“How are wedding plans progressing?” Elizabeth Archdale asked Caroline the next evening at the ball. Elizabeth was someone she’d known a long time but didn’t consider a good friend.

Caroline hesitated. How truthful should she be? Sharing information with anyone, even if they were good friends, was the first step toward secrets leaking. And Elizabeth wasn’t a good friend. Her penchant for gossip made her less than trustworthy in Caroline’s eyes.

“They are coming along.” She couldn’t admit the truth—that she hoped the engagement would end before long.

Her relationship with Richard was growing more complicated by the day. The sooner her contact with him ended, the better. Her peace of mind depended on it, especially after the heated kiss the previous day. Especially since she’d been the instigator.

“You don’t sound particularly excited.” Elizabeth watched her as though hoping she’d say more. The women in Elizabeth’s family seemed to thrive on gossip and drama of any sort.

“I’m still becoming accustomed to the fact that I’m engaged.”

“It was a bit...unexpected.” Elizabeth’s sly smile made Caroline glad she hadn’t told her the truth.

“Wasn’t it though?” Caroline refused to say anything more, not when she could easily imagine Elizabeth’s gleeful expression if she had new gossip to share with others. “Is that your sister across the room?” She nodded toward a young lady dressed in white who had just brazenly looped her arm around a marquis.

Regina’s forward behavior had been noted by more than just Caroline. A murmur of voices sounded from many of the ladies surrounding the girl.

“What on earth is she about?” Elizabeth prickled at the sight of Regina flirting outrageously with the marquis.

“Are she and the marquis...” Caroline left the question unfinished, startled at the sight of Regina patting the marquis on the cheek.

“No. Good heavens.” Elizabeth’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment. “I told Mother she shouldn’t allow her to come after her behavior at the last ball.”

“Oh?” Caroline waited and was soon rewarded for her patience.

“She practically asked Viscount Nevard to dance with her.” Elizabeth waved her fan as though the memory of the incident was nearly too much for her. “Her forwardness is shocking. When we confront her about it, she only laughs and insists she’s merely having fun.”

“Truly?” Part of Caroline applauded the girl for enjoying herself so openly. Perhaps if Caroline had done so, she’d be engaged to the duke rather than Richard.

She stilled for a moment as she realized that no longer held the appeal it once had. Not after yesterday. With a mental shake of her head, she chastised herself. Her feelings didn’t matter—only the welfare of her family did. The best outcome would still be breaking her engagement. Why did her heart squeeze at the thought?

“Regina will be the ruin of my prospects as well as her own. I’d better see if I can stop her.” Elizabeth hurried toward her sister.

“Good evening.” The deep voice at Caroline’s side sent delicious shivers over her.

Despite her promise to herself at some point during the long night to better control her reaction to Richard, something about him touched something inside her, no matter how much she wished otherwise.

“And to you.” She turned to face him, her breath catching. Was it because he was handsome? Mysterious? Was it the heat in his dark eyes? The line of his brow?

No matter how much she analyzed it, she couldn’t determine the cause of that “something.” Perhaps she needed to attend more scientific lectures so she might learn how to find the source of her reaction and halt it. Annabelle would appreciate that.

Her sister was delighted with the little Caroline had shared about electrochemistry. She’d been riveted to her desk half the night and all of the day. Apparently, the new villain in her series had scientific knowledge and was testing his skills on the poor of the city. How horrible. Caroline couldn’t wait to read it.

She opened her mouth to share the story with Richard, only to realize she couldn’t. Her sister’s writing talent might’ve been shared with her real fiancé but certainly not a temporary one.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I was going to thank you again for inviting me to the lecture.”

He raised his brow as though doubting her statement.

Did he already know her so well that he could tell whether she told the truth? The idea was alarming.

“You’re welcome. I will certainly invite you to the next one I plan to attend. Would you care to dance?”

Once again, that breathless feeling returned. She couldn’t find the wherewithal to refuse. Besides, she needed to continue the ruse of their engagement until it truly ended. Dancing was a normal activity for an engaged couple. “I would. Thank you.”

As she took his arm, raised voices on the other side of the room drew her notice. Elizabeth and her sister were arguing heatedly. “Oh, dear.”

“It looks as if trouble is brewing.”

The beginning of a waltz filled the air, drawing Caroline’s notice from Elizabeth’s predicament to her own. Waltzing seemed far too intimate. Or was it the temptation of being in Richard’s arms that she feared?

Her cheeks were warm before they’d taken more than three steps. All she could think of was the feel of his hand on her waist, of the way he held her and guided her through the steps. He performed the dance with ease. The sensation of gliding along made her feel graceful, as though she were merely floating with him as her tether.

In short order, the joy of the dance took over. She laughed breathlessly as they spun. “You are an excellent dancer, my lord.”

“Good to know I have skills in one area.”

“I’m quite sure waltzing is merely one of many.”

His gaze held hers so intently that her stomach flipped. What did he think she’d referred to with her comment? As he continued to hold her gaze, her world narrowed to him, and only him. The way he looked at her made her wonder if he felt the same attraction for her as she did for him.

His hand tightened on her waist, making her feel as if he’d pulled her closer. What would it be like to continue where they’d left off yesterday? The question heated her entire body, leaving certain parts tingling.

“You have a vitality for life that few share, Caroline.”

“Vitality?” The unusual word made her feel special, especially coming from a rogue like Richard.

The music drew to a finish. Still holding her gaze, he tucked her arm under his and guided her off the dance floor. The lights and sounds around them faded, at last making her realize they stood in a small alcove along the far wall of the ballroom.

He turned to face her in the dim light, his fingers touching a strand of hair that curled along her face. She felt as if he’d cast a spell over her. She couldn’t move, nor did she want to. She wanted this moment to last forever.

When he leaned closer, she lifted her mouth without thought, as though it was the natural thing to do, just like yesterday. For a moment, she thought she’d been mistaken, that he hadn’t been about to kiss her.

Then his lips brushed hers, once, twice, and the third much longer. He shifted, taking the kiss deeper. Lovely swirls of sensation moved through her body, causing heat to build low in her belly.

It wasn’t enough, she realized. With a soft moan, she stepped closer and he held her even tighter. She rested her hands along his jacket, then moved them higher. More than anything, she wanted to touch him, but her gloves prevented that. The solidness of him made her wonder what his jacket hid.

Then his tongue pressed the seam of her lips, stealing all her thoughts. She gladly opened her mouth to allow him entrance. She couldn’t help but compare all she was feeling with what she’d felt with David, her former fiancé. Perhaps time had dimmed her memory, but kissing Richard was nothing like kissing David.

Richard’s kiss held the promise of things to come. It had her wondering what it would be like to share a passionate night with him. If a mere kiss left her reeling, what would making love be like?

She pulled back with a gasp, frightened of where her mind was taking her, especially when her body so eagerly wanted to follow.

Richard’s eyes glittered in the candlelight, masking his thoughts. “Definitely unique.”

She touched her lips, amazed at the sensation his mouth pressed against hers had created. Part of her felt as if she were still gliding along the dance floor.

He reached for her hand, but she stepped back. Touching him again in this moment seemed a terrible idea. Despite the lack of true privacy, she was no longer certain she had the will to stop.

“We should return to the ball,” she managed. “Before our absence is noticed.”

He gestured for her to precede him, but she could feel him behind her, making her body hum. Why did she suddenly question that ending this engagement was for the best?

No. She couldn’t allow herself to think like that. Marrying this man would not save her family. Having feelings for him would only cloud her goal, and that was something she couldn’t afford.

She swallowed hard, hoping she could steel her emotions and her reactions for the task before her.

~*~

Richard unfolded the news sheet beside his breakfast plate. As per usual, he skimmed the headlines then turned to the advertisement section in the rear.

There was only one advertisement that interested him in The Times. Second column from the left, third in the row. This morning, it stated:

Designated parties should join the discussion promptly at ten o’clock on the morrow at the usual meeting place.

News sheets provided one of their means of communication. The less messages sent, the less chance of those who worked for the Crown being discovered. Editors and reporters had their fingers on the pulse of the world. They often supplied better intelligence than those who worked for Whitehall.

Richard sighed. He’d hoped to delay a meeting with the Prime Minister at Whitehall until he had more to report.

One of Richard’s tasks was to provide the names of those individuals who’d raised suspicion and needed further evaluation. At the moment, he had only one, but he wasn’t yet ready to share it.

Caroline Gold was a conundrum.

One minute he thought she might indeed be spying, and the next, he was equally convinced she wasn’t.

When he handed over a name for investigation, the person would be followed and watched, their communications and routine observed closely. But no one could follow Caroline any closer than he could as her fiancé.

That meant he needed to spend more time with her. While being in the company of a beautiful woman was no hardship, he faced a certain amount of personal danger when he did so with Caroline. His attraction to her grew each day, or perhaps leaped would be a more apt description.

He couldn’t remember the last time a few kisses had affected him so. The taste of her, the scent of her, the feel of her in his arms. The memory had him shifting in his chair. He didn’t understand why she pulled at him so.

Was it merely because she puzzled him?

His footman poured him more coffee, providing a needed distraction. He’d picked up a taste for it during one of his trips to France. After sampling several, he’d found a particular type he enjoyed. How unfortunate it was so difficult to obtain these days.

He turned the page to a continuing mystery series written by A. Golden he was enjoying. The writer had quite the talent.

“Good morning, Richard.”

He glanced up to see his brother stride into the dining room. “Daniel. What brings you by so early in the day?”

Daniel sniffed the air. “Do I smell that coffee of which you’re so fond?” Without waiting for an answer, he gestured for the footman to pour him a cup. “What’s for breakfast?”

“I wasn’t aware we were breaking our fast together this morning.”

“Call it impulse.”

“I would hazard a guess there is some sort of motivation behind your impulse. Does it involve money?” His brother never questioned the limited funds Richard provided but accepted the modest income with gratitude. From what Richard could tell, Daniel was clever with his money. However, he occasionally asked for more.

“Actually, no.” His gaze met Richard’s. “I heard a rumor and I’m certain it couldn’t possibly be true.”

Richard nearly groaned aloud. It hadn’t crossed his mind to tell Daniel of his betrothal.

Daniel sat back in his chair. “Ah. I can see you surmised the reason for my visit. Therefore, it must be true. You are engaged to be married.”

“You didn’t phrase that as a question. Does that mean it doesn’t require an answer?”

“I require details. I understand the lady is a Miss Caroline Gold. And that the events surrounding the proposal were rather unique.”

The conversation paused as the footman returned with a place setting and a cup. He poured the coffee then offered Daniel dishes from the sideboard.

Daniel dug into the modest offering of eggs, sausage, and sardines with mustard sauce with enthusiasm.

“Have you not eaten of late?” Richard asked, amazed at the food his brother could eat and still keep in good form.

“Your food always tastes better than mine. Especially the coffee. I visited a coffeehouse earlier this week, but the stuff they serve is barely drinkable. Has a bit of a grit to it, if you know what I mean.” He wiped the corners of his mouth with his napkin. “Unfortunately, there aren’t many coffeehouses left in London.”

“You should’ve been born a few generations earlier to better enjoy their popularity.”

“Perhaps, but the conversations in those places are still fascinating. One of the patrons said it was because most of the men in England spend their days half-drunk.”

Richard frowned. “Truly?”

“Think of it. The water certainly isn’t safe to drink, so everyone consumes watered down ale or wine most of the day. Drinking coffee clears the mind, you might say.”

“You mean being sober does.”

“Exactly my point. It can be quite entertaining, especially since all levels of society are represented. Fascinating. The discussions often become heated.”

“You’re not one of the patrons who is heated?”

“Heavens, no. I’m more of an observer.”

It was true. Daniel tended to watch rather than involve himself in the fray, something he’d done even while at university.

“But somehow, despite my skills of observation, I missed your courtship of Miss Gold.”

“That would be because there was no courtship.”

“Then how did you come to be engaged? While I heard the circumstances were unusual, I didn’t learn the details.”

“An unfortunate series of events created miscommunication.” Richard offered the explanation stiffly. He hated to justify himself. Especially when a situation like this never should’ve occurred.

“You mean you were caught in some sort of compromising circumstance?” His brother’s eyes widened with delight, which Richard didn’t appreciate in the least. “The rogue is caught at last, eh?”

“You act as though I make a habit of dallying with young ladies. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“No, you prefer more experienced women, do you not? What was that actress’s name? Or was she a dancer?”

Richard shook his head. “Why are you here, other than to eat my food?”

“I want to meet the lady who will soon be my sister.”

“Humph.” The whole engagement was suddenly becoming too real. All these complications meant it would be difficult to unravel.

“Will she be at the Staffords’ ball tomorrow evening?”

“I don’t know, but I will be.”

Daniel frowned. “How is it that you don’t know? I would think you’d have her schedule.”

Because we’re not truly engaged, he wanted to protest. But he needed to face the reality that wasn’t true. They were engaged. His only hope was that it was temporary. They might very well be getting married if circumstances didn’t change.

He gritted his teeth. “We haven’t come to that sort of understanding as of yet. Perhaps because of the shortness of our relationship.”

“I confess that I’m intrigued by the entire situation. I do hope you’ll encourage her to come to the Stafford’s. I am most anxious to be introduced to the lady.”

“I’ll see what I can arrange.” Introducing Daniel and Caroline would only make his engagement feel more real. And he had no idea how he felt about that.