Page 38 of The Smuggler’s Escape

“I most certainly did. I thought my manner of refusing to play with her while complimenting you was quite tidy. I even hoped—in vain, I apprehend—that you might appreciate it.”

Oh. “Thank you, but to return to more important matters, Lieutenant Hale will not give up.”

Richard guided the curricle out of the drive in the direction of Uncle Matthew’s house. “Hale will have no reason to suspect a cart filled with bulbs, plants and composted soil my mother wishes to give to a friend in Chichester for her garden. Since the cart will accompany us on our shopping expedition, it will be under my control at all times.”

“What if we get caught?”

He grinned down at her. “We won’t get caught.”

She longed to hit him. “You can’t possibly know that. How will they load the contraband into the wagon without anyone knowing?”

“Stop worrying,” Richard said. “Everything will go like clockwork.”

Noelle let out something between a growl and a scream. “You have no reason at all for such ridiculous confidence.”

“On the contrary. Confidence is ninety percent of success.”

And the other ten percent?

“Luck,” Richard said, as if he had read her mind. “We’ll trust to our luck. I always trust to mine.” He smiled, a warm, easy, knowing smile, and his gaze dropped from her face to her bosom, lingered there, and continued lower. “I believe I shall save my pinch for later, when not quite so many layers of cloth are in my way.”

Hot rage suffused Noelle. “There will be no later!”

Plaintively, Richard said, “No?”

“Pinch me now or never!” Oh, God, what a stupid thing to say!

“Are you quite sure?” Richard transferred the reins to one hand. The other hovered above the skirt of her riding dress. “I can dispense with the layers here and now on the public highway, if you like.”

“Stop it!” She slapped his hand away. “Will Dalbey is riding behind us.”

Richard tut-tutted. “First a pinch, then a slap. It would hardly be gentlemanly to slap you in return, so I believe I will take another pinch instead.”

In spite of herself, Noelle demanded, “A pinch is gentlemanly? I hardly think so.”

“Perhaps not, but these will be very friendly pinches.” He put his fingers to his lips, whistled, and motioned to Will to pass them.

He did, with a grin and a tip of his hat to Noelle.

“Been kissing him, too?”

“Of course not!” Noelle tucked her skirts tight around her and moved as far as possible across the seat.

Richard sighed elaborately. “I will save my pinches for later, when you are in the mood to receive them.”

“That will not happen.”

He didn’t answer, merely taking the reins in both hands once more. For a few minutes they bowled along in silence. “Tell me about Lady Ariadne and piquet,” Richard said. “Did she cheat? I can’t imagine her fleecing you in fair play.”

“She cheats every chance she gets. She has no notion which cards have already been played, so she assumes I have none either. Sir William has forbidden her to play piquet with anyone but me. He knows I can afford only the lowest of stakes. Her losses were excessive, and by what I’ve heard, there was a huge scene. She pretends to kindly accommodate my lack of funds by playing for farthing points.”

“That explains her furtive manner in London,” Richard said. “She forcibly drew me aside into a curtained alcove. I feared she had designs on my virtue. Imagine my relief when I found she only wanted to play piquet.”

Noelle grinned despite herself. “I am not a particularly good player, but even so, it is a severe test of my skill to play poorly enough to best her by a small margin or let her just barely best me.”

Richard’s eyes softened to tenderness and his mouth twisted ruefully. “You have such a beautiful smile, Noelle.”

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