp desire. He folded his arms
across his chest and leaned back against
the cushions, his gaze holding hers in
the shadows. In that moment he wanted
nothing more than to be alone with this
bewitching creature. He longed to pull her
down onto the carriage seat and show her
the extent of the risks she was running
when she challenged him so openly.
For an instant a charged silence hung
between them. When Victoria finally
blinked and allowed her gaze to slide
away from his own, he knew she had
discerned his thoughts.
But Lucas's small sense of victory was
short-lived. It was dawning on him rapidly
that this courtship he had embarked upon
was going to be even more hazardous
than he had first thought. With Jessica
Atherton's help and his own skill at getting
by on his wits and his ability at the card
table, he had hoped to conceal the true
state of his finances from Society long
enough to achieve his objective. He had
made his plans with his usual care.
But if his intended bride took a notion
to hire a runner to look into his affairs,
it was all too likely the full truth would
come out. The rumor of his nonexistent
inheritance would not hold up for long.
It was becoming clear that the task of
stalking this particular heiress would be the
most exacting hunting he had ever done.
One wrong move, one miscalculation on
his part, and he would lose the game.
How long do you intend to spend
on your adventure this evening, Miss
Huntington?" Lucas kept his tone detached.
Is time a problem for you? Do you have
another engagement planned?" she asked
far too sweetly.
He knew intuitively that she was fishing
to find out if he had a mistress expecting
him later." No, I do not. Lyndwood and
I must secure arrangements to have all of
us taken up by his carriage at a specific
location, and to do that efficiently in the
crowd, we need to decide upon a definite
departure time."
Oh. Yes, I can see that. I would suggest
two hours would be ample time to enjoy
the fair."
Annabella sighed." I am afraid I cannot
stay out that long, Vicky. Mama will be
coming home from the Milricks" soiree in
AT
another two hours and she will expect me
to be in by then."
Lucas hid his relief." An hour then?"
An hour's long enough for me," Bertie
Lyndwood said quickly.
That's probably all the time I should
allow," Annabella said with regret.
Oh, very well." Victoria sounded mildly
irritated but resigned." An hour it is. We
shall have to hurry, though, if we are to
see everything."
Lucas said nothing, but privately he
considered that the next hour was un
doubtedly going to be one of the longest
of his life.
Half an hour later he was confirmed
in his belief. The huge park was ablaze
with lanterns that illuminated a seemingly
unlimited array of stalls selling meat pies
and ale, booths featuring acrobats and rope
dancers, and packed tents featuring puppet
shows and games.
The crowd was a mix of the high and the
low. Servants who had snuck out of their
masters"