Surrender (28 page)

with protecting me," Victoria said with a

touching loyalty.
 
Otherwise, I am certain

you would have done something on your

own for the boy. And you were very helpful

with little Molly, too."

Lucas smiled wryly.
 
Will you be at the

Foxtons" tonight?"

Yes, but you know how difficult it is to

find any privacy at a crush like that. Lucas,

why do you not ride in the park tomorrow

afternoon? I shall arrange to be there, also."

 
As much as I would wish to do so, I'm

afraid I have another engagement."

Victoria's face fell.
 
You do? Are you

very sure you cannot make it? Even for

a few minutes around five?"

He took pity on her. The poor woman

was obviously so far out of her depth now

that she could not possibly swim to shore

by herself. Lucas contemplated just how he

would save her.
 
I dislike riding in the park

in the afternoons, Vicky. Too crowded."

 
Yes, I know, but I simply must speak

to you. If you won't join me in the park,

you must come to the garden tonight. We

can talk there." Victoria lowered her voice.

 
This is very important, Lucas."

 
I fear I had not planned on one of our

little adventures tonight. These things do

take planning, you know."

 
Damn it, Lucas," she hissed softly,
 
I am

not planning an adventure. But I do want

to see you. I would greatly appreciate it if

you could fit me into your busy schedule."

Lucas looked at her in mild surprise.

 
You sound upset, Miss Huntington."

Victoria fidgeted.
 
I am upset, Lord

stone vale. You are being exceedingly

difficult."

 
I am only thinking of your reputation,

Victoria. We must be very, very careful

these days," Lucas warned, glancing about

to prove his point.

 
Hang my reputation. I must talk to

you."

He was startled and rather warmed by

her insistence. She was obviously at the

end of her tether. Lord knew he was

more than ready for the next phase of

this business, himself. It was time to end

her frustration and his own.

 
Very well," Lucas said, as if considering

the matter carefully,
 
I will check my

engagement book and see if I can spare

a few minutes with you in your garden

later this evening around midnight. Will

that suffice?"

 
You are far too kind, my lord."

He winced as the knife edge of her

tongue took a slice out of his hide.
 
Not

at all."

 
I begin to believe you are toying with

me, Lucas."

His brows rose. He must never forget

the woman was extremely astute.
 
I will

do my best to be in your garden tonight at

the usual time. Now, if you will excuse me

for a moment, I see Tottingham over in the

corner. He promised to loan me his copy

of White's Natural History and Antiquities

of Selborne. I have been wanting to read it

since he mentioned it to me."

 
You need not bother Tottingham with

your request, my lord," Victoria said icily.

 
If you manage to keep your appointment

with me tonight, I will allow you to borrow

my copy."

He grinned.
 
Victoria, my sweet, are you

by any chance trying to bribe me?"

She turned an even brighter shade of

pink and whirled around to go in search

of her aunt.

Lucas saw her waiting for him in the

shadows of a tree as he came over the

garden wall. She was an elegant ghost

hooded and cloaked in a maroon velvet

cape lined with yellow satin. The same

cape she had worn earlier that evening to

the Foxtons" ball.

He eased himself carefully to the ground,

catching his weight on his right foot and

using his left primarily for balance. But

even taking care, the short drop sent a

sharp twinge through his bad leg. He had

no business climbing garden walls.

Lucas straightened, idly massaging the

old wound, and wondered how he had

come to find himself dancing on the end

of Victoria's string for so long. He had let

the lady run him in circles.

It was high time to take her to bed and

make her his own. He would have much

preferred to marry her first, but barring

that possibility, he would take what he

could get. Just the thought of being able

to spend a comfortable night in a bed

with Victoria instead of rocketing around

in hired carriages and flirting with disaster

was enough to make his leg feel better and

assured himself that bed was bound to lead

to marriage.

 
Lucas?" Her voice was the softest of

whispers as she came forward through the

damp grass. She lifted her cloaked face and

looked up at him with a sweet, vulnerable

expression that wrenched his heart.

He groaned and thrust his hands under

the hood to frame her face. Without a word

he lowered his head to drink hungrily of

her mouth. When he finally released her,

his whole body was tight with desire.

 
Damn, but it was hard to watch you

dance with one man after another tonight

at the Foxtons'," he muttered against her

throat.

 
Lucas, please, you must not kiss me like

that tonight. There is no time. My aunt

will be home shortly. I told her I had the

headache when I left the Foxtons. She will

probably go straight to my room to check

on me when she comes home."

 
What is it that was so important we are

once again risking your reputation, Vicky?"

She clutched the velvet cloak more tightly

around her, meeting his eyes bravely in the

flickering moonlight.
 
I thought this would

be easy to say, but I am discovering it is

not easy at all."

He wanted to fold her close against

his chest and assure her she did not

have to say anything, but he resisted the

temptation. She must take this step herself.

Strategy he reminded himself bleakly.

Strategy and a desperate wish not to be

blamed later for having seduced her. Far

better for both of them that she engineer

her own fall into bed with him.

 
I am listening, my sweet."

She lifted her chin determinedly.
 
I

have done a great deal of thinking lately,

my lord."

 
Not always a good thing. I have found

that sometimes too much thinking can

disturb one's peace of mind."

 
Well, mine is already disturbed." She

stepped away from him and turned to

pace back and forth in the wet grass. She

seemed unaware of the way the toes of her

satin evening slippers were growing damp.

 
I have gone through this problem many

times in my own mind. For reasons I am

certain you will understand, it is a subject

that is almost impossible to discuss openly

with anyone else, even my aunt."

 
I understand," he said gravely.
  
There

are some things we cannot discuss, even

with those who are close to us."

 
Yes, precisely." She turned and paced

in the opposite direction.
 
I believe I

have told you that I do not wish to

marry."

 
On several occasions."

 
Lately I have discovered, however, that

I am not entirely opposed to a
  
a romantic

liaison with a man.

 
I see."

 
I am glad, because this is very hard to

put into words." She swung around and

stalked back the way she had come.
 
Do

you, uh, recall what happened the other

night in the carriage after we left the

Green Pig?"

 
Very clearly."

She ducked her head deeper inside the

hood.
 
I was astonished to learn that the

connection between a man and a woman

can be quite so
  
so intense."

He hid his amusement.
 
I am pleased

you found the experience pleasant."

 
Pleasant." She halted and spun to face

him, her eyes huge in the pale light.
 
It

was vastly more than pleasant, my lord.

It was rather unnerving in some respects

but very, very exciting. Quite astonishingly

delightful, in fact."

Her delicious honesty on the subject

entranced him.
 
You flatter me."

 
Not at all." she resumed her pacing.

 
Lucas, I have given this much thought

and I have decided I wish to repeat

the experience. In fact, I have decided I

would like to discover the full range of that

particular sort of experience. As a matter

of intellectual inquiry, you understand."

 
Intellectual inquiry," he repeated slowly.

 
Rather like collecting beetles, I imagine."

 
I suppose one could say that."

 
Will you put me on display in a box

when you've finished your inquiries?"

Victoria scowled at him from inside her

cloak.
 
Lucas, don't you dare tease me. I

am perfectly serious about this."

 
Yes, I can see that."

 
To be quite blunt, I would like to

establish a romantic connection with you

of the sort Isabel Rycott enjoys with her

friend Edge worth."

 
Good God, I sincerely hope not."

 
Victoria stopped and turned toward him

with a
 
shocked,
 
embarrassed expression.

 
You do not want me?"

Instantly he realized how she had

interpreted his words. He moved forward

and pulled her roughly into his arms,

covering her mouth with his own in a kiss

of such fierce possession that she trembled

in response. When he finally released her,

he captured her face between his hands

and looked down at her, knowing the full

force of his need was probably blazing in

his eyes.

 
I want you more than I have ever

wanted anything else on the face of this

earth. Don't ever forget that, Victoria. No

matter what happens, promise me you will

never forget that."

She circled his wrists with her fingers,

smiling tremulously.
 
And I want you,

Lucas. I have never known anything like

this need I feel for you. Please, will you

make love to me?"

 
Vicky. Oh, Vicky, my sweet, wayward,

passionate hoyden." He crushed her against

his length, light-headed with a strange

combination of passion, tenderness, and

relief.
 
I will make love to you until you

go up in flames and then I will join you

and we will burn together."

 
That does not sound particularly comfortable,

my lord" she remarked, her voice

muffled against his coat.

He grinned.
 
Wait until you try it."

She laughed softly and her arms went

around his waist. She hugged him tightly.

 
Lucas, I am so excited."

 
So am I," he whispered, and then added

deliberately,
 
It is almost as if you had just

agreed to marry me."

She went rigid.
 
Lucas
 
."

 
Almost, but not quite. Calm yourself,

Vicky. I don't mean to frighten you,

but you cannot help but know by now

that I would not be averse to something

more than a romantic connection with

you. Would you care to discuss marriage

rather than a romantic liaison?" He held

his breath, praying she would say yes and

everything would suddenly become very

simple.

 
Thank you, Lucas. That is very nice of

you, you know. Entirely unnecessary, but

very nice. I do appreciate the offer, because

you certainly were not obliged to make it,"

she said, beaming.

 
But the answer is no?"

 
You know it is, but thank you again for

asking." She raised her head to brush her

mouth lightly against his own. Then she

smiled brilliantly up at him.
 
Now, let us

get on to making our plans."

Her rather casual dismissal of his

proposal irritated Lucas. The little baggage

thought she could have it all without paying

the price. Perhaps it was time to gently

point out that this was not going to be

quite as simple and straightforward as she

had anticipated.

 
Very well. When?"

She blinked.
 
When what, my lord?"

 
When shall we arrange our first meeting

as lovers? And how? Have you given

any thought to that? It needs some

consideration. Also, there is the matter

of where, isn't there? We cannot just hire

a carriage to drive us around London for

several hours while we make love on the

cushions. Most uncomfortable and I don't

want the coachman making a guess about

what is going on inside," he explained

roughly.

Her expression moved from startled to

appalled.
 
I thought
  
thought you would

take care of those little matters. That

is, I assumed you knew how to make

the arrangements for this sort of thing,

Lucas."

 
Not likely. I've never formed a romantic

connection of such an intimate nature with

a young lady of your sort before in my

life. It generally is not done, Victoria. At

least, not by men who consider themselves

gentlemen. You put me in something of an

awkward situation, you see."

She groaned.
 
Aunt Cleo warned me

that it is not only my own reputation I

am toying with, but yours also."

 
Did she really?" Lucas was not particularly

surprised to hear that Lady Nettleship

had guessed in which direction the wind

was blowing. He wondered what Cleo's

real views on the matter were.
 
Lady

Nettleship is a very perceptive woman.

She obviously does not like the notion of

you playing ducks and drakes with your

reputation."

Or yours. Lucas, I understand this is

not easy for you and there certainly are

dangers involved. I am not so blind that

I do not comprehend that."

 
That speaks well for your intelligence,

Vicky."

She bit her lip and slanted him a

sidelong glance.
 
I suppose it really is not

fair of me to ask you to do this."

 
As you said, one cannot deny there are

risks involved."

She sighed, a very tragic-sounding sort

of sigh.
 
You are quite right. I have no

business jeopardizing your reputation as

well as my own, do I? Perhaps we should

simply forget it."

 
My offer presents a possible alternative,"

he began cautiously.

She patted his arm affectionately as if he

were a well-meaning puppy.
 
Your offer of

marriage was very sweet, Lucas. But I fear

the only real alternative for me is to wait a

few more years until I am well and truly

established as a spinster. Perhaps then no

one will care too much if I choose to follow

in Lady Rycott's footsteps. Do forgive me,

Lucas. I am sorry I ever brought up the

subject."

Alarm swept through him as he realized

she was already backing away from the

affair. What's more she was considering

spinsterhood rather than marriage as the

only alternative. If he let her go completely,

he might never get her back. Even worse,

she might find another man who would

not have any hesitation at all in letting

her take all the risks she wished.

Lucas reached out a little roughly

and caught her chin between thumb

and forefinger.
 
Victoria, if a romantic

liaison is truly what you want, then

it will be my privilege to give it to

you."

Her sudden smile was much too luminous

and her eyes glowed with what looked

suspiciously like feminine triumph.
 
In the

spirit of intellectual inquiry, my lord?"

Somewhere inside Lucas a warning bell

belatedly clanged. He studied Victoria's

delighted, cheerfully smug expression and

a nasty notion was born in him that he'd

just been well and truly outmaneuvered.