B006DTZ3FY EBOK (2 page)

“N
o, thank you. That won
’
t be necessary.
”
Filey actually threw out a hand as if warding him off.

Derek paused, one hand on the banister. He pasted an injured look on his features.
“N
o need to take that tone, dear chap. Only offering my assistance, you know.
”

“I
require none, however. I prefer to hunt alone.
”
Filey
’
s lip curled.
“I
wish you a pleasant evening.
”

He sketched a bow and was gone, his footfalls beating an angry retreat. Derek waited until the footsteps receded into silence, then gave a grim chuckle.
“T
hat dragon was too easily slain,
”
he remarked. The vapid drawl had vanished from his voice. He sauntered back down the stairs.
“W
hat a pity that no fisticuffs were called for! It would have been a pleasure to plant that rogue a facer.
”

A faint voice sounded from the stairwell.
“O
h, on the contrary! I am glad no blows were exchanged.
”

Cynthia
emerged into the light. Her attempt at a light tone was pathetically brave; now that Filey was gone, she was shaking with reaction. Derek saw that she was clenching her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering, and his heart went out to her. All humor fled from Derek
’
s features. It was impossible to make light of t
he situation when
confronted with
Cynthia
’
s distress.

“I
sent him away through a silly ruse,
”
said Derek quietly.
“I
would have served you better, perhaps, had I faced the villain down.
”

Cynthia
’
s eyes, celestial blue, lifted to his. Derek felt his breath catch in his throat. A thrill went through him like an electric shock, as if her eyes held divine power.

“Y
ou were splendid,
”
she whispered. There was something dazed and wondering in her face, as if the words had been pulled out of her against her will. A sudden stillness seemed to descend upon he
r. And her trembling simply…
stopped.
             
             
             
             
             
             

How beautiful she was. But there must be something else, some added element beyond physical beauty, attracting him. Nobody was this beautiful. Nobody could possibly be as beauti
ful as this girl seemed to him.

Crazy thoughts jumbled in his brain; snatches of Shakespeare mix
ed with heart-pounding emotion—
and
,
somewhere above it
all
, a detached portion of his mind
noted
, with calm, scientific interest,
so this is what it
’
s like ... love at first sight.
He had read of the phenomenon, but had assumed it was merely a poetic convention. Such things never happened in real life. Real people did not, could not, fall in love with total strangers.

Except that, apparently, they could and did.

Cynthia
and Derek
stared at each other, motionless under the flaring lamp.
Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright.
Madness, madness. Knowledge and intimacy, clear truth somehow born in intuition, flashed and pulsed in the air between them. How could such things be? And then, without a word, Derek opened his arms.

It was a crazy thing to do. W
hat did he expect? No decent female would accept such an invitation. But, marvel of marvels,
Cynthia
walked into his embrace as if she belonged there.

In the grip of magic, reality steps aside. The normal laws of earthly existence, including the rules set forth for human behavior, simply do not apply. Whatever was happening here, it was larger, more important, more compelling, than any code of conduct. For another fraction of a second, Derek drowned in those blue, blue eyes, now so close to his own. Then he surrendered to the inevitable. H
e bent his head and kissed her.

She melted into his arms with perfect trust, lifting her lips to meet his.
Sweet.
Her mouth was soft and warm. He explored it with a kind of reverence, cherishing its every curve and hollow. One did not plunder a miracle. A man could not allow petty, greedy lust to intrude upon the Holy. Derek closed his eyes as if in prayer, savoring the gift of kissing
Cynthia
.

When he lifted his head again, her eyelids seemed to flutter open at the same moment his did. As one, they took a breath. As one, they moved slightly apart, the better to stare at each other.

Derek raised one hand and touched her cheek, placing his finger lightly along her perfect jawline. He shook his head slowly, in baffled awe.
“I
hope,
”
he said hoarsely,
A
that you do not expect an apology.
”

The corners of her mouth curved in a tiny smile.
“N
o,
”
she admitted.
“I
n fact, I think ... I think it might
grieve me, if you expressed
regret.
”
Her cheeks were turning a delicate shade of pink.

“R
egret? Impossible
,
”
said Derek fervently.

She dropped her eyes, apparently suffering a belated attack of shyness. Another moment, he realized, and she would recall the outrageousness of their situation. She would remember the rules of polite behavior, and be horrified by her inexplicable lapse. And the moment after that, she would withdraw from him. He could not let that moment arrive.

“C
ome and sit down,
”
he urged her softly.
“Y
ou have had a harrowing experience. You should rest for a time and collect yourself.
”

He led her to the stairs and spread his h
andkerchief on one of the steps
to protect the fragile silk of her gown. Attempting to lighten the moment, he shot her a sheepish grin.
“T
he gentlemanly thing, of course, would be to give you my coat. But men
’
s fashions being what they are today, I
’
m unable
.
”

She looked a startled inquiry. His grin widened.
“C
an
’
t extricate myself without assistance,
”
he explained.
“T
akes two strong men, a shoehorn, a crowbar, and a bucket of grease to get me
in and
out of this coat.
”

Her laugh was as clear and sweet as he
’
d hoped it would be.
“N
ever mind,
”
she told him, seating herself gracefully on the handkerchief.
“A
lthough it’s a pity we can’t cut you loose.
I did bring scissors with me this evening, but I
’
m afraid I left them in my reticule.
”

He caught himself staring again. Her movements were so fluid, she made sitting on the handkerchief-draped stair seem natural and elegant. She was seated almost directly beneath the lamp. Her hair scattered light like an angel
’
s halo, and the silk of her gown seemed poured over her, a gloss of milky white shimmering on her warm skin. A man couldn
’
t help but notice. It was highly distracting, to say the least. He had to clear his throat before he could speak.

“W
here is your reticule? Shall I fetch it for you?
”

“N
o, thank you.
”
A shadow crossed her features.
“I
must have left it behind when we
—
when I left the box.
”

Derek was not so lost in admiration that he missed the shiver that ran through her. The very thought of what had happened to her earlier returned the fear to her eyes. This could not stand; he must do something to take her fear away.

He sat beside her, frowning.
“
Cynthia
,
”
he said quietly, and took her hand in his.
“W
hat happened tonight? Tell me.
”

Color flooded her cheeks. She averted her gaze.
“I’
m ashamed,
”
she whispered.
“I
t was…he was…
horrid.
”

“Y
ou speak of Filey.
”
It was not a question. The sc
oundrel must have…
but he couldn
’
t let his mind finish the sentence. Anger rippled through him.
“B
last! I should have knocked the rascal down while I had the chance.
”

Cynthia
glanced apprehensively back at him.
“Y
ou sound angry.
”

“O
f course I am angry! I should have known, the instant I saw you were afraid of him
—”
Derek
’
s teeth clenched.
“W
hat did that villain do to you?
”
he exclaimed. Then his arm tightened around her.
“N
ever mind,
”
he growled.
“I
f you tell me, I may have to kill him.
”

She looked startled. He managed a strained smile.
“I’
m joking,
”
he explained.

A tiny smile curved her lips again. She tilted her chin, studying him.
“I
don
’
t think you are,
”
she remarked at last.
“N
ot entirely.
”
Her smile sweetened.
“Y
ou joke, but there is something of the knight-errant about you.
”

A short laugh escaped him.
“I
lack the shining armor, of course. Perhaps I should borrow that suit of paperboard over there before I hunt Filey down.
”

Her color deepened. She dropped her eyes.
“I
n truth, you know, he did not do anything so very
… that is, he did not…
”
Her voice trailed off and she gave a strange, choked laugh.
“H
e did nothing more than you did.
”

Surprise and chagrin jarred him, paralyzing him for a moment. He had to bite his tongue to keep from swearing. It was not as bad as it might have been, but still
—
Filey had kissed her! The swine had dared to
kiss
her! It mattered not a whit that the man had done nothing more than he himself had done. Had Filey walked into the room at that moment, Derek felt he must have lunged for the dastard
’
s throat.

Cynthia
looked back up at him. She must have seen the mortifying emotions chasing themselves across his face, for she smiled with what seemed a wisdom beyond her years.
“Y
ou are thinking that Sir James had no right,
”
she said softly.
“N
o right to touch me.
”

“Y
es.
”
Derek
’
s voice sounded half-strangled.
“S
orry! I know it sounds absurd, coming from me. Can
’
t help it.
”

Amusement crinkled the corners of her eyes.
“B
ut it doesn
’
t sound absurd at all. I agree with you. He had no right to touch me. And he certainly had no right to kiss me.
”

“
Cynthia
, you shame me.
”
He cradled her face in his hands. Her cheeks were soft as a baby
’
s. His heart swelled with a remorse so keen it was almost sorrow.
“I
had no right to kiss you, either.
”
He opened his mouth to apologize, but she forestalled him by laying one finger gently against his lips.

“Y
es, you did.
”
Her whisper was barely audible.
“Y
ou had every right.
”