My Pleasure (38 page)

He was a very stalwart man, her husband. He could withstand much. He had withstood much, she thought as her free hand brushed over the thick, smooth ridges of his brand.

She crept closer, nuzzling him as she rained light kisses down his chest to the denser line of hair that disappeared beneath his waistband.

His hand came down and captured her chin, lifting her face to his. His eyes glittered in the half-light, passion darkened, adoring her. “I thought you were going to rest.” His voice was amused and breathless.

She reached up, linking her hand behind his neck and pulling his eager mouth down to hers.

“I had a better idea,” she whispered as his mouth closed on hers.

And she did.

I OWE A GREAT DEBT of thanks to Cliff and Missy Iverson, the extremely knowledgeable and gracious coaches of the University of Minnesota’s fencing team. Not only did they lend me their expertise, they gave me the opportunity to “fence.” Any errors in this book involving the description of the dueling sequences are the result of my having taken poetic license, and any failure to properly explain certain terms are my fault alone. Thank you, Cliff and Missy.

As for the International Dueling Tournament, I have found no evidence that anything resembling such a competition ever existed in the Regency period, though certainly exhibitions were held between famous duelists in all the great capitals of Europe. Additionally, many lesser bouts were indeed held under the circumstances I outlined, with the winner’s take a part of the gate. I see no reason to doubt that should someone have come up with the idea of an “international invitational,” so to speak, it might well have been implemented. Even during times of war, the aristocracy in Napoleon’s France and England found ways to interact.

As a final aside, I found it fascinating that one of Josephine’s most trusted rose experts (an Englishman) was given diplomatic immunity to travel back and forth between France and his native England during the entire war.

A lady will have her garden.