Josephine feared that the tremble working its way through her body would reach her hands. Nicholas’ warm fingers covered hers around his solid arm and the play of muscle beneath her fingers caused her heart to pick up speed again. Desire uncoiled in a languid stretch in her stomach. How she could want him again after what he had just done to her, she had no idea, but if he discerned how much his touch affected her all would be lost.

Nicholas slowed his stride to match hers as he led her down the hallway. She commanded her legs to remain steady and, minutes later, as they neared the grand parlor, Josephine glanced up at him, then stopped short.

“What is it?” he demanded.

“Your hair, it looks as though...”

“As though I’ve just come from my lover’s bed?” he offered.

Josephine shot him a recriminating look. He was right, which didn’t comfort her one bit. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair in an effort to bring the thick mane into submission. Jo startled at the softness of the hair and forced a steady hand as she tucked a lock behind his ear.

“Keep that up, Jo, and I’ll drag you into the nearest closet and make love to you for real, this time.”

She jerked her eyes to his face. Were his eyes even darker than they had been when he’d—She yanked her hand back and started to step away. Nicholas grasped her hand, slipped it back into the crook of his arm, then strolled forward as if he hadn’t had his mouth intimately on her only minutes ago. They soon entered the parlor and, as he’d predicted, guests were playing cards and board games.

To her relief, Lord Beaumond was absent. She prayed Nicholas was right, and the marquess would flee like the rat he was. Nick hadn’t challenged him when he’d had the affair with Deanna, and it hadn’t occurred to Josephine he would do so now. The need to cry rose again, as much because of what had passed between them as the question of how she was going to get herself ruined—and allow him to call off the wedding—without getting him killed.

Would you like a game of cards, Lady Josephine?” Nicholas asked.

“I never cared for cards,” she said.

“Really? I thought you lost ten pounds to Everley playing cards last night. Didn’t he forgive the debt for a kiss?”

“A kiss to my hand,” she snapped under her breath, then regretted the outburst. She should have said it was a kiss on the lips, but realized he knew the truth and was purposely egging her on. “Do not expect me to change after we are married, Nicholas,” she whispered out of the side of her mouth.

“This silliness will change,” he replied, “for you won’t have the energy to entertain other male attention.”

“Arrogant fool,” she muttered, then caught sight of their hostess, Lady Allaway. She groaned when the woman’s gaze landed on them with interest. She rose off the couch where she sat alongside several other ladies and started toward forward with the obvious intention of intercepting them. “Now look what you’ve done,” Josephine complained. “She is sure to bore us with another half-hour of praise for her gardener’s skills at cutting her shrubberies. If I am forced to listen to another long-winded—” She broke off as Lady Allaway neared them, and a corner of Nicholas’ mouth twitched in amusement.

He released Jo’s hand. “You’re looking lovely this evening, Lady Allaway.” He bent over her fingers and she giggled like a schoolgirl.

“You are a rogue, Lord Grayson. You must keep your eye on him, Lady Josephine.”

“Indeed,” Josephine said.

Lady Allaway turned to her. “Are you enjoying yourself, my dear?”

“I am. You are without a doubt, the best hostess in all of Inverness.”

She glowed. “I do try, and Lord Allaway is kind enough to indulge my fancy for parties.”

Josephine caught the amused glance Nick sent her way and knew he was thinking the same thing she was: Lord Allaway was rich enough to indulge her fancy. This party alone boasted thirty people for the whole of two weeks.

“You are a fortunate woman,” Josephine said.

“I am.”

She glanced at her husband, who stood with a group of men watching a card game in the left corner of the room. An affectionate sparkle appeared in her eyes, and Josephine wondered that a woman who had been married for thirty years could still look at her husband with such unabashed warmth.

Lady Allaway returned her attention to them. “Your wedding is only two months away. Are you ready?”

The abrupt question caught Josephine off guard, but Nicholas laughed and said, “When is any man ready for marriage?”

“Never,” she replied without hesitation. “But we adore you one and all for trying.”

He laughed again. “Otherwise you would murder us in our sleep?”

“Exactly!” she exclaimed, then looked at Jo, “And you, Lady Josephine, are you ready for marriage?”

Jo detected an underlying curiosity that went beyond the question. The lady had clearly noticed the fact that Josephine had been flirting shamelessly with other men at the party last night. But then, no one could have missed the fact that she danced with the same man three times last night—a man who wasn’t Nicholas.

“I am coping,” she said. “You know how weddings are, a thousand details and not nearly enough time to prepare.”

“So true, and the details will drive a person to distraction. I imagine your mother has things well in hand, though?”

“I wouldn’t survive without her,” Josephine said, and her heart gave a twist. Spending time with her mother was taking an added toll on her.

“I haven’t seen your mother this afternoon,” Lady Allaway said.

“She is likely resting in her room. She takes a short nap in the afternoons on the days we’re home.”

Lady Allaway gave a knowing nod. “I have found a nap in the afternoon makes me a new woman.”

“My mother says much the same.” Jo flicked a glance at the doorway as Henry Maxwell entered. His gaze alighted on Nicholas, who gave an almost imperceptible nod.

“If you will excuse me, Lady Allaway, I see Henry just arrived,” Nicholas said. “There is a matter I wish to discuss with him.”

“Of course,” she replied. “You run along. I’ll see to Lady Josephine.”

“I wouldn’t mind saying hello to Henry,” Josephine said.

Nick flashed a dazzling smile. “And he you, no doubt. But we will bore you with our business.”

“On the contrary,” she replied. “You know how interested I am in business.”

“Yes, I do, but not this time.” He smiled, but she caught the hint of steel in his eyes.

“Lady Josephine and I will amuse ourselves,” Lady Allaway said.

“You’re too kind,” Nick bent over the older woman’s hand again, then took Jo’s hand in his and lifted it to his lips. “I will see you at dinner, Lady Josephine.”

She wanted to snatch her hand back, but that would do no good.

Nicholas left, and Lady Allaway said, “You are a very lucky young woman, my dear.”

“Yes,” Josephine answered, her bad luck coming to mind as it too often did.

Why had Nicholas returned home? From the corner of her eye, she saw that he and Henry had been waylaid by two of her father’s cronies. They were probably congratulating him on his upcoming marriage. 

Eric Fleming entered from the open French doors leading to the balcony and his eyes fell on her. He cast a glance at Nicholas, whose back was to him, then crossed the room to Josephine and Lady Allaway.

“Lady Allaway.” He nodded, then said to Jo, “You look in the peak of health, Lady Josephine. You’re almost glowing.”

“I noticed that as well,” Lady Allaway said. “But she was in the company of Lord Grayson, so it’s to be expected.”

Eric’s gaze sharpened on her. “Is that so?”

Panic raced to the surface. Lady Allaway’s comment was that of a romantic, but Eric’s expression was too knowing. He couldn’t know that Nick had done to her. Josephine forced back the erotic picture, suddenly afraid the truth would show on her face.

She gave Eric a coy smile and slid a hand into the crook of his arm. “Surely you aren’t jealous, my lord? Only last night I saw you dancing with Lady Clayworth, and it was obvious that she hung on your every word.”

He laid a hand on his heart. “If only that were true. I fear the lady isn’t interested in me.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Josephine said. She looked at Lady Allaway. “Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Allaway?”

“But of course. What eligible woman could possibly resist you?”

Josephine wondered if she didn’t detect a hint of sarcasm in her tone, but if Eric thought so, he gave no indication.

He laughed. “Alas, the two loveliest ladies are spoken for.”

Lady Allaway giggled. “Shame on you, Lord Eric.”

He swept her a bow, forcing Josephine to release him. “I am an unmarried gentleman, untamed and undisciplined.”

“Some lady shall put you to rights one of these days,” she said.

“Just as Lady Josephine has put Lord Grayson to rights?” Eric’s gaze shifted onto her. “Or is it Lord Grayson who put you to rights, my lady?”

Josephine was reminded of Nicholas saying he had to save her from herself sometimes, and ire flared. “I do not need anyone to put me to rights. I can take care of myself.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” he replied. “Just as you did the time Grayson pulled you from that stallion—what was his name, ah, yes, Devil, I believe. You wore trousers and a shirt.” His eyes gleamed.

“I was fourteen,” she said with a lift of her chin. “And I had Devil under control until Nicholas appeared and shouted. He spooked the horse and the beast naturally bolted. If I didn’t know better, I would say Nicholas did it on purpose to teach me a lesson.”

“Did he?” Percy asked.

“Did he what?”

“Teach you a lesson?”

“He taught me not to ride his horse when he was home from university on holiday.”

Percy laughed and even Lady Allaway joined in. “A right and proper lesson,” he said.

And not the only one he’s taught you, she could almost hear Lord Eric say.

Jo’s younger sister Annabel entered the room with their mother. Nicholas nodded to them, and Annabel’s eyes shifted to Josephine. Five years Jo’s junior, Annabel was still an innocent. Jo had no fear that her younger sister could deduce what Nick had done to her a few minutes ago. Annabel said something to their mother, who looked in Jo’s direction. Lady Montagu, however, was another story. She knew all too well about illicit encounters.

Jo cut off the thought. Her anger toward her mother was becoming increasingly difficult to hide, and she couldn’t afford for her family to guess her true feelings. Lady Montagu said something to Annabel, who smiled and left her side to cross the room to them.

“Miss Knightly, how lovely to see you this afternoon,” Lady Allaway said when she neared.

Annabel stopped beside Jo. “Thank you, my lady. You are looking lovely, as always.”

“We were just noticing how well you sister is looking these days,” Lord Eric said to Annabel.

Annabel looked at her. “Really? She’s been so busy with wedding preparations this last month that she seems hardly to have smiled.”

“That is to be expected,” Jo said with a warning narrowing of her eyes.

“That spell is broken,” Lord Eric continued doggedly, and Josephine wanted to throttle him. “And Lady Allaway is certain Lord Grayson is responsible.”

Josephine opened her mouth to reply, but Lady Allaway said, “As is proper, Lord Eric. Now no more teasing poor Lady Josephine. She is a young lady in love, and ladies in love are allowed to glow. My dears,” she addressed Josephine and Annabel, “tell me about the wedding preparations.”

“I shall take my leave,” Lord Eric said on a laugh, and Lady Allaway gave him permission to go, then led them to the settee where she’d been sitting earlier. As she chatted, Jo’s mind wandered back to minutes ago when she’d been in Nicholas’ arms, and she wanted to cry, for her plans didn’t include another such erotic interlude.

Nicholas shifted and his eyes settled on her as if reading her mind. Josephine yanked her gaze from his and focused on Lady Allaway. She hated it when he seemed to know just what she was thinking. And, damn