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Something had to be done. Someone—her aunt, presumably—had given this child expectations of a match and Gray was being put in a position where, unless he was exceedingly rude, he was going to reinforce those expectations. He was a gentleman. Fortunately she, Gaby, was not.
‘How nice to meet you, Miss Henderson. Are you an old friend of Gray’s?’ she asked warmly and slipped her hand through his arm, moving in tight to his side. ‘How lovely for you, darling,’ she added with a melting look up at him.
For a second she thought he would fumble the catch. His eyes widened, the pupils dark, then he smiled, that charming, concealing smile. ‘I believe I had the pleasure of meeting you here on one occasion before I left for Portugal, Miss Henderson, did I not? Will you be making your come-out under my godmother’s wing? That must be very exciting for you.’
He used the avuncular, faintly patronising tone of a much older man and the girl’s cheeks lost their colour and her lower lip trembled for a moment. Then she said, ‘Yes, I am very fortunate,’ in a flat voice and sat down again.
Gaby felt a stab of guilt at hurting her, but it was best done now. She would be hopeless for Gray, and he for her, even if he had the slightest intention of going against what he had said about remarrying. Her aunt had been filling the child’s head with fairy tales and now she would be able to recover from her infatuation as quickly as possible.
‘Gabrielle? Gray? What is this?’ Aunt Henrietta was staring at them, not her trembling protégée. George stared blankly from his mother to Gabrielle.
‘You must wish us happy, Godmama,’ Gray said. ‘We had not intended to make such a precipitate announcement of our betrothal, though. My Gabrielle is nothing if not impetuous.’ He laid his free hand over hers on his arm and gave her an unseen pinch. His eyes narrowed when Gaby smiled sweetly at him. Now that expression she could read as clearly as if he had spoken. He wanted to give her a good shake.
‘But...but, Gabrielle, this is so...’
‘I know, Aunt. But the feeling was mutual, at first sight almost. Thank you so much for sending him to me. Now, we have come upon you unexpectedly and you have a guest. Gray will take me back to my hotel and Miss Moseley, my companion, and just as soon as I have found a house you are all invited to dinner. And George must bring a partner, because I am certain you are courting some eligible young lady, cousin.’
‘Er...no, not exactly.’ George sent his stepmother a look of confused appeal.
‘A hotel?’ Aunt Henrietta demanded. ‘Your own house? What are you saying, Gabrielle?’
‘Of course I cannot impose upon you, Aunt, especially as I have business to transact in London and I know you would not wish anything hinting at trade to be carried on from this house. Darling Gray’s man is finding me somewhere suitable and a staff and, of course, I have Miss Moseley with me to add countenance.’
‘We really should be going to inspect that first property, my dear,’ Gray said to her. ‘We will be late, but you would insist on calling on Godmama as soon as possible.’ The intense look he gave her was almost enough to send Gaby off into giggles, but she kept a straight face throughout a brisk exchange of farewells.
Gray bundled her into the carriage, snapped something to the driver and climbed in beside her. He fell back against the squabs and turned his head so he could meet her gaze. ‘Has my hair turned white? What the devil are you about, Gabrielle?’
‘Saving you from that child, of course. Aunt has been filling her head with dreams about you. Then you turn up unexpectedly, looking precisely like any girl’s dream lover, and do nothing to repel her in those first vital seconds.’
‘Dream lover?’
‘Titled, handsome, free. All your own teeth, remember? That girl is like a flawless peach—almost ripe, ready to be bruised for ever by the wrong handling. You’d be a disaster for each other and it would be almost as bad if she was to have her expectations and dreams reinforced by your gentlemanly reluctance to snub her. This is much kinder. She will have a little weep for a few days, then emerge unscathed except for the delightful memory of a tragic love with no reality to it to damage her.’
‘And meanwhile—and you must forgive me for seeming ungallant if I do not seem ecstatic at the thought—you and I are to be leg-shackled? You have forgotten, perhaps, that I told you I had no intention of marrying again?’
‘Of course I had not forgotten. Before the end of my visit you will realise that I am quite hopeless for you. I will be driven to distraction by your disapproval and attempts to curtail my business concerns and we will agree we do not suit. Aunt will not say anything to anyone until she absolutely has to because she will hope just such a thing will happen and George will follow her lead. Miss Henderson is unlikely to say anything, given her own disappointed hopes. You are quite safe, Gray. Provided you steer well clear of Miss Henderson once you are free again, that is.’
He studied her face, his own set in a thoughtful frown. ‘And you had every confidence I would play along with your outrageous scheme?’
‘Of course. Did you not tell me that Wellington, no less, called you impudent and impetuous?’
‘Do not forget the improvident,’ he growled.
The sharp vertical line between his brows was just too tempting to resist. Gaby reached up and smoothed it with her thumb. ‘Don’t scowl at me, Gray. You look as though you want to box my ears.’
‘No. What I want to do is this,’ he said as he pulled her towards him and kissed her full on the mouth.
Chapter Ten
Surprise warred with instant arousal. He still wants me?
Gray sat back, released her almost before she could complete the thought. ‘Damn.’
They stared at each other, then Gaby put both hands around his neck, knocking off his hat in the process, and kissed him back, slowly, thoughtfully and with great care. ‘We cannot carry on like this,’ she observed when she, too, subsided back into the seat, breathing heavily. ‘I believe we have established that we have no desire to marry each other.’ It was quite difficult to manage a sentence of that length—and number of syllables—without panting.
‘You want an affaire?’ She was not the only breathless one.
‘Yes.’ Brazen, immodest. Honest. ‘I am not a virgin, and neither of us is committed to anyone else. I am here for only a short time. What harm can there be?’
