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He knew that should he make a concerted effort to seduce Caroline, she would be helpless to stop him. The little innocent had never even been kissed; she'd never know what hit her if Blake used all the sensual weapons in his arsenal.
Of course one couldn't discount the presence of Perriwick and Mrs. Mickle. The pair of servants had taken to Caroline like clotted cream to scones, and Blake had no doubt that they would guard her virtue with their very lives.
He looked back at Caroline, who also appeared lost in her thoughts. Then suddenly her chin lifted and she said, “We were acting rather juvenile, weren't we?”
Before Blake even had a chance to nod, she added, “Of course, it was nothing that should require the marquis to feel the need to put a hundred miles between us, or however long it is to London. I say, how far is it to London?”
He stared at her in amazement. She had the most remarkable talent of making the most serious topics rather mundane. “Actually, a hundred miles is about right,” he answered.
“Is it? I've never been to London. I've been shuttled about between Kent and Hampshire, with a brief spell in Gloucestershire, but never London.”
“Caroline, what are you talking about?”
“I am trying to be polite,” she replied, using much the same condescending tone he had. “You, however, are making it extremely difficult.”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “Caroline, we are going to be living in the same house together for the next five weeks.”
“I am well aware of that, Mr. Ravenscroft.”
“We are going to have to make the best of a rather uncomfortable situation.”
“I see no reason why it should be uncomfortable.”
Blake disagreed. In fact his body was disagreeing rather strongly that very second. He was quite uncomfortable, and he could only give thanks to the current fashions for hiding it from her so well. But he wasn't about to go into all that, so he just flayed her with his most supercilious stare and said, “Don't you?”
“Not at all,” she replied, clearly unintimidated. “There is no reason why we should be uncomfortable if we simply take pains to avoid one another's company.”
“You really think we can avoid one another for three weeks?”
“Is that how long the marquis plans to be gone?”
“From the tone of his letter, I'd venture to guess that he plans to stay away as long as possible.”
“Well, I suppose we can do it. It's a big enough house.”
Blake closed his eyes. The entire county of Dorset wasn't big enough.
“Blake? Blake? Are you feeling quite all right? You look a bit flushed.”
“I'm fine,” he said.
“It's really quite remarkable how well you can enunciate even when you talk through your teeth. But still, you don't look at all the thing. Perhaps I ought to put you to bed.”
The room suddenly felt stiflingly hot, and Blake blurted out, “That is a very bad idea, Caroline.”
“I know, I know. Men make the worst patients. Can you imagine if you had to deliver babies? The human race should never have made it so far.”
He turned on his heel. “I'm going to my room.”
“Oh, good. You should. You'll feel much better, I'm sure, if you get some rest.”
Blake didn't answer her, just strode toward the stairs. When he reached the first step, however, he realized that she was still right behind him. “What are you doing here?” he snapped.
“I'm following you to your room.”
“Are you doing this for any particular reason?”
“I'm seeing to your welfare.”
