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Authors: In the Thrill of the Night
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me there is another sheet tucked inside that book."
"No more lists, I promise you."
"Thank God. M'brain is all used up. You've no idea." He picked up his glass, found it empty, and groaned. "Devil take it, that was the last of it."
"There are no more bottles in the desk? We drank them all?"
"So it would seem."
"Good heavens. I may never be able to stand up again. You, sir, are a bad influence."
"At least your bed is just through that door. I still have to crawl over that bloody balcony."
"You can stay here if you like. I could round up a pillow and blanket."
"No. Bad idea. I'll be fine."
When David was alive, Adam had often spent the night in the sitting room when he'd drunk too much to attempt the balcony. But he'd never done so since she'd been alone. He was always cautious about her reputation. He didn't seem to consider that simply being here with her, drinking together like two men, could have the same effect on her reputation whether he stayed the night or not.
But he was right. Considering the topic of conversation, inviting him to stay the night had been a stupid idea. She only hoped he had not drunk so much that he would be unable to negotiate the balconies.
"You'll be careful? I don't want to find your broken body splattered to bits on the street in the morning."
"Egad, what a gruesome imagination you have. You almost tempt me to use the front door."
She chuckled. "Never say so!"
"Don't worry. It hasn't come down to that. There's life in the old boy yet. I promise to be careful."
Neither of them made a move to leave. Marianne, at least, was content to remain where she was. She suspected Adam was trying to summon up a modicum of sobriety before climbing back over the balcony.
She gazed at him fondly, wondering if she would ever feel as comfortable with any of those men on her list. It really was a shame he was not available. She wondered how he would assess his own qualifications if his name had been listed. But his name had not been there. She had been too sensible to include it.
"Despite the descent into silliness, you have been exceedingly helpful, Adam. I do appreciate it. You have saved me a great deal of time."
"Wouldn't want you to seduce the wrong sort of chap, would we?"
"No, indeed. And that brings me to the next problem."
"Ah, yes. You did say there was still serious business to consider. Now that we are out of wine, I suppose there is nothing for it but to get serious. What is it, m'dear?"
"Adam, I have no idea how to seduce anyone. You must teach me."
He shot her a sharp look. "Egad, woman, you go too far."
"But I do not have a clue how to begin. It's been years since I even knew how to flirt with a man. And the match with David had been arranged for so long, there was never any need to hone my feminine wiles to win him. I don't know how to seduce a man, Adam. What do I do?"
He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead — it fell right back, of course — and he looked at her with a plaintive expression in his eyes. "Please, Marianne. I don't want to teach you how to entice a man into your bed. Don't ask me that."
"But, Adam, I really and truly need your help. You know how ignorant I am in such matters. But you are not. You are a man of the world. How would I entice you ?"
He groaned as though in pain. "Don't. I beg you."
"Please, Adam."
"This is your game, m'dear. You decided what you want. It is up to you to figure out how to get it."
She snorted in disgust. "A fine friend you are. Who else can I ask? I was counting on your help."
"Ask one of those other damned charity ball widows," he said in an angry tone, waving a hand in the air. "Ask anyone else. Ask the duchess. Just don't ask me."
"I will ask her, you may depend upon it. But I was hoping for a man's opinion as well. Only you can give me that, Adam. How, for example, will I know if a man is interested?"
"Do not play coy with me, Marianne. You can't tell me you don't know when a man finds you
"No more lists, I promise you."
"Thank God. M'brain is all used up. You've no idea." He picked up his glass, found it empty, and groaned. "Devil take it, that was the last of it."
"There are no more bottles in the desk? We drank them all?"
"So it would seem."
"Good heavens. I may never be able to stand up again. You, sir, are a bad influence."
"At least your bed is just through that door. I still have to crawl over that bloody balcony."
"You can stay here if you like. I could round up a pillow and blanket."
"No. Bad idea. I'll be fine."
When David was alive, Adam had often spent the night in the sitting room when he'd drunk too much to attempt the balcony. But he'd never done so since she'd been alone. He was always cautious about her reputation. He didn't seem to consider that simply being here with her, drinking together like two men, could have the same effect on her reputation whether he stayed the night or not.
But he was right. Considering the topic of conversation, inviting him to stay the night had been a stupid idea. She only hoped he had not drunk so much that he would be unable to negotiate the balconies.
"You'll be careful? I don't want to find your broken body splattered to bits on the street in the morning."
"Egad, what a gruesome imagination you have. You almost tempt me to use the front door."
She chuckled. "Never say so!"
"Don't worry. It hasn't come down to that. There's life in the old boy yet. I promise to be careful."
Neither of them made a move to leave. Marianne, at least, was content to remain where she was. She suspected Adam was trying to summon up a modicum of sobriety before climbing back over the balcony.
She gazed at him fondly, wondering if she would ever feel as comfortable with any of those men on her list. It really was a shame he was not available. She wondered how he would assess his own qualifications if his name had been listed. But his name had not been there. She had been too sensible to include it.
"Despite the descent into silliness, you have been exceedingly helpful, Adam. I do appreciate it. You have saved me a great deal of time."
"Wouldn't want you to seduce the wrong sort of chap, would we?"
"No, indeed. And that brings me to the next problem."
"Ah, yes. You did say there was still serious business to consider. Now that we are out of wine, I suppose there is nothing for it but to get serious. What is it, m'dear?"
"Adam, I have no idea how to seduce anyone. You must teach me."
He shot her a sharp look. "Egad, woman, you go too far."
"But I do not have a clue how to begin. It's been years since I even knew how to flirt with a man. And the match with David had been arranged for so long, there was never any need to hone my feminine wiles to win him. I don't know how to seduce a man, Adam. What do I do?"
He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead — it fell right back, of course — and he looked at her with a plaintive expression in his eyes. "Please, Marianne. I don't want to teach you how to entice a man into your bed. Don't ask me that."
"But, Adam, I really and truly need your help. You know how ignorant I am in such matters. But you are not. You are a man of the world. How would I entice you ?"
He groaned as though in pain. "Don't. I beg you."
"Please, Adam."
"This is your game, m'dear. You decided what you want. It is up to you to figure out how to get it."
She snorted in disgust. "A fine friend you are. Who else can I ask? I was counting on your help."
"Ask one of those other damned charity ball widows," he said in an angry tone, waving a hand in the air. "Ask anyone else. Ask the duchess. Just don't ask me."
"I will ask her, you may depend upon it. But I was hoping for a man's opinion as well. Only you can give me that, Adam. How, for example, will I know if a man is interested?"
"Do not play coy with me, Marianne. You can't tell me you don't know when a man finds you
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