She was alone with him in his house. His prisoner. He could do with her as he pleased.
An honorable man would show Victoria out the front door, and hail a hack, sending her safely home to her family. But as Robert loosened his hold on his inner villain, he decided that Lady Victoria Kembal wasn’t going anywhere.
She was a delicious creature caught in his wicked web.
I might toy with her for a little longer.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Duke of Spice could cook. Victoria had never tasted a scone so rich, so full of bacony goodness. So tasty. The man was a culinary genius. If this was the level of his home baking, he should forget about writing reviews and open his own restaurant. She would dine there every night.
Her rational self, told her she should be looking for a way out of here. Viscount Askett had promised they would come back for her. The carriage could be waiting in the laneway. Coco would be worried.
Though she didn’t seem all that worried when she let the coach drive off and leave me here.
Victoria turned her thoughts from that of her sister back to the food. It wasn’t every day, or any day for that matter, that she was given the opportunity to actually try her hand at cooking. This was a real kitchen. With a fancy American crafted stove. This might be the only chance she got to make something.
“Your scones are excellent. That was delicious. Tell me, what was the secret ingredient?”
His smile lit up his entire face. And for the first time since she’d met him, it dawned on her that the duke wasn’t as old asshe had thought. The little wrinkles at his eyes were laugh lines. They only served to make him more handsome.
“How old are you? If that’s not too impertinent,” she asked.
Robert’s grin grew wider as he chuckled. “You broke into my garden. Stole my herbs. I think we can agree that you, Lady Victoria, are an impertinent young miss.”
“Victoria, please.”
He moved closer. Mirth still shone on his countenance. “I prefer your other moniker, Lady Thief.” He sighed. “But Victoria it is. And in answer to your question, I am thirty-one-years-old. Which I expect by your standards makes me positively ancient.”
And far more interesting. A younger man likely wouldn’t have the sort of knowledge that Robert had. Few men in her social circle who were around her age would know the first thing about what constituted good food. Or the value of saffron.
“And in answer to your other question, my secret ingredient is just that, a secret,” he said, tapping a finger to the side of his nose.
His teasing words and playful manner had her heart beating faster. He did things to her. Things which threatened to go well beyond making her throb between her legs.
“You said we could play in the kitchen. What did you have in mind?” she asked.
That smile. Every time she looked at him, she forgot that he was meant to be her enemy. That he was holding her against her will.
Is he?
She had a funny feeling that if she offered him her hand and asked him to take her home, he would do just that, and no one would ever know what had happened here tonight.
I don’t want to go home. I want to cook. With him.
Robert moved away, and the air between them cooled. There had been magic in the air when he was close. Victoria pushed down her disappointment.
“Well, the scones are done and dusted. I can only eat so many in one go. How about we make something simple like an omelet? If this is your first time in the kitchen, we want to make sure that it is a success.”
Victoria followed Robert, eager to get started. She didn’t want him suddenly having second thoughts and deciding that the best thing to do with her was to put her in a carriage and send her home.
“Do you have a recipe I can follow?”
She had eaten plenty of omelets over the years and knew most only had a few ingredients. How hard could it be to make an omelet? But the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was some sort of simpleton.
Robert ushered her over to a nearby cupboard. He pointed at a bowl of eggs. “No need for a recipe, I will show you. We’ll use three eggs, some butter, and a pinch of salt and pepper. And if you are feeling adventurous, we could add some herbs.”
Victoria loosened the ties of her cloak and slipped it from her shoulders. Robert took it and with casual grace set it on the bench under the window. She was staying.
