“It wasn’t even a decision,” Gabriel said, baffled and surly. “I can’t think of one good reason to justify why I want her so bloody badly.”

Phoebe smiled, gazing toward the water. “Have I ever told you what Henry said when he proposed, even knowing how little time we would have together? ‘Marriage is far too important a matter to be decided with reason.’ He was right, of course.”

Gabriel took up a handful of warm, dry sand and let it sift through his fingers. “The Ravenels will sooner weather a scandal than force her to marry. And as you probably overheard, she objects not only to me, but the institution of marriage itself.”

“How could anyone resist you?” Phoebe asked, half-mocking, half-sincere.

He gave her a dark glance. “Apparently she has no problem. The title, the fortune, the estate, the social position . . . to her, they’re all detractions. Somehow I have to convince her to marry me despite those things.” With raw honesty, he added, “And I’m damned if I even know who I am outside of them.”

“Oh, my dear . . .” Phoebe said tenderly. “You’re the brother who taught Raphael to sail a skiff, and showed Justin how to tie his shoes. You’re the man who carried Henry down to the trout stream, when he wanted to go fishing one last time.” She swallowed audibly, and sighed. Digging her heels into the sand, she pushed them forward, creating a pair of trenches. “Shall I tell you what your problem is?”

“Is that a question?”

“Your problem,” his sister continued, “is that you’re too good at maintaining that façade of godlike perfection. You’ve always hated for anyone to see that you’re a mere mortal. But you won’t win this girl that way.” She began to dust the sand from her hands. “Show her a few of your redeeming vices, dear. She’ll like you all the better for it.”

Chapter 9

All through the next day, and the day after that, Lord St. Vincent—Gabriel—made no further attempts to kiss Pandora. He was a perfect gentleman, respectful and attentive, making certain they were chaperoned or in full view of others at all times.

Pandora was very glad about that.

Mostly glad.

More or less glad.

Fact #34 Kissing is like one of those electrical experiments in which one makes a fascinating new discovery but is fried like a mutton-chop in the process.

Still, she couldn’t help wondering why Gabriel hadn’t tried again since that first day.

Admittedly, she shouldn’t have allowed it to begin with. Lady Berwick had once told her that a gentleman might sometimes test a lady by making an improper advance and judging her severely if she didn’t resist. Although it seemed very unsporting for Gabriel to do something like that, Pandora didn’t know enough about men to rule out the possibility.

But the most likely reason Gabriel hadn’t tried to kiss her again was that she was bad at it. She’d had no idea how to kiss, what to do with her lips or tongue. But the sensations had been so extraordinary that her excitable nature had taken over, and she’d virtually attacked him. And then he’d made that pirate remark, which she had puzzled over incessantly. Had he meant it in a disparaging way? It hadn’t sounded like a complaint, exactly, but could one reasonably take it as a compliment?

Fact #35 No list of ideal feminine qualities has ever included the phrase “you kiss like a pirate.”

Although Pandora felt mortified and defensive every time she thought about her kisstastrophe, Gabriel had been so charming for the past two days that she couldn’t help enjoying his company anyway. They had spent a great deal of time together, talking, walking, riding, playing lawn tennis, croquet, and other outdoor games, always in the company of family members.

In some ways, Gabriel reminded her of Devon, with whom he seemed to have struck up a fast friendship. Both were quick-witted and irreverent men, tending to view the world with a mixture of irony and clear-eyed pragmatism. But whereas Devon’s nature was spontaneous and occasionally volatile, Gabriel was more careful and considered, his character tempered with a maturity that was rare for a man of relatively young age.

As the duke’s firstborn son, Gabriel was the future of the Challons, the one to whom the estate, title, and family holdings would fall. He was well educated, with a complex understanding of finance and commerce, and a comprehensive knowledge of estate management. In these days of industrial and technological development, the peerage could no longer afford to depend only on the yields from their ancestral land holdings. One heard more and more often of impoverished noblemen who had been unable to adapt their old-fashioned ways of thinking, and were now being forced to abandon their estates and sell their property.

There was no doubt in Pandora’s mind that Gabriel would rise to the challenges of a fast-changing world. He was astute, intelligent, cool-headed, a natural leader. Still, she thought, it must be difficult for any man to live under the burden of such expectations and responsibilities. Did he ever worry about making mistakes, looking foolish, or failing at something?

On the third day of Pandora’s visit, they spent the afternoon at the estate’s archery grounds with Cassandra, Ivo, and Seraphina. Realizing it was time to go inside and change for dinner, the group went to collect their arrows from the row of targets backed by grass-covered mounds.

“Don’t forget,” Seraphina cautioned, “we’re to dress a bit more formally than usual for dinner tonight. We’ve invited two local families to join us.”