“Oh, probably some you’ve yet to acknowledge. However, regarding the woman—I’d have not thought she’d suit the nobility.”
He was suddenly incensed on her behalf. “Whyever the bloody hell not?”
Those words came out harsh, causing Aiden’s eyebrows to rise with his surprise at their cutting delivery. “Nothing specific springs to mind. She simply had the air about her of being common.”
“Common? She’s anything except common.”
Aiden settled back more comfortably as one might when expecting to be entertained by a bard. “How so?”
She kissed like a fallen angel, a mixture of innocence and wickedness. From his place in the small cubbyhole, he’d watched her battle her conscience—debating whether to step into the breach or withdraw.She’d bravely taken the risk and joined him. For which he’d known he’d be eternally grateful when his mouth landed on hers. “She’s curious, inquisitive.”
“That much was evident by her request at my club. There’s more, surely.”
“She’s here with her brother and termagant of a mother to find investors for their business. She’s quite animated about the equipment they want to produce. A writing machine. They’re preparing to give a demonstration in the near future apparently. Perhaps I can secure you an invitation.”
“How does that make her uncommon?”
“She takes things apart, studies them, reassembles them.” That was too simple a description when there were so many different aspects to her. Like a multifaceted diamond, light reflected differently depending upon how one held it. “She’s simply unlike most women of my acquaintance.”
“Was she at Wolfford’s ball?”
“Yes.”
“Ah.”
“What the deuce does that little condescending sound signify?”
“It wasn’t condescending, merely an acknowledgment of enlightenment. I’d wager you danced with her. Did you also kiss her?”
Rook glared at the dancing flames and wondered how Aiden might feel about being tossed into them. He didn’t fancy being so easy to read when he’d never been before.
“You did,” his brother said quietly, reflectively.
Shifting his gaze over to his host, Rook wondered why the devil he’d bothered coming here. “She’s adventuresome.”
“Again, something that was evident by her request at my club. Therefore, it appears that my sending you to her did turn out to be a favor to you.”
What it had turned out to be was a maelstrom of confusion. When she’d shared her tale of what she’d overheard about the force of athrust, and her hesitation to say that particular word in the context where it was associated with sex, he’d wanted to board a ship, sail to America, and bash a few heads together in order to teach some blighters manners. “It was merely a kiss.”
“That’s what I thought the first time I kissed Selena.” Who was now his wife. “She’d come to my club as well. Strange, how we—two brothers—were both initially unnerved by a woman we’d kissed at my club.”
“I’m not unnerved. I was in want of a drink and some company. As the other Chessmen are at the ball—that left you to humor me. At which you’re failing miserably, by the way.”
“But I do have excellent scotch.”
Rook couldn’t help himself as he chuckled low. He did enjoy visiting with his brother. “Indeed you do.” He tossed back what remained of his. “It’s late. I should head home so you can enjoy some revelry with your wife.”
“I did so earlier in the evening, but yes, I’m planning to do so later as well. Seems I can never get enough revelry.”
“I don’t need the details,” he grumbled as they both stood. “Thank you for the scotch and for the... company.”
“My pleasure. Let me know how things progress with the uncommon woman.”
“She and I are done.”
“I thought the same thing after I kissed Selena. Thank God, I was wrong.”
But it was different for Rook.
