Miss Frazer's Adventure by Alexandra Ivy Page B

to offer her his blinding smile.
    â€œHow are you feeling today?” he asked gently.
    She grimaced, still feeling the lingering malaise clouding her mind. “As if I spent the evening in the ring with Gentleman Jackson.”
    â€œI feared as much.” He reached out to lightly clasp her fingers. “Forgive me, Kate. I would never have ordered the champagne if I had known how quickly it would go to your head.”
    Kate allowed her fingers to remain in his grasp. There were none of the explosive tingles that she experienced when Luce touched her, but there was a pleasant warmth that she welcomed at the moment.
    â€œIt was not your fault,” she assured him firmly. “I have never had champagne before, and I did not realize how much I was drinking until it was too late. By then, I no longer considered the dangers.”
    Perhaps sensing her lingering embarrassment at her night of overindulgence, he gave a low chuckle.
    â€œYou were charming.”
    â€œNo, I made a fool of myself,” she confessed, even if he was not to know just how foolish she had been. “Thank you for being a gentleman.”
    He shifted to face her as the dark eyes slowly roamed her pale features.
    â€œIt was not without its cost. You have no notion how long I paced in front of those damnable stairs, battling with the desire to say the hell with nobility and to join you upstairs.”
    Hoping he did not presume she was some sort of shallow tease, Kate gave a faint frown. “Forgive me. I did not intend to mislead you in any manner.”
    â€œDo not apologize, my dear.” With a deliciously elegant gesture, he raised her fingers to his lips. “There is no rush to forward our relationship beyond what you desire. I am content to be companion, friend, and diversion. Whatever it is that you need.”
    Kate’s smile swiftly returned at his light teasing. This man could no doubt charm the fish from the ocean.
    â€œIs that a promise?”
    â€œYes,” he said softly.
    She raised her brows. “I will hold you to it, you know.”
    â€œI certainly hope so.”
    There was a wicked smokiness to his tone, but before Kate could respond, the carriage was slowing to turn into the already crowded park.
    By mutual consent, their conversation turned to less intimate subjects, and Kate allowed herself to be entertained by his softly murmured descriptions of the various nobles who had remained in town rather than returning to their various estates. He possessed a wicked sense of humor and startling intelligence that soon had her chuckling at his antics. Slowly the lingering cobwebs in her head faded and she began to feel almost herself as they turned to wind their way back through the park.
    At least now she knew what it felt like to be properly cast to the wind.
    And wretchedly nursing a sore head.
    And she did have the comfort of knowing she had not done anything to actually bring her shame.
    No, a renegade voice whispered in the back of her mind, you just begged two men to kiss you.
    And made a fool of yourself in front of Luce.
    She fiercely thrust aside the distasteful thought. Those depressing notions were a thing of the past. Whether she had a glorious flirtation or not was incidental. There were an endless variety of experiences she had yet to seek and enjoy. And she was not going to waste her time brooding upon one mistake.
    Breathing deeply of the astonishingly mild air, Kate settled back in her seat and watched as Lord Thorpe cast a lazy glance over the park. It was a lovely sight. For a maiden who had spent her entire life surrounded by flowers and trees and open fields it was not entirely pleasant to spend her days in cramped neighborhoods and among endless smoke-blackened buildings.
    â€œThe park seems rather empty,” Lord Thorpe drawled as he turned back to regard her in an oddly piercing manner.
    Kate gave a startled blink. Although there were no doubt far fewer society members in