Page 9 of Never a Duchess
Silence ensued, but he waited until she was forced to say, “Well, it’s … it’s like you’re possessed.”
“Possessed?” Lustwasa demon dominating the mind and body. His need to feast on this woman would earn him a place at Lucifer’s table. “Ye’ll need to elaborate. Tell me, do ye feel certain sensations?”
Thank God he had followed her tonight. Now he might learn what drove her to avoid him. Had he imagined the spark of attraction? Might he find a way past her barricade?
“I’m not discussing it with you,” she snapped.
“I’ll tell ye what desire is like for a man.” A flicker of intrigue in her eyes encouraged him to be bold. “I can explain the physical feelings and mental process. Tell ye why a man would risk everything to satisfy a craving.”
Tell ye why I’m standing here when there’s every chance we’ll be caught, he added silently.
Suspicion danced across her delicate features. “And what do you want in return, Your Grace?”
“One thing. Honesty.”
Miss Ware blinked rapidly. One would think he’d asked her to steal into the palace and murder the King.
“I’ll show ye how to tell the difference between a false statement and one expressed with real sentiment,” he said, attempting to gain her trust. “Such insight will prove invaluable in the efforts to save the next influx of debutantes.”
“Yes,” she mused, tapping her finger to her lips. “I might produce a pamphlet, have hundreds printed and distribute them secretly at Almack’s.”
“Ye’re sure to save more than one naive lass,” he said, but for the life of him, he couldn’t understand why she would go to so much trouble.
“People talk. It won’t be long before the knowledge spreads.” Excitement flashed in eyes as blue as the Aegean Sea. “Then I might continue my archaeological studies and venture to Egypt.”
Egypt!
What the devil went on in this woman’s head?
“If I’m nae mistaken, Roxburgh has a brood of young children demanding his attention.” The doting husband and father was rarely seen at balls these days. “I doubt he would accompany ye on a wild adventure.”
The lady raised a determined chin. “I mean to travel with the Archeological Society, not my brother.”
Venture into the unknown without a proper chaperone?
Like hell she would!
Still, it was not his place to comment.
“Push all thoughts of Egypt aside and focus on the current task,” he said. Helping her with the ladies’ manual would buy him some time. “Perhaps I might give a quick demonstration. Show ye how to tell if a man has lust or love on his mind.”
Miss Ware clutched her chest. “What would you do?”
Relieved he had managed to distract her from talk of exotic travels, he said, “I’ll start with something simple, like asking ye to dance.”
“Oh!” She sounded a tad disappointed.
“It all begins with my approach, Miss Ware.” He moved back to the door and kept his voice low. “If my gaze wanders, I’m bored and seek to dance as a mere distraction. Notice my stride lacks purpose.”
He spoke from experience, showing her how he dealt with other women when she was the only one he wished to hold in his arms.
“Do ye see?” he said.
“Yes, there’s an air of indifference about you.”
“Aye. The real problem comes when telling if a man is consumed by lust or love.” Callan belonged in the first group, but the spark of energy between them suggested potential for the latter. Why else would he persist in being patient?
“How might I know if a man is in love, Your Grace?”
