Swept Away. Candace Camp

it’s noisy in here,” Stonehaven said. He bent down to Julia’s ear and said softly, “Shall we go outside? There is a nice garden in the rear, and a bench where we can sit and talk.”

      “Oh, yes,” Julia agreed quickly, smiling up at him. “That sounds most agreeable.”

      Stonehaven took her by the hand and led her down the hallway and out a door. They entered a small side garden that smelled richly of herbs and followed a path around the house to where the garden widened out into a large array of flowers. A tinkling fountain stood in the center of the small yard, and in front of it was a stone bench.

      Julia strolled with Lord Stonehaven along the path to the bench. The soft summer breeze caressed her skin, and the scent of roses hung thickly in the air. It was blessedly quiet. They sat down on the bench, and Julia noticed that Stonehaven had not let go of her hand. She tried to pull her scattered thoughts together, to recall herself to her duty and to the plans she had made. She could not let her brother down, she reminded herself, just because her sensibilities had been shocked by the scene inside. It might not be easy, but she had dedicated herself to worming the truth out of Lord Stonehaven, and she could not hesitate now. She had to go forward with her plan.

      “Your friend seemed most happy to see you,” she began tentatively.

      Stonehaven smiled faintly. “Alfred is a good fellow. Openhanded to a fault. It sometimes gets him in trouble, I’m afraid.”

      “Oh?” she asked encouragingly, thinking that friends in trouble was a good path to be following.

      He shrugged. “Just the usual. He is often taken advantage of.” He shook his head and smiled at her. “Please, let us not talk of Alfred. A dull subject, I’m afraid.”

      “How unkind!” Julia’s eyes sparkled at him. “Then let us talk of something more interesting. You, for instance.”

      “Me! No, I am afraid that you have hit upon another dull topic.”

      “I doubt that.” In her somewhat limited experience, Julia had found that most men’s favorite topic of discourse was themselves, so she did not take him at his word. “At least, I do not find it dull. I know nothing about you.”

      “There is little to tell. What would you like to know?”

      What you did with that money, she thought—and how you made it look as if my brother had taken it. But those were scarcely things she could say, so Julia merely smiled and said, “Why, everything. I hardly know where to begin.” She paused. “Are cards your passion? Is that how you spend your days?”

      “I usually reserve it for the nights. But, no, I would not say that gambling is a passion with me.” The look in his eyes gave her little doubt as to what he did regard as a passion. “’Tis merely a pastime.”

      “I see. And what do you do the rest of the time?” She hoped that he might mention the trust in his activities; she was beginning to see that it was not so easy as she had thought to direct their conversation along the path she wished.

      He shrugged. “The sorts of things one does. I go to my club when I’m in London. Pay calls. I’ve been known to race my curricle or to spar a few rounds at Jackson’s. Even attend to some business affairs.” He grinned. “You see? I told you it was deadly dull.” He lifted her hand, idly stroking down the back of her hand and each finger to the tip. “I am sure it would be much more fun to talk about you. Where are you from? London?”

      “No, Kent,” she replied automatically, then worried that she had been too truthful. But then, she reminded herself, thousands of people lived in Kent; he wouldn’t necessarily think of Thomas St. Leger or his nearby neighbors, the Armigers.

      “Indeed? I come into Kent now and then.”

      “Really?” she murmured vaguely. She was finding the way he was caressing her hand quite distracting.

      “Yes. I have a ward who lives there, and I visit him sometimes.”

      “A ward? You mean you are someone’s guardian? Is he a relative?”

      “No. I’m not his guardian, merely a trustee of his money.” He made a dismissive gesture. “I am afraid it’s not very interesting.”

      “Oh, no, it sounds quite interesting. So you invest his money and such?”

      “We direct it. There are two other gentlemen who are trustees, also. But let’s not talk about that.” He brought her hand up to his lips. “I would much rather talk about you. Or not talk at all.”

      Julia raised a coquettish brow. “Indeed? Do you find talking with me so boring?”

      “Never.” He began to kiss each individual finger, his eyes gazing into hers all the while. “It is just that there are so many other interesting things about you.”

      The warmth of his lips against her fingers sent tingles running through Julia. She did not understand how something so small could set up such a strong reaction within her. “My lord…”

      “Deverel,” he murmured, turning her hand over and planting a lingering kiss on the inside of her wrist.

      “Deverel…”

      “What?” He was kissing his way slowly up her bare arm, his lips hot and velvety on her skin, stirring her senses.

      “I don’t think we should be doing this.”

      “Why not?” She could feel his smile upon her skin.

      “Uh, well, anyone could walk out here at any moment and see us.”

      “That’s true. But unlikely.” He had reached the point of her shoulder and now began to trail kisses across her collarbone to her neck.

      Heat welled up in Julia so quickly and explosively that it almost frightened her. “Deverel, stop.”

      There was a touch of panic in her voice, and Stonehaven lifted his head, looking at her in a puzzled way.

      “Why? What’s the matter?”

      “I—” Julia was embarrassed by her moment of fear. She looked up at Deverel. His eyes were dark and smoldering in a way that made her insides quiver. Her eyes dropped to his mouth. She thought about their kiss a few nights earlier, and warmth blossomed in her loins.

      She could not stop now, she told herself. She was not about to act the coward. She had to lead him along until she got him to talk. It was a delicate line to walk—to give just enough to keep him interested without giving in entirely. She had known that from the start. She had also known that Lord Stonehaven was no schoolboy to fall easily into her trap.

      Julia drew a steadying breath and smiled at him. “Nothing. Nothing’s the matter,” she said, putting her hand behind his neck and pulling his head down.