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"Are you deterred by my inexperience?"
He sucked in his breath. "To some extent. . . yes."
"Fine." Her small chin set, Sammy folded her hands purposefully in her lap. "That obstacle is easily remedied. I'll make certain to gain some experience at once. The Viscount Anders is calling on me tomorrow; I'll begin with him. In no time at all, I'll be able—"
"Over my dead body!" Rem couldn't believe the vehemence of his reply, or the cold fury that rose in his chest at the thought of her in another man's arms—least of all a charming viper like Anders.
Sammy seemed sincerely startled. "Whyever not? You just said—"
"I said you should save your innocence for your husband. Not hand it over to an unworthy cad who'll toss you aside the moment he's had his way with you."
"But I want to be tossed aside. I have no aspirations to wed Stephen."
"Stephen?"
Again, that surprising surge of jealousy. "If he lays a hand on you, I'll kill him." A dazzling smile illuminated Sammy's face. "Yet another rescue. How can you deny your heroism?"
"Tell me about Barrett Shipping." Hearing himself blurt out the question, Rem was horrified. When had he ever approached a covert subject with so little finesse?
"Barrett Shipping?" Sammy blinked. "I assume you feel the need to change the subject, Remington."
Without meaning to, Samantha had provided him with a logical motive for his sloppy tactics. "I think a change in subject is definitely in order, imp."
"What is it you wish to discuss?"
"Is your brother abandoning his trips to sea until the cause of the disappearances have been determined?" Sammy averted her head, staring out the window. "I don't know."
"You're worried about him."
"Of course I am. If anything ever happened to Drake, I'd die."
Rem took her hand in his. "I didn't mean to upset you, Samantha."
"It's not just Drake. It's the whole situation. So many needless deaths. So few avenues to explore. Perhaps the Viscount Goddfrey could explain—" Abruptly, she stopped.
"What did you say?"
"Only that so many men have died." Sammy twisted her fingers nervously in the fabric of her gown.
"What made you mention Goddfrey?"
"I—I heard that he'd lost a large crew with his last ship."
What the hell wasn't she saying? Rem needed to know. "Samantha ..."
"I'd like to go home now, my lord." She was as transparent as glass.
"All right," Rem replied, wisely electing to bide his time. "May I take you to the opera tomorrow?"
Sammy chewed her lip in distressed indecision. "I promised Stephen ..."
"Get rid of him." Rem lightly stroked her palm with his thumb. "Let him call on you in the afternoon. Then come to Covent Garden Theater with me in the evening."
"All right."
"And Samantha—I meant what I said. If Anders touches you—"
"Like this?" she murmured. Without warning, she slid closer, leaned up and kissed him.
