“Where are you off to this afternoon?” Annabelle asked as she descended the stairs and saw Caroline in the foyer.

“The earl and I are attending a lecture on electrochemistry.” Caroline offered a smile, realizing how much she was looking forward to the outing.

“What on earth is that?”

“I have no idea,” Caroline admitted. “I shall have to tell you upon my return.”

With the difficulties her family had faced in the last year, lectures, museums, and many of their previous pastimes had gone by the wayside. When Aberland had invited her to attend the scientific presentation, she’d been delighted, though that emotion had been quickly followed by guilt.

What right did she have to enjoy herself with her family facing challenges each and every day? Yet she missed such outings, along with learning new and interesting things. When she’d mentioned the earl’s invitation to her mother after returning from the drive in Hyde Park, she’d urged her to attend.

“You must go, darling. Such outings are expected of an engaged couple. Keeping up appearances is important for all of us. More importantly, it will allow you and Aberland to come to know each other better. Tell your father about the lecture when you return. He always enjoyed those things.”

Oddly enough, discussing such topics often brought her father back to himself. Whether it was philosophy, chemistry, or certain political matters, he seemed to access a portion of his memory that hadn’t yet been drained by his condition when those subjects were raised.

“It sounds terrible.” Annabelle frowned. “And boring.”

“Think of it as a scientific mystery rather than a fictional one.”

Her sister shook her head. “Not nearly as exciting.” Suddenly her expression lit with interest. “Unless there is a dead body involved. Do you think there will be?”

“I sincerely hope not.” Caroline shuddered, horrified at the thought. “I have no desire to see a corpse.”

“I wonder if electrochemistry could be used to kill someone.” A strange glazed look took over her sister’s expression, a sign she was thinking of one of her stories. Her gaze sharpened as it swung back to Caroline. “Can you find out for me? Please? It could be the perfect murder weapon.”

“Annabelle, I can hardly inquire of the lecturer an answer to your question. He would think me mad.”

“But it would be perfect. None of my readers would expect such a thing. Please?”

The pleading look on her sister’s face was nearly irresistible. Nearly. “I can only promise to take note of any dangers to humans and share that with you.”

Annabelle rubbed her hands together in anticipation, her expression much like how Caroline thought a crazed chemist might look. “Excellent. I’m certain the topic will arise.” Without even bothering to bid Caroline farewell, she hurried back up the stairs. No doubt she was returning to her room to scribble notes and ideas until Caroline’s return.

Resigned to do all she could to answer her sister’s question—else she’d never hear the end of it—Caroline moved toward the door.

“Miss Caroline,” Barkley called from the end of the hall.

With a sigh, Caroline turned to look at the butler, bracing herself for a reprimand, well aware he’d addressed her as he had throughout her childhood. They’d had this discussion before.

Despite the reduced staff, Barkley insisted he watch over the front door. He thought it unseemly if she or one of her sisters opened the door themselves.

In her opinion, the few servants who remained had far too much to do, especially Barkley as he helped with her father’s care.

“I was merely going to see if the earl had arrived.” She still felt like a young girl when he spoke to her.

“Your mother would be most unhappy to see you peeking out the front door to check.” He shook his head. “Tsk. Tsk.”

Appearances mattered to Barkley. He ran the house as efficiently as possible, especially after their reduced means of support. A year ago, when Caroline had tearfully explained they could no longer afford him, he hadn’t batted an eye.

Instead, he’d negotiated a lower wage for himself, the cook, the footman, as well as the maid when they’d rehired her, and shifted their duties. Certain tasks were done less often but still done.

“I didn’t want to bother you if you were busy.” She hated to think she was a burden.

“Answering the door is hardly a bother, miss.” He again raised a brow, always the right one. “Perhaps you’d like to wait in the drawing room for your caller?”

A knock sounded on the door before she could respond. “Ah, there he is.”

But Barkley only shifted to block her path. “I’m certain you’d be more comfortable in the drawing room. We wouldn’t want the earl to see you pacing the foyer, now would we?”

Knowing it was impossible to win an argument with him, Caroline agreed then stepped into the drawing room. Heaven knew how unruly her and her sisters’ behavior would be if not for Barkley.

As she heard voices in the foyer, she hurried to sit in a chair so it didn’t look like she’d been anxiously awaiting Aberland’s arrival.

The door opened and Barkley announced, “The Earl of Aberland to see you, Miss Caroline.”

She rose. “Thank you, Barkley.” Manners often felt silly to her. But she wasn’t about to tell Barkley that. He thrived on them.

“Good day, Miss Gold.” Aberland bowed as Caroline curtsied.

Not even Barkley’s nod of approval distracted her from Aberland’s presence. She had yet to become used to how everything else fell away each time she saw him. “And to you. I hope the day finds you well.”

His dark gaze skimmed over her, bringing heat to her cheeks. Nor had she grown used to the way he looked at her so intently. Could he tell this gown had been revised from one she’d worn two Seasons ago? Or did he find something else about her worth his regard?

His dark brown jacket and buff trousers fit him well, but she wondered if that had more to do with his physique than the clothes. How did a rogue stay in such good physical condition?

His black boots were polished to a shine but showed signs of wear, as did the cuffs of his jacket. His erect bearing and broad shoulders made it easy to look past all that. The square line of his jaw made her think he was trustworthy.

But he was a scoundrel, and a cynical one at that. One who had little regard for money or his personal safety. Those were hardly trustworthy qualities.

Then why was her stomach full of butterflies, fluttering desperately in an attempt to emerge? Her mouth was dry. Her pulse racing. All because of him.

Was it because of their engagement? Surely not. It was something about him. If only she knew what it was so she could stop it. These feelings were very unsettling. She didn’t care for them.

She lifted her chin, shoving all that to the back of her mind. “I’m looking forward to the lecture.”

He offered his arm as they turned to the door. “Are you interested in electrochemistry? Or science in general?”

You, she almost blurted. I’m interested in you.

Instead she said, “I’ve never heard of this field, but it’s always fun to learn something new, don’t you think?”

He nodded thoughtfully as though considering her words. He’d brought his carriage today. A wise decision as the weather had returned to its usual cloudy-with-the-threat-of-rain type of day. A groom opened the door for them.

Aberland settled onto the tufted bench next to her. Those ridiculous butterflies returned, causing her to place a hand to her middle with the hope of calming them.

Silly butterflies.

Yet they fluttered all the more when the warmth of his body seeped into hers. His muscled thighs were more noticeable as he stretched his long legs before him. She had the oddest urge to run her hand along their length so she might see how they felt.

Heat stained her cheeks at the thought, and she quickly looked out the carriage window, hoping he wouldn’t notice her unease.

The silence drew long, and she scoured her mind for a topic to introduce that would hide her discomfort.

“Are you interested in science, my lord?”

“Some types. Like you, I enjoy learning new things. Mr. Clarke, the speaker today, worked with Sir Davy, the man credited with inventing this particular field, so I’m interested in hearing more. I wonder if the area has any practical applications.”

“Many of the discoveries of late don’t necessarily serve a purpose. It’s no wonder they don’t receive much attention.”

Aberland nodded. “Discovery is all well and good, but if it’s of no use to anyone, an invention is rather pointless.”

The rest of the ride passed quickly, and soon they were alighting from the carriage outside the lecture hall.

“He’s drawn a significant audience,” Aberland said as he glanced around.

Based on the number of people walking up the steps to the entrance, this was a popular topic.

They found seats inside the crowded hall along with several hundred others. Caroline was one of the few women in attendance. She ignored the glares from some of the older gentlemen who obviously didn’t think she should be there. She knew all the reasons many people believed education should be restricted to men, but that didn’t mean she agreed.

She didn’t see anyone she knew but hadn’t expected to. It was rather nice for a change. She didn’t have to worry over appearances or feel as if she were the subject of someone’s gossip. How freeing to just be herself. Yet she couldn’t eliminate the desire to do what she could to make Aberland like her.

Why was that?

He might be a cynical rogue, but she liked him. His humor during their previous outing had surprised her. He hadn’t taken any offense to her forward comments about his behavior.

She glanced at him from under her lashes. Rather than appearing bored as many other men nearby did, he studied the audience, making her wonder what he saw. Or was it more about what he looked for?

He truly was an attractive man. The moment she admitted that to herself, the flutters returned. To her relief, two men stepped up to the podium, signaling the beginning of the presentation.

Mr. Clarke was introduced and started by explaining that electrochemistry studied the relationship between electricity and chemistry with emphasis on measurable and quantitative change. The goal of such experiments was to produce either a chemical modification in a property or produce electrical current as a result of the chemicals changing.

Much of Mr. Clarke’s talk was beyond her knowledge of science, but he did his best to provide a basic explanation followed by a more scientific one to appeal to the varied expertise of the audience.

“When a chemical reaction is caused by an electric current, as in electrolysis, or if an electric current is produced by a spontaneous chemical reaction as in a battery, it is called an electrochemical reaction,” he explained.

Caroline thought it quite interesting to hear how it was discovered but was even more interested in how it would be used. Annabelle’s request remained in her thoughts, but unanswered. How could she possibly find out for her?

Near the end of the lecture, Mr. Clarke mentioned possible medical uses for the process, stating further research was needed in that area.

“Do you intend to raise the dead?” an audience member called from the back, causing laughter from several others.

Mr. Clarke’s mouth tightened at the question. Obviously, he didn’t consider the topic humorous. “I don’t believe that is possible, though neither did I believe electricity could kill, but it can.”

Aberland stiffened as an uneasy murmur rolled through the crowd. Caroline wasn’t certain if he braced himself for trouble or if he somehow took offense at the lecturer’s response. The earl rarely acted as she expected.

Mr. Clarke concluded his presentation by suggesting more research should be conducted on the possibilities and limitations of electrochemistry. The applause was enthusiastic.

“What did you think?” Aberland asked.

“Quite interesting.” But unfortunately, Caroline didn’t have an answer for Annabelle. While Mr. Clarke had mentioned that electricity could cause death, he hadn’t given an answer on electrochemistry.

She glanced toward the front where a few people approached Mr. Clarke with questions. Though she knew it wasn’t appropriate for her to do so, she hated to disappoint Annabelle.

“Would you mind if I made a brief inquiry of the man?” Aberland asked.

“Not at all.” Caroline tried to hide her delight. Perhaps someone else would ask the same question. “I’ll accompany you.”

They approached the front and waited as Mr. Clarke answered questions from others.

“Aberland, good to see you here.” An older gentleman addressed the earl.

Aberland introduced him to Caroline then the men conversed for several minutes. Caroline was more interested in listening to those speaking with Mr. Clarke and eased closer to better hear them.

After answering others’ questions, Mr. Clarke approached, glancing at Aberland, who continued to speak with his friend, before smiling politely at Caroline.

This was her chance. She stepped closer still and took advantage of Aberland’s distraction. “I know you mentioned electricity can be dangerous, but may I ask if electrochemistry can be used to harm someone? Perhaps even cause death?” Caroline couldn’t think of a more delicate way to phrase Annabelle’s question.

“I suppose if enough current was supplied or the proper chemicals were used, it could be. Do you have something specific in mind?” The man smiled as though amused at her inquiry.

The sudden quiet caught her notice. A glance over her shoulder showed Aberland staring at her, his brow furrowed, sending a chill down her spine.

~*~

Richard could hardly believe his ears. The idea of Caroline making such an inquiry stunned him, but the guilt in her expression was undeniable. His previous doubt of her from the ball when he’d overheard her discussing spying resurfaced in full.

What possible reason could she have to ask about murder unless she was involved in something unsavory?

Never mind that he’d intended to ask a similar question before he’d been interrupted.

Some of the more unusual lectures often brought out those who intended harm. In an effort to find a new method of committing murder or mayhem, rebellious souls sometimes attended lectures like this one to learn more. Richard and some of his associates attended as well when their schedules permitted with the hope of identifying the more extreme individuals who searched for an evil way to make a name for themselves.

This lecture had been one of the most enjoyable he’d attended, but he was honest enough to know that was due to Caroline’s presence at his side. Now he had to wonder at her motivation for agreeing to attend with him.

“That’s an interesting question,” he said as she looked at him like a startled doe, eyes wide and prepared to flee.

“I was merely wondering.” She lifted her shoulder, but her expression belied the casual gesture. “The question from the audience made me curious.”

Richard nodded but his doubt remained. Based on her expression, there was more to her question than curiosity. Prolonging their engagement would give him the opportunity he needed to learn more.

“Didn’t you have a question for Mr. Clarke as well?” Caroline asked.

“Not anymore.” He couldn’t very well explain that his question had been the same as hers. With a nod at Mr. Clarke and the other man with whom he’d been speaking, he took Caroline’s elbow to escort her out of the hall.

Much of the crowd had dispersed, and in short order, they were ensconced in his carriage once more.

Caroline smiled brightly at him. “That was very interesting, don’t you think?”

“Indeed. I look forward to learning more on the topic.”

“You intend to study it further?”

“Yes, I believe I will.” He waited, watching as the wheels in her mind shifted, wondering what response she’d offer.

“Would you be willing to share anything else you learn with my father if you have the time?”

Was that the reason for her question to Mr. Clarke, so that she might share such information with her father? With the older man’s confusion, Richard could understand why his family didn’t often take him out. Richard’s elderly uncle had acted similarly toward the end of his life. Crowds and unfamiliar places had bewildered him.

Richard’s work meant that he trusted no one. Innocence had to be proven. Still, the idea of Caroline spying seemed unlikely given his brief acquaintance with her. Yet her question to the speaker along with Richard’s previous suspicions suggested he watch her closely to see what else he found.

“I appreciate you accompanying me.” He shifted to face her, placing his arm along the seat behind her. “Not many ladies would enjoy such a lecture.”

“I truly found it interesting.”

He took her gloved hand in his, raising it to his lips, watching her closely. One method he’d learned to discover more about someone was to put them under pressure to see how they reacted. Often, any sort of uncomfortable situation would do.

Such as being forward.

Caroline’s eyes widened, but she smiled politely in response to his gesture.

Was she a spy or an innocent? Why couldn’t he tell?

Still holding her hand firmly, he eased nearer, drawing out the moment, his gaze dropping to her lips, focusing on them as though there was nothing more he’d like to do than kiss her. After all, he was supposed to be a rogue. Surely, she’d expect this sort of behavior.

Her lips parted and those green eyes watched him. The delicate rose in her cheeks deepened.

The desire spearing through him took him by surprise with its intensity. This exercise was supposed to test her, not him. He refocused his efforts, reminding himself of his wish to pressure her, and leaned forward to kiss her.

Before he made contact, the carriage struck a rut, dipping dangerously and sending him backward. Caroline gasped as she fell on top of him, her mouth a mere inch from his.

Her gaze shifted from his eyes to his lips just as his had moments ago. Slowly, she lowered her head to press her lips to his. That small, gentle contact should’ve been barely noticeable, yet it lit him like a hot coal to dry grass—an instantaneous bursting into flames.

All thoughts and intents fell to the wayside as he returned her kiss. The sweetness of her mouth sent heat straight to his groin. Her body on top of his inflamed his senses. He swept his tongue into her mouth, desperate to taste more of her. His hands moved from her arms to the narrowness of her waist then to her hips, wanting to feel every inch of her. It was all he could do not to tilt his hardening body against her—anything to ease the ache.

More was all he could think. He wanted more of her. Wanted to feel the softness of her skin, to touch the generous breasts pressed against him, to see her naked upon his bed, under him.

With a gasp, she drew back, staring at him in shock.

Only then did he realize the carriage had halted. Still, the fog in his mind held tight.

“I—I should be going.” She blinked, embarrassment etched in her features as she attempted to clamber off him.

His hands held her in place, refusing to release her.

She seemed to gather her senses much quicker than he did. She arched a brow and, at the silent command, his hands let go.

Somehow, he managed to alight and assist her to her front door, his thoughts as befuddled as her father’s often seemed to be. From the butler’s narrowed gaze, the evidence of his arousal had yet to diminish.

Luckily, Caroline didn’t seem to notice at the moment. For that, he was grateful.

“Thank you for accompanying me,” he said, trying to keep his gaze off the lovely curve of her upper lip.

“Thank you for inviting me.” She didn’t look at him at all. “Will you be attending the ball tomorrow evening?”

“Yes,” he replied before he had a chance to ponder whether he truly should.

As he settled into his carriage for the ride home, he realized he still had no idea whether she was an innocent or a clever spy. If he wasn’t careful, she’d have him spilling all his secrets without her even asking for them.