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Authors: Sasha Cottman
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they soon came upon an open door. Poking her head inside, Eve squealed with delight.
‘Oooh, the house library!’ Eve cried and raced into the room. She immediately headed for the nearest bookcase and began examining the books on the shelves. If there was one person who loved books more than Lucy, it was her cousin.
Lucy followed more sedately behind.
‘Remember, always gently and with respect,’ Lucy said, quoting their paternal grandmother.
Eve laughed and brandished a book in the air.
‘Yes, Grandmother,’ she laughed.
‘Wise words of caution,’ a male voice replied.
Lucy turned and her breath caught.
Seated – well, to be more accurate, lazily strewn across a long leather couch – was the subject of their search: Mr Avery Fox.
Lucy took in his glorious body in an instant, exercising her increasingly well-honed appreciation of the male form.
Dark hair, a long ponytail tied at the nape. Though it was tied neatly, it was loose enough to show a hint of disregard. A dark grey jacket worn over a pure white linen shirt. No cravat. At the top of his shirt she saw the merest hint of chest hair. Long legs clad in black trousers, which clung tightly to his thighs. Polished boots completed the look.
Unable to tear her gaze away, Lucy stood mesmerised. She had seen a hundred, nay a thousand men wearing such attire, but never before had she reacted in such a way. A hot spike of desire coursed through her body. She shivered with its thrill.
Oh gosh.
‘Mr Fox. Good morning to you. Forgive me, I did not see you,’ she said, catching herself. A hot blush burned on her cheeks.
She blinked as he unfurled his long muscular legs and rose from the couch, dipping into an easy bow.
‘You have to forgive me, Lady Lucy, I am prone at times to forget my manners. Too many years living a soldier’s life, I’m afraid,’ he said.
‘Please sit, Mr Fox; we are the ones who have interrupted your peaceful morning,’ Lucy replied. She looked at the book he still held in his right hand. Then, seeing the glove on his left, she quickly averted her gaze.
‘I’d have thought you might be a touch too old for
Gulliver’s Travels
,’ she said, casting about for something to say.
In the corner of the room, Eve snorted. Avery’s hand dropped instantly, leaving the book to hang loosely by his side. Lucy regretted her words.
Stupid, stupid girl
.
He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I suppose I am, but I have never got around to reading it until now, so I thought I should. The bookseller recommended it most highly. It is rather good,’ he replied.
‘I read it when I was ten,’ Eve added. Lucy wished at that moment her cousin would disappear into thin air. Instead she made her way over to where Lucy and Avery stood and grandly offered Avery her hand.
‘Since my dear cousin won’t introduce us, I’m Evelyn Saunders,’ she said.
As Avery took her hand and bowed, Lucy felt an overwhelming desire to pinch Eve.
‘Mr Fox; I have heard so much about you,’ Eve teased. Lucy ground her teeth in frustration.
Avery made a step toward the door and Lucy let out an involuntary gasp. He was leaving. ‘Oh, please don’t go on account of us. We are just waiting for Clarice to come back downstairs. And
Gulliver’s Travels
is one of my favourite books,’ she stammered.
Eve looked from Lucy to Avery and clicked her tongue. She withdrew her hand.
‘I shall go and see how Clarice is faring; I can see three is a crowd.’
She headed for the library door.
Lucy held her breath at Eve’s clumsy attempt to play matchmaker. She hoped Avery had missed the note of intent in her cousin’s words.
‘Thank you, dearest Eve; that would be lovely, we shall see you back here soon,’ Lucy replied. She prayed Eve would have the good sense to stay away. She needed time to casually discuss matters with Avery before making him an offer of assistance. If she appeared too eager, he might well be frightened off.
‘Fine then, off I go,’ Eve
‘Oooh, the house library!’ Eve cried and raced into the room. She immediately headed for the nearest bookcase and began examining the books on the shelves. If there was one person who loved books more than Lucy, it was her cousin.
Lucy followed more sedately behind.
‘Remember, always gently and with respect,’ Lucy said, quoting their paternal grandmother.
Eve laughed and brandished a book in the air.
‘Yes, Grandmother,’ she laughed.
‘Wise words of caution,’ a male voice replied.
Lucy turned and her breath caught.
Seated – well, to be more accurate, lazily strewn across a long leather couch – was the subject of their search: Mr Avery Fox.
Lucy took in his glorious body in an instant, exercising her increasingly well-honed appreciation of the male form.
Dark hair, a long ponytail tied at the nape. Though it was tied neatly, it was loose enough to show a hint of disregard. A dark grey jacket worn over a pure white linen shirt. No cravat. At the top of his shirt she saw the merest hint of chest hair. Long legs clad in black trousers, which clung tightly to his thighs. Polished boots completed the look.
Unable to tear her gaze away, Lucy stood mesmerised. She had seen a hundred, nay a thousand men wearing such attire, but never before had she reacted in such a way. A hot spike of desire coursed through her body. She shivered with its thrill.
Oh gosh.
‘Mr Fox. Good morning to you. Forgive me, I did not see you,’ she said, catching herself. A hot blush burned on her cheeks.
She blinked as he unfurled his long muscular legs and rose from the couch, dipping into an easy bow.
‘You have to forgive me, Lady Lucy, I am prone at times to forget my manners. Too many years living a soldier’s life, I’m afraid,’ he said.
‘Please sit, Mr Fox; we are the ones who have interrupted your peaceful morning,’ Lucy replied. She looked at the book he still held in his right hand. Then, seeing the glove on his left, she quickly averted her gaze.
‘I’d have thought you might be a touch too old for
Gulliver’s Travels
,’ she said, casting about for something to say.
In the corner of the room, Eve snorted. Avery’s hand dropped instantly, leaving the book to hang loosely by his side. Lucy regretted her words.
Stupid, stupid girl
.
He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I suppose I am, but I have never got around to reading it until now, so I thought I should. The bookseller recommended it most highly. It is rather good,’ he replied.
‘I read it when I was ten,’ Eve added. Lucy wished at that moment her cousin would disappear into thin air. Instead she made her way over to where Lucy and Avery stood and grandly offered Avery her hand.
‘Since my dear cousin won’t introduce us, I’m Evelyn Saunders,’ she said.
As Avery took her hand and bowed, Lucy felt an overwhelming desire to pinch Eve.
‘Mr Fox; I have heard so much about you,’ Eve teased. Lucy ground her teeth in frustration.
Avery made a step toward the door and Lucy let out an involuntary gasp. He was leaving. ‘Oh, please don’t go on account of us. We are just waiting for Clarice to come back downstairs. And
Gulliver’s Travels
is one of my favourite books,’ she stammered.
Eve looked from Lucy to Avery and clicked her tongue. She withdrew her hand.
‘I shall go and see how Clarice is faring; I can see three is a crowd.’
She headed for the library door.
Lucy held her breath at Eve’s clumsy attempt to play matchmaker. She hoped Avery had missed the note of intent in her cousin’s words.
‘Thank you, dearest Eve; that would be lovely, we shall see you back here soon,’ Lucy replied. She prayed Eve would have the good sense to stay away. She needed time to casually discuss matters with Avery before making him an offer of assistance. If she appeared too eager, he might well be frightened off.
‘Fine then, off I go,’ Eve
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