The Marquis and I (The Worthingtons #4)(11)

Immediately, his body hardened as if it had received an invitation to play.

Bloody hell!

This was not happening to him. It was simply that he had missed last evening with his mistress, and he was used to having conjugal relations whenever he desired them. He had heard that many men sought conjugal relief after a battle. He had had a battle of sorts. Those were the only possible explanations for his sudden lust. Innocents did not arouse him in the least. Not mentally or physically. He applied his attention to the road, willing his cock to stand down.

*

Sometime later, Con’s stomach growled. He’d not eaten much of his dinner last night as he’d had the distinct impression someone had spit in the soup.

He remembered Lady Charlotte wrapping cheese and bread into a napkin and putting it into the basket. Not wishing to wake her, he stretched his arm across her body, carefully opened the basket lid, and stuck his hand in.

“Ow! What the devil!” He snatched his hand back. Blood welled on one of his fingers.

Lady Charlotte jerked up with a start. “What happened? Have they caught us?”

“No, your cat scratched me.”

“I’m sorry.” Blinking, she looked down at his finger. “I did tell you she does not like strangers.”

“That doesn’t mean she had to attack me.” He glared at the basket.

“Of course, it was very bad of her. Generally, she just hides. I must say that I dreamed she had left the basket, and we had to chase after her.”

“She did not,” he grumbled. A good thing too, as he was not stopping for a cat. “I reached in for the foodstuffs you packed.”

“That accounts for it then.” Lady Charlotte stuck her hand into the basket and pulled out the small bundle of food. Next she withdrew a handkerchief. “I’ll bind your wound so that you do not bleed all over everything.” Before he could protest, she had torn a strip off the handkerchief and tied it round his finger. “There.” She patted it. “It will be better soon.”

“Thank you.” He hadn’t meant to apologize, but she had behaved so sensibly that he . . . had to get away from her as soon as possible. “I should not have made such a fuss.”

“I am sure it was a shock.” She placed a hunk of cheese in a piece of bread and folded it over. “I hope it tastes as good as it smells. The cheese that is.”

Not as good as her lips had, but he would not be tasting them again. Ever.

Con devoured the sandwich as she neatly broke off another piece of cheese and held it down into the basket. A few moments later, she handed him another piece of bread and cheese and took some for herself.

She swallowed. “It is good. I wish I could ask where the cook got it.”

He turned to her and smiled. “I do not think we shall be returning.”

“Nor do I wish to. Once was quite enough, thank you.” Her tone, as dry as dust, surprised him.

Remarkable. He’d never met a young lady or many older ones with such sangfroid. She hadn’t even mentioned the kiss. “Is this your first Season?”

“It is.” He could almost feel her smiling. “Until yesterday, I had been having such a good time.”

“Truly?” Even though she would not be able to see his expression, he had raised a brow.

“Yes, truly. I do not understand why ladies, especially those just out, pretend to be bored. It’s ridiculous.”

“What a refreshing point of view.” Some gentleman was going to be lucky enough to marry her. When that happened, Con hoped her husband did not try to snuff out Lady Charlotte’s sense of joy. “I think I agree with you.”

“You mean you do not know if you agree?” An inflection of incredulity colored her voice. “I thought all men knew exactly what they wanted and did not want.”

Ahh. She was dangerous. He had no doubt she could quickly wrap any man she chose around her little finger. It was a good thing he was not in the market for a wife and didn’t like innocents. “I suppose you are looking for a husband.”

“Only if I meet a gentleman who believes in the same things I do and whom I can love.”

“If you do so, would you always agree with your husband?” He found he enjoyed prodding her.

“I? Not unless he was right.”

Perhaps not any gentleman. The man would have to like being managed at times, and challenged. She should not be allowed to wed anyone who would ignore her or make her unhappy.

“We have not met, have we?” she asked.

He glanced at Lady Charlotte; her brow was slightly pleated, as if she were trying to place him.

Con was not going to explain to her that there was another part of London society that she knew nothing about. “No.”

“I didn’t think we had.” Her brow cleared and her tone was lighter. “I would have recognized your voice. Are you not in Town for the Season?”

“I have been busy with other ventures.” It wasn’t much of an answer, but it would have to satisfy her.

The path ahead of them darkened and he glanced at the sky. The moon had set and in the distance the sky was the color of sapphires. Dawn was coming before he thought it would. They had an hour at the most. Con wished he could urge his team a bit faster, but without the light he had to slow them to a walk.

It must have taken longer than he’d thought to take care of the maid and leave the inn. And the one thing he did not want to have happen was for him to be seen with Lady Charlotte. That would be disastrous for them both.