Free Legendary Lover by Susan Johnson Page B

interference. "If she meddles again, I won't come to her next ball."
    "Your message will be conveyed, my lord."
    Jack took Venus's hand and drew her toward the door. "She won't listen, of course, but perhaps she might hesitate a moment or so and give us time to escape her watchful eye."
    "You mean she'd have us followed?"
    "God only knows with Peggy. She lives her life with more drama than most. And I'd just as soon reach my river home without observation."
    But the duchess had no intention of following the

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    pair of lovers, understanding the lady's reputation was best preserved with complete privacy. But she and Molly had a well-disposed little coz once the marquis's carriage had departed, both ladies pleased with their part in the reconciliation.
    ZC/ O   YOU    THINK    WE    SHOULD    DO   THIS?"    VENUS
    had been having second thoughts as the carriage bowled along the streets of London. "I'm not altogether sure anymore."
    They sat on opposite seats in the luxurious interior, the marquis having chosen to sit across from her when he'd entered the vehicle. Indicating his own level of reserve.
    Instead of answering her question, he ambiguously said, "I need a drink." Reaching under the seat, he opened a compartment filled with bottles set in a sturdy padded rack.
    Venus took in the array of liquors, as well as his non-answer. "You wouldn't want to run out."
    "I travel to my country home on the spur of the minute occasionally."
    "And it's a long drive?"
    "Would you rather I not drink?"
    "Did you hear what I said?"
    "About changing your mind?" He nodded.
    "Well?" She leaned back against the black leather upholstery, her eyes holding a sharply interrogatory look.
    "That's why I need a drink," he murmured, inserting a small corkscrew into a brandy bottle. "I'm also racked with indecision."

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    "Drinking helps?"
    "It postpones a decision. Helpful in a way." He of' fered her the opened bottle. "Would you like some brandy?"
    "Do you have anything else?"
    His gaze came up as though she'd cracked a whip in the air and then he broke into a grin. "You see how unnerved I am. I'm susceptible to the most benign double entendre. But to answer your question, I have a variety of wines— a damned good claret for one, and some Rhenish wines that taste as though the sun is glowing in your mouth."
    "You've convinced me—"
    That hard-eyed gaze again pinning her to the carriage seat.
    "The Rhenish wine, if you please," she went on, finding it suddenly titillating that she could stir such trepidation in a man of his finesse.
    "Keep it up, darling," he murmured, a husky resonance in his voice, "and we might not reach the bed at my rustic folly."
    "Feeling better, now that you're back on familiar ground?"
    "Are you?" Taking out a bottle of wine and a small silver cup, he began uncorking the bottle.
    "Yes. Don't ask me why."
    "Gladly."
    "You'd rather not talk about our—"
    "No." Anything prefaced by our terrified him immensely. Handing her the filled silver cup, he said, in lieu of facing his feelings, "Do you fish?"
    "Not often, but I have with my brother."
    "I fish a lot."

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    He could have said "I decorate ladies' boudoirs," and she wouldn't have been more surprised. Although, on second thought, he did perform that office in his own special way. "I wouldn't have suspected," she pleasantly remarked, taking a sip of her wine.
    "My father's gamekeeper taught me. I spent more time with him than I did with my father. A decided advantage, if you knew my father."
    "He was difficult?"
    "Luckily he died young."
    Apparently she wasn't going to hear any further details, so she said, polite and conversational, "What kind of fish do you prefer catching?"
    "Brown trout."
    "With wet lures or dry lures?"
    His gaze came alive in a distinctly enchanting way— a young boy's open, warm gaze. "Wet ones. Which do you like?"
    She never would have thought talk of fishing lures could be so agreeable, so gratifying and sweetly sensual. He was a