Page 56 of Baron in Check
And Greg liked it.
Weak men feared strong women. He wasn’t one of them, the Black Knight.
“That’s why I got a little something here.” She patted the round hat box beside her. Why did she say that with such mischief?
“A hat?”
She winked. “It’s a hat box.”
“For fun?” Greg knew to tread carefully. She was so excited, happier than he’d seen her since she’d arrived.
“Madame Giselle left an array of the latest Parisian fashions with the others, and they let me pick a few things. I’ll have to pay Madame Giselle when she comes to my fitting tomorrow.”
“The seamstress?”
“The modiste. Her seamstress will arrive ahead of time to take my measurements.”
“For…”
“My wedding gown and new wardrobe. Or do you want the future Countess to wear her dreadful country dress indefinitely? I never finished my fitting when Sofia was there.”
Greg didn’t know whether to smile or run. She was already outfitting herself.
“I’ll have to reimburse you once I have access to my fortune. Could you keep careful accounting of my spending in the meantime, please?”
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“I will do no such thing. Are you trying to insult me?”
She jerked her head back and furrowed her brow. “I need to look the part if you’re going to parade me around London, Greg. I’m the fallen girl, and they expect me to look terrible. The others and I decided to spite them all and to make me look my very best. I cannot look my best in this old thing.” She tugged at the hem of her gown.
“I will parade you around like a proud peacock, and you can wear whatever you want. But I will never accept reimbursement for paying for my fiancée’s expenses, much less for my wife. Is that clear?”
Hermy’s frown gave way to her gorgeous smile, bright white teeth, and sparkling eyes. “You can be rather sweet for someone who’s feared as the Black Knight.” She tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear and was just too adorable not to kiss.
“Don’t ever tell anyone that!” He leaned toward her.
“I never give away my secrets.”
“What about what you have in the hat box?” Greg whispered when he scooted closer to Hermy in the carriage.
Hermy winked again. “It’s so wicked, I shan’t say.”
“Will you show me?”
“Play for it and I might.”
Hannah had saidthat the lingerie worked like a charm, but she hadn’t told Hermy it wasn’t even necessary to put it on to makeit work. Being alone in the carriage in the dark of night felt like they were in a balloon gondola suspended over the mountains with nobody to disturb them.
“E4 takes your white pawn on f4,” Greg rasped.
“King’s gambit accepted?”
“Hm-hm.” He nuzzled her neck, and she tilted her head to give him access.
“Knight g5.”
