Tempting Miss Allender (Regency Rakes 3) by Wendy Vella

“Don’t be absurd.” She moved closer, motioning for him to let her pass. “The problem here is that you are used to everyone adoring you, and as I do not, you are put out.”
    He’d tasted those lips, and wanted to do so again. “Tell me what Lord Stadler was referring to,” he said softly, moving closer. “Please.”
    Her sigh was small. “It was silly, childish stuff that as adults we need bother with no longer.”
    “If it is silly and childish, it should not bother you to tell me.”
    “There really is no need for this.” She flicked her hand, trying to get him to move to one side so she could pass.
    “Yes.” Instead, he moved closer and cupped her cheek. “There is.”
    “Mathew, don’t do this to me again.”
    “Do what again?” He liked the sound of his name on her lips.
    She stepped backward, her eyes telling him she’d said too much, and his hand fell to his side.
    “It is over. It happened long ago, and is now of no consequence, therefore I wish you to leave this subject alone.”
    “I am not as easily ordered about as your siblings, Patience, and now that I know I did something that hurt you, you must understand that I feel entitled to know what.”
    “Patience,” Charlie said, “Mr. Pody has two cups of warm milk for you and Mathew. Come and drink it before it gets cold.”
    “Where are you going today?” Mathew said as she tried to move around him.
    “We are returning to the town house. Why?”
    “Excellent. Then I shall call upon you at home. We shall talk, you and I, Patience, and you will tell me the truth.”
    She drew alongside him. “Why can you not leave this alone? Why can you not understand that I do not wish to have a closer acquaintance with you anymore, as there is too much that has gone between us? Surely that is your wish also, considering that being in my company causes you discomfort.”
    “You are referring to Anthony?”
    She nodded.
    “Even though I know you are right, I cannot walk away. I care about you…very much, and knowing I have hurt you in some way does not sit well with me,” Mathew said as he backed from the room, knowing her eyes were following him.
    “Here he is, Mr. Pody. This is Lord Belmont, and he will love the warm milk.” Charles was standing in the doorway, looking out to the street, watching the people and carriages bustling about.
    “Good morning, Miss Allender.”
    “Good morning, Lord Kelkirk,” she replied to Simon’s greeting.
    Mathew took the cup from the man, trying not to shudder. He loathed warm milk too, but as the boy seemed excited about it, he would drink it.
    “It’s wonderful, is it not, Mathew?”
    “Wonderful, Charlie.” Mathew wondered where he could dump it, and one look at his brother in law told him Simon was thinking that very thought.
    “Mathew loves warm milk,” Simon said. “In fact, I will give him the rest of mine, as I am still full from my morning meal.”
    “No, really.” Mathew tried to evade Simon, but it was too late; he was topping up his cup.
    A sudden loud noise interrupted them.
    “Good Lord, did you hear that? Some fool just shot a gun in the middle of London!” Simon said, making for the door.
    They all rushed outside to watch a carriage race up the street, the driver nearly hitting a cart carrying hay in the process.
    “No!”
    Mathew’s eyes went to Patience as she said the word. Her eyes were trained on the carriage. The cup slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor, spilling the contents everywhere, and seconds later she grabbed her brother.
    “Charlie, get out of the doorway!”
    “I-I’m all r-right.”
    Mathew moved to her side, but as he did so, Patience pushed her brother toward the footman who had accompanied them.
    “Paul, keep Charlie in here!” She yelled the words as she picked up her skirts, and then, much to Mathew’s surprise, she began running down the street away from him.
    “Patience!” She didn’t stop as Mathew roared her name. “What’s going