“You’re concerned about me.” The notion seemed to please her. Her smile widened, and he felt the warmth of it seeping into him, settling into his very bones and bringing a pleasure borne not only of desire, but of something deeper and more profound that he wasn’t sure he wanted to explore.
He looked away, embarrassed. “Of course I am. Any gentleman would be.”
“You say that with such conviction,” she murmured, “and yet, there are many gentlemen who wouldn’t care two straws.”
That was truer than he liked to think.
“I’m not used to that,” she said musingly.
He looked at her, curious, and found her smile had faded to a serious expression. “Not used to what?”
“Having someone be concerned about my well-being. It’s . . .” She paused. “It’s nice,” she whispered, sounding surprised.
“Yes, well . . .” He took a moment, working to regain his equilibrium. “I hope, now that your curiosity has been satisfied about the man who aspires to become my stepfather, you won’t be making any more jaunts to Camden Town after dark?”
“I already told you, it wasn’t curiosity that brought me here. I came for much the same reason you did. I was hoping to persuade him to accept an allowance in lieu of a dowry.”
“I see. And did you have any success?”
“No, because he needs a substantial capital sum. It’s not for himself—”
Henry interrupted with an unamused laugh. “Of course not.”
She ignored the sarcasm. “Did you know he has land in Italy? And twelve brothers and sisters? They have an olive farm near the Amalfi coast that his grandfather let go to rack and ruin. His father’s dead, and since he’s the eldest, it’s up to him to support them all. That’s why he needs a dowry.”
“And I daresay he tells this heartbreaking story to anyone who will listen. Something, no doubt, about his poor but lovely mama, widowed so tragically, and of his dear, dear siblings—perhaps one a young sister with consumption? He may have mentioned royal blood, too—his family’s long-lost—and wholly fabricated—connection to the duchy of Milan, perhaps?”
She made a face. “No royalty, no consumption. Just six hundred acres of olive groves and grape vines. They are neglected and overgrown, but could be made profitable, if only—”
“If only he had money. Without that . . .” He paused for an exaggerated sigh. “I fear doom is upon his entire family.”
She frowned. “Really, Henry, I’m trying to explain his circumstances.”
“About which I assume I am supposed to care?”
“Well, you should,” she flared, positively scowling now, “since he is likely to become a member of your family in a few days, a possibility you have acknowledged yourself. The point is that he has land. Surely that raises him a notch or two in your aristocratic circle?”
“Land doesn’t make a man a gentleman.”
“So what does? A title? A proper place in the stud books? God, Henry,” she added before he could answer, “you are the stuffiest, stubbornest, most aggravating man I have ever met.” She fell to her knees, grasping the facings of his evening jacket in her fists, crushing the flower in his buttonhole and filling the carriage with the heavy scent of carnation.
“And do you want to know the most aggravating thing about you?” she demanded, punctuating each word with another tug on his lapels. “It’s that every time I start to think what an amazingly attractive man you are, you open your mouth and ruin it!”
Henry blinked, startled, certain he hadn’t heard correctly. “You think I’m attract—”
“Henry?” She eased between his legs before he could think to stop her, and pulled him closer. “Just shut up,” she said and kissed him.
Her lips were every bit as soft as before, but even hotter, even sweeter, and the pleasure of it was so acute, it was like pain. Desire began coursing through his body at once, hammering through his brain, pulsing through his blood.
He grabbed her arms while he still could, and pulled back. “Irene, for God’s sake.”
She followed his retreat, and cut off any more words with another kiss, a quick one to his mouth, but whatever he’d intended to say went straight out of his head as she trailed soft kisses along his cheek, to his ear and back again.
He could not find the will to shove her away again. He could not move at all.
She tilted her head and left another trail of kisses along his opposite cheek, then she pressed another to his lips. At last, she drew back. Her lips a few inches from his, she waited, and he knew if he was going to call a halt to her sweet seduction, now was the moment.
Inside, he began to shake.
