Page 28 of The Secret of Flirting
“Luscious?” Lady Ursula said in her heavily accented English. “I do not know this word.”
Monique did. She’d looked it up after he’d said it last night. How dare he use such a blatantly sensual word around Lady Ursula! “I think it means beautiful.”
A wry smile twisted up Lord Fulkham’s lips. “Exactly. So beautiful that I was hoping Her Highness might be willing to grace me with a waltz. Since she is not otherwise engaged at the moment.”
“I’m sure she would be honored,” Lady Ursula said before Monique could drum up some excuse. “Wouldn’t you, Your Highness?”
“Of course,” Monique said. “I am curious to see if his lordship is as good at dancing as he is at diplomacy.”
He clearly didn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice but apparently chose to ignore it. “I can show a good leg as well as the next man.” He held out his hand. “Shall we?”
With a smooth nod, she let him lead her onto the floor, only to find that he hadn’t lied. He danced very well for a pompous Englishman whom she still wanted to throttle.
She waited for him to resume his attack on her masquerade. If he did, he would find himself at a disadvantage; tonight she was prepared. He would not get the better of her.
“You do look luscious, you know,” he drawled. “Every inch a princess.”
“That’s because Iama princess,” she said sweetly.
“Of course. It was rude of me to imply otherwise last night. Forgive me.”
That made her falter. “Very well. If I must.” No, that sounded churlish. “You are forgiven.” Yes, that sounded more regal.
The twinkle in his eyes said that she wasn’t fooling him one bit.
They glided about the room, his hand resting on her waist as lightly as a caress while his other hand clasped hers in a gesture of possessiveness that reminded her of the mark he’d left on her wrist. The one he now had the audacity to rub with his thumb through her white kid glove.
“Tell me about Chanay,” he said in a husky voice that made her belly quiver.
And sparked her temper. “Why? So you can pick at everything I say to use as evidence that I am this other woman friend of yours?”
“Hardly. As you pointed out last night, I’ve never been to your country. You could tell me that the sheep run Chanay, for all I would know.” He smiled most charmingly, which instantly put her on her guard. “I merely thought you might be homesick and wish to talk about the place.”
“I see.”
He had to be still trying to trip her up. Did he think she would be so stupid as to not have learned anything about the country she was supposed to be representing?
Fortunately, Grand-maman had told her endless stories about Chanay. “What do you wish to know?”
“Dothe sheep run the place?”
A laugh escaped her in spite of her caution. “Only when the shepherds have gone home for the day.”
He smiled at her with genuine humor, and her heart flipped over in her chest. How foolish was that? She clearly needed a less susceptible heart.
Leaning close, he murmured, “We English have a saying, ‘When the cat’s away, the mice will play.’ What happens when the shepherds are away?”
She edged away from that too-close mouth of his. “The sheep are eaten up, monsieur. Everyone knows that. Sheep are too trusting. They require good shepherds to keep them safe from... wolves.”
He laughed. “If you’re trying to say I’m a wolf preying on the sheep, you are far off the mark. There isn’t a sheep alive as quick-witted or as resourceful as you. Even when your shepherds abandon you.”
She swallowed. “What do you mean?”
He glanced beyond her to where the others from Chanay were watching them dance with approving smiles. “Lady Ursula as much as thrust you directly into my hands. And the count has been more than eager to do the same.”
“They are not my shepherds,” she said fiercely. “I am perfectly capable of being my own shepherd.”
“Exactly. Thatisa princess’s purview, is it not?”
