A Dash of Scandal(26)

“You, sir, are astounding.”

He winked at her. “Thank you.”

“How did you get into this garden?”

“Through the hedge.”

She looked at the closely cropped, thick hedge that stood just beyond the garden and didn’t see a break or even a ruffle of disturbance in the primly cut yew.

“Impossible.”

“Miss Blair, have you never heard the old adage, ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’?”

“You sir, are an extraordinary magician if you indeed came through that thick hedge.”

A roguish smile played on his lips and melted any hint of anger toward him. “I’ve had plenty of practice over the years, but I do have to admit that I am a bit rusty.” He grunted and adjusted his position on the ground to a sitting position. “I haven’t slipped into a garden to meet a young lady in years.”

“I should think not,” she admonished him. Although she was appalled by his brash behavior, she was also excited by it. “You are much too old for such pranks.”

He grimaced as he touched a slight scratch to his cheek. “I agree. They used to be such fun, and it is quite nice to know I can still do it.”

“I’m not surprised to hear you have done this sort of thing before.”

“I would rather you had allowed me to call on you properly.”

“Sir, I thought I made it clear I didn’t want you to call on me at all.”

“I’m sure you believe I’m living up to my reputation.”

“Indeed. You could have been caught slipping in here.” She stopped. “What am I saying?—I could be caught standing here talking to you and be scandalized. Emery and Hamlet were just in the garden.”

“I saw them and waited for them to leave. I’m always careful. I’ve been hiding on the other side of the hedge for some time now hoping Hamlet wouldn’t detect me and that you would come out into the garden this afternoon.”

“Really? Why?”

“I wanted to see you. You wouldn’t give me permission to call on you properly, so I shall call on you improperly. Now, come a bit closer so we won’t have to talk so loud and alert one of the servants.”

Closer? She shouldn’t be talking to him at all. But… rake that he was, with him there was always that but. She wanted to talk to him.

She walked closer to the statue and sat down on its base, right beside Lord Dunraven, who sat on the grass. She looked over at him. His hair was ruffled and had bits of shrub in it. The shoulder of his jacket had a small tear, and his white shirt had grass stains from the hedge. There was a small scratch on his cheek below his eye. He indeed looked like a gentleman who had just stolen into a garden to see the love of his life.

Suddenly she laughed softly.

“And what is so funny?” he asked as he leaned against the back of the statue.

“You.”

“Me? I hoped to impress you, not make you laugh at me. Where did I go wrong?” he asked with a teasing grin.

“I was just thinking that it is no wonder you have the reputation you do. Coming here like this was very risky for both of us.”

“I learned early in my youth how to steal into gardens, climb houses, and crawl into windows without being caught.”

“Stunts like that could easily fool most young ladies into thinking you were absolutely, madly in love with them.”

“Most?” he questioned. “I guess that means you are not included in that number.”

“Certainly not.”

“But you aren’t upset I came to see you.”

Oh no.

“Of course I am,” she said with little conviction in her voice. “It is very foolish. If you were caught here, my reputation would be ruined forever.”

“There should be some comfort in knowing that I’ve never actually been caught.”

“Obviously not. You would have been wed.”

“Which is the reason I’m always careful.”

“But you did say you were rusty.”

“Did I say that? Surely not. But, let’s see.”

In one fluid motion, he gently took hold of her wrist and pulled her down into the grass, half beside him and half on his lap, and covered her lips with his in a quick, soft kiss—but to her it was a powerful kiss that sent her head spinning with tantalizing sensations.

Millicent was too stunned to move or to say anything. She looked into his gently smiling eyes and felt no fear, no remorse, no shame. How could that be? It went against everything she had been taught.