glorious tickling sensation unfurled in her belly. It made her want to taste more of him. She arched her back as the smoldering heat turned into an inferno radiating from her middle and rippling outward to every extremity. She lost all thoughts except those of his heat, his touch, his caress, and the promise of more pleasure.
The driver shouted and the coach rocked to a stop.
Justin slowly disengaged from her and looked out the window. “We are here.”
“Where?” she asked, dazed, with her hands still clutching his strong arms.
“Belfont House.”
She blinked. He slowly unpeeled her hands and shifted to sit across the carriage. The space beside her felt cold and empty with him gone.
Sighing, she adjusted her hat. All good things must come to an end.
The door opened and the stool was set. Ismet stood patiently outside, along with the rest of the real world.
She nodded slowly. “I thank you for escorting me here, my lord.”
“Justin,” he whispered as he took her hand and brushed a kiss across her palm. She shivered. Flashing a devilish smile, he added, “When we are alone it is Justin.”
Her face heated. She had not known that she was still able to blush after her wanton display. “Will you be coming in?”
“I will leave you here, Evelyn. I have an appointment, much delayed, I’m afraid.”
The dear man had waited for her for hours and deferred his own business out of thoughtfulness for her. “I am sorry to have kept you.”
He smiled. “Well worth the delay, I assure you. In fact, I might be tempted to ask John Driver to take us on another round about the park.”
“Although it is appealing, I do not wish to worry your aunt further.” And she had pressing business with her father’s journal upstairs. She paused in the doorway. “Another time perhaps?”
His grin was mischevious, “Anything you desire.”
Unable to keep the smile from her lips, she raised her brow. “Anything?”
“If it is within my power.”
She withheld her sigh. If only it were in his power to make the world a saner and safer place. Evelyn turned and stepped out onto the walkway, inhaling the scent of horse and leather. She looked down the street at the rows of fashionable houses lit by the glow of the golden moon. But Justin was able to give her a pleasurable retreat from this chaotic world. For that she was grateful indeed.
Chapter 6
J ustin jumped from his carriage and bounded up the stairs to No. 60, St. James Street. After handing his hat, cane, and gloves to the footman, he entered the dark, wood-paneled main room of Brooks, his favorite club. He ignored the elegant furnishings and well-dressed members, immediately spotting Colonel Wheaton standing by the mantel, deep in conversation with a cluster of gentlemen. He squared his shoulders and slipped into the ruse that he and the colonel were acquaintances, members of the same club who occasionally happened upon each other. It allowed them to exchange information more frequently.
“Balderdash,” exclaimed Captain Hasterby. “I see no reason why the troops require such supplies.”
“Yes, they can live off the land,” added Superintendent Garvey. “The country has substantial resources. No need to make ducks and drakes of us all.”
General Jacobs pulled out his enameled snuffbox and helped himself to a pinch. “Wellington is avoiding additional opposition from the populace when he invades. The man’s a genius.”
“Yes, stunningly good plan,” intoned the colonel. He scratched his long white sideburns. “It will deprive the Paris government of local support. Wellington’s no fool.” He looked up, and his steely blue gaze noted Justin’s appearance across the room. “I am off to the gaming room, gentlemen. I feel the need for a spot of cribbage.”
“I did not know that they allowed such tedious play,” yawned Lord Filbanks.
Colonel Wheaton set his snifter down. “Well, I’m an old man and do not like to learn new rules. Muddles an
The driver shouted and the coach rocked to a stop.
Justin slowly disengaged from her and looked out the window. “We are here.”
“Where?” she asked, dazed, with her hands still clutching his strong arms.
“Belfont House.”
She blinked. He slowly unpeeled her hands and shifted to sit across the carriage. The space beside her felt cold and empty with him gone.
Sighing, she adjusted her hat. All good things must come to an end.
The door opened and the stool was set. Ismet stood patiently outside, along with the rest of the real world.
She nodded slowly. “I thank you for escorting me here, my lord.”
“Justin,” he whispered as he took her hand and brushed a kiss across her palm. She shivered. Flashing a devilish smile, he added, “When we are alone it is Justin.”
Her face heated. She had not known that she was still able to blush after her wanton display. “Will you be coming in?”
“I will leave you here, Evelyn. I have an appointment, much delayed, I’m afraid.”
The dear man had waited for her for hours and deferred his own business out of thoughtfulness for her. “I am sorry to have kept you.”
He smiled. “Well worth the delay, I assure you. In fact, I might be tempted to ask John Driver to take us on another round about the park.”
“Although it is appealing, I do not wish to worry your aunt further.” And she had pressing business with her father’s journal upstairs. She paused in the doorway. “Another time perhaps?”
His grin was mischevious, “Anything you desire.”
Unable to keep the smile from her lips, she raised her brow. “Anything?”
“If it is within my power.”
She withheld her sigh. If only it were in his power to make the world a saner and safer place. Evelyn turned and stepped out onto the walkway, inhaling the scent of horse and leather. She looked down the street at the rows of fashionable houses lit by the glow of the golden moon. But Justin was able to give her a pleasurable retreat from this chaotic world. For that she was grateful indeed.
Chapter 6
J ustin jumped from his carriage and bounded up the stairs to No. 60, St. James Street. After handing his hat, cane, and gloves to the footman, he entered the dark, wood-paneled main room of Brooks, his favorite club. He ignored the elegant furnishings and well-dressed members, immediately spotting Colonel Wheaton standing by the mantel, deep in conversation with a cluster of gentlemen. He squared his shoulders and slipped into the ruse that he and the colonel were acquaintances, members of the same club who occasionally happened upon each other. It allowed them to exchange information more frequently.
“Balderdash,” exclaimed Captain Hasterby. “I see no reason why the troops require such supplies.”
“Yes, they can live off the land,” added Superintendent Garvey. “The country has substantial resources. No need to make ducks and drakes of us all.”
General Jacobs pulled out his enameled snuffbox and helped himself to a pinch. “Wellington is avoiding additional opposition from the populace when he invades. The man’s a genius.”
“Yes, stunningly good plan,” intoned the colonel. He scratched his long white sideburns. “It will deprive the Paris government of local support. Wellington’s no fool.” He looked up, and his steely blue gaze noted Justin’s appearance across the room. “I am off to the gaming room, gentlemen. I feel the need for a spot of cribbage.”
“I did not know that they allowed such tedious play,” yawned Lord Filbanks.
Colonel Wheaton set his snifter down. “Well, I’m an old man and do not like to learn new rules. Muddles an
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