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“And you do?”
Oh, she wanted to play with fire. He stroked a finger down her cheek, watched her porcelain skin grow pink under his touch. “I most certainly do.”
She turned her head away, and he actually had to clench his hand to keep from touching her again. When he touched her, was this close to her, he forgot the shame of his past life. He forgot he’d been indolent and spoiled and vain. He only saw what he could be now. Who he could be with her. But he needed her to believe in him.
“And would you seduce me to hold sway with me?”
“At one time, I would have.” He stepped back, giving her room. She looked back at him, and the sight of her lovely face and the distrust fading from her lovely eyes was a reward he had not anticipated.
“And now?”
“No. I want you to take my side because you believe in me and this cause.” He took her hand, and when she tried to pull it away, he said, “This is friendship, not seduction.” He looked directly at her. “I need your help, mademoiselle. I need your skills. Your parents named you Honoria for a reason. I pray you see my cause as honorable enough to warrant your faith and your support.” He dropped her hand, and she stared at him for a long moment.
“You obviously did not waste your time at Versailles. You are as skilled with words and diplomacy as any courtier.”
He inclined his head. “I mean what I say.”
She nodded slowly. “I believe you do. Very well.” She turned to the door and lifted the latch. “I will talk to Sir Andrew. I will make him see the necessity of your cause.” She passed through the door, and he held it, watching her walk away.
“Then I shall thank you in advance.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I don’t have your gift with words.” She descended the stairs.
But she had passion, and that was more important than words.
Fourteen
She paced all afternoon, waiting for Sir Andrew and the rest of the League’s men to return. The marquis kept to his room while Lord Anthony prowled the ground floor. Lord Anthony’s eye had swollen and turned reddish purple, but she refrained from commenting on it. She spent most of her time replicating the work she’d done earlier on the false orders from Robespierre that Mackenzie had requested.
As a rule, Honoria did not ask about the League’s missions, but she had to assume Sir Edward was attempting to free a priest from one of the prisons. The orders she had forged from Robespierre would ensure the priest could leave the city. Once he was out of Paris, it would be easier to smuggle him out of the country.
Finally, she heard steps at the front door and Alex and Lord Edward Hastings entered. A moment later, the rest of the party came through the secret passage. Today Alex wore a long wig of curly brown hair with a jaunty hat pinned on top, and now she removed it and stared at Lord Anthony.
“Did you run into a wall?”
He glared at her, arms crossed over his chest.
