Page 16 of Four Promises to Love

“You see, as a channel for the world beyond the veil, I am subject to premonitions—intuitions that I have come to trust, even though I do not fully understand them. Those feelings told me I would meet someone important that night. Someone tied to a spirit who I’ve been communicating with. Thus, I followed my instinct…and you appeared, exactly as my premonition predicted.”

He decided to play along. “Did your premonition also prompt you to masquerade as a light-skirt?”

“Not exactly.” She didn’t bat an eyelash. “Owen, the life of a medium is not an easy one. My calling attracts its share of cynics and doubters—those who would not listen to me, even to their own detriment. It has been my experience that when I approach strangers—gentlemen like yourself, in particular—I am unlikely to be given an audience.”

“Do you approach many gentlemen?”

“I am not a whore, sir.” She stiffened, outrage flashing in her remarkable eyes. “Any contact I initiate with strangers is purely in service to my work as a spiritualist.”

“Of course. I did not mean to offend.” He inclined his head. “Am I to understand, then, that you disguised yourself as, er, a lady of the night in order to gain my attention?”

She narrowed her eyes. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“Far too well.”

His candor seemed to surprise her. It was good to know that was possible.

She composed herself quickly. “The point is, when I saw you, I felt a connection. One of a spiritual nature. I knew that you were somehow tied to the visions that I’d been having, and I needed to speak to you in private. I chose the easiest way to gain your compliance⁠—”

“I daresay you gained more than that.”

His drawled reply finally threw her off balance. Perhaps she even blushed; it was difficult to tell in the moonlight. The setting was having an odd effect on him as well. Here in the darkness, surrounded by the evidence that nothing lasted forever—that even the past could fade into gentle obscurity—he felt strangely…unburdened. He didn’t quite know why, but the exquisite little liar next to him had something to do with the feeling of lightness as well.

“Perhaps I got carried away,” she said.

She was blushing, he was sure of it.

“It is an unfortunate consequence of my talent that I can sometimes be…um, swept up in the feelings of the spirit I am channeling,” she said. “While I am a vessel, I am also flesh and blood. My senses can be overwhelmed.”

“Just so I understand.” He gave her an amused look. “You came—because a spirit made you do it?”

“My lord. It is beneath you to mention such matters.”

Her attempt at indignation was so adorable that he laughed.

“But not beneath you, apparently, to enjoy yourself, drug me, and leave me without a penny. Or my boots,” he added.

Did her lips curve? He wouldn’t put it past the little minx to be amused at his expense.

“You have my sincerest apologies,” she said. “The sleeping draught was insurance, you see. I once had an encounter where my effort to warn a gentleman about a vision placed my virtue at risk. Unfortunately, I’ve learned the hard way that some men will not take no for an answer.”

Owen’s hands curled. “Did the bastard hurt you?”

“I can take care of myself,” she said blithely. “However, that experience did teach me to take precautions.”

“I see. Did you also take my money and footwear in self-defense?”

“It is so refreshing to converse with a gentleman of your keen intellect.”

He had to snort. “You don’t actually expect me to buy this Banbury tale?”

“It is no tale, sir. It is the absolute truth.”

She flashed her irresistible dimples.

“Hmm. Following your logic, am I correct to assume that you had a vision you wished to share with me?”

“You are even cleverer than I gave you credit for. For I have been plagued with the most disturbing visions. For the past few months, they have been coming to me like dreams…like snippets of memory.”