Surrender by Amanda Quick Page A

expecting you. Victoria, do put
    down those beetles, my dear, and come
    greet your guest." Victoria's aunt turned
    her head slightly in the direction of her
    niece and smiled.
    Satisfaction soared in him. The little
    baggage had not changed her mind after
    all. Lucas straightened with a smile and
    turned to see Victoria standing quietly near
    the window at the far end of the room. No
    wonder he hadn't spotted her at once. She
    was dressed in a yellow and white dress
    that tended to blend with the gold drapery
    behind her.
    Her very motionlessness told him that
    she had deliberately chosen her position
    so that she would be able to study him
    unobserved for a few minutes as he entered
    the room. Lucas's brows rose faintly in
    amused acknowledgment of her tactics.
    There was no substitute for getting a close
    look at one's opponent before facing him.
    It was clear he was not the only one who
    knew something about strategy.
      Good morning, Miss Huntington. For
    a moment I feared you had discovered
    you had a conflicting social engagement
    today."
    She came forward smoothly, her soft
    slippers making no noise on the carpet. She
    was carrying a flat box in her hands and
    her eyes were alight with mischief" How
    could you possibly think I would forget
    your visit to us this morning, my lord?"
      One can never be completely certain of
    a lady's memory." Lucas inclined his head
    over the hand she gracefully extended. Her
    fingers felt cold and he knew then that she
    was not as composed as she appeared. This
    pleased him.
      I assure you my memory is excellent."
      Unfortunately for a man, it is not always
    a lady's memory that fails. Sometimes she
    simply changes her mind," Lucas said.
    Victoria tilted her head and studied
    him." Not without good cause. Please sit
    down, as my aunt suggested. Are you at
    all interested in beetles?"
      Beetles?" For the first time Lucas
    glanced into the box and found himself
    viewing an array of dead insects pinned
    inside. They were carefully arranged in
    rows according to size, with the largest, a
    true monster, at one end." To be perfectly
    truthful, Miss Huntington, I have never
    paid much heed to beetles."
      Oh, but these are very excellent beetles,
    are they not, Aunt Cleo?"
      A fine collection," Lady Nettleship
    agreed enthusiastically." Lady Woodbury,
    a member of our little society, collected
    them."
      Fascinating." Lucas sat down slowly, his
    eyes on Victoria as she took a place on the
    sofa next to her aunt." One wonders how
    Lady Woodbury managed to kill so many
    large insects."
      In the usual manner, I presume," Cleo
    said." Pinched them under the wings or
    used camphor or a length of wire."
      Do you collect insects. Miss Hunting
    ton?" Lucas asked.
      No, I fear I have not the stomach for
    it." She glanced down into the box." The
    poor things do not always die quickly, you
    know."
    He watched her profile." The will to
    survive can be amazingly strong."
      Yes." She put the lid on the box of
    beetles.
      I fear my niece is a bit too softhearted
    for certain areas of intellectual inquiry,"
    Cleo said with a smile.
      I will admit I prefer botany and
    horticulture to the study of insects."
      Your interests appear to be quite varied,
    Miss Huntington," Lucas observed.
      Did you think them limited?" She
    glanced at him through her lashes, her
    eyes gleaming with a mocking innocence.
    Lucas recognized a trap when he saw
    one." Not at all. In the course of our brief
    association it has become quite clear to me
    that you are a woman with a most unusual
    mind."
    Cleo glanced at him with interest." Are
    you a student of horticulture and botany,
    sir?"
      As you may have heard, I have only
    recently acceded to my title. I find that
    coming into my inheritance has greatly
    expanded my range of interests. It seems
    to me that I shall need to learn something
    about horticulture and similar subjects if
    I am to implement improvements on my
    estate," Lucas said.
    Cleo looked