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Alec settled back down on the blanket. “Come now. Where’s your sense of adventure?” He was already pulling out the cork.
“I think my sense of adventure is perfectly fine, thank you.”
“Well, I can’t argue with that.” He chuckled and held the bottle out to her. “But I do insist on ladies first.”
Lottie huffed. “I’ve never in my life taken a—a—swigfrom a bottle! I’m not a pirate!”
“You most certainly are not. And thank goodness. Here.”
She eyed the bottle, then let out a resigned sigh. “Very well.” Lottie took the bottle from him and brought it to her lips. She took a tentative sip and somehow managed not to dribble any down her chin. The wine was rich and surprisingly smooth. Lottie took another, more substantial swallow before handing the bottle back to Alec.
“A woman of many talents,” he quipped before taking a swig of his own. His eyebrows rose. “Hmm. That was better than I expected. Well done, Marta.”
“I think she may have liked the signore.”
He gave her a thoughtful look over the rim of the wine bottle. “Perhaps. But she was also happy. For us. For you. People like seeing a young lady safely married.”
Lottie let out another huff as she assembled a rather sorry-looking sandwich with a hunk of bread. “Yes, well. Thank goodness she’ll never learn the truth,” she muttered.
Alec was silent for a long moment. “It did no harm,” he said quietly.
She shrugged and took a bite. Of course he would say that. Thanks to Sir Alfred, Lottie was well versed in the “good” kind of lies and the “bad” ones.
But sometimes it was the good lies that did the most damage.
She met Alec’s eyes. He appeared properly chastened, just like a person with any kind of conscience. “Is my uncle even sick?”
Alec’s nostrils flared slightly, but otherwise his face went blank. “You think I would lie about that?”
“Yes. If it got you what you wanted.”
His brow tensed. “And what is it youthinkI want, exactly?”
She remembered him pulling her scandalously close at the end of a waltz on the night of her coming out ball. How dark and warm his eyes had been. No one had ever looked at her that way before. And she had been so sure, so certain, that something irreversible had passed between them. When she had teased him about leaving without saying goodbye, he had answered so readily, so firmly.
I could neverdreamof doing such a thing.
But he must have known, even then, what he would do.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Lottie said evenly while her fingers clenched around a bit of blanket. “It’s been a very long time since I had any inkling of what you could possibly want.” She then took a rather defiant bite.
Alec studied her. “I see.” Then he slowly raised the bottle to his lips and took another long sip while never breaking his gaze. A shiver ran down her spine, but she remained rigid. Alec set down the bottle and roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Then he raised an eyebrow, likely waiting for her to comment on his appalling lack of manners. But Lottie did not react. He could strip naked and dance a jig and she wouldn’t even blink.
He bared his teeth in a hint of a smile. “So if I told you what I wanted,” he began, his voice as thick as honey once again, “would you even believe me?” The question was posed like a challenge. As if he were daring her to ask him. Tobeg. His eyes flitted to her lips, briefly.
Lottie let out a slow breath. “No,” she murmured while a rebellious little corner of her heart protested. His brow tensed again, stronger this time. “I don’t suppose I would.”
Alec took another swig of wine in response and set the bottle down hard. One scarlet drop slipped down the side. “Well. It’s good to know at leastoneof us can be unfailingly honest.” Then he grabbed a custard tart and stood up. “I need to speak to Lorenzo. Come when you’re ready.”
The brook continued to rush behind her, strong and steady, but Lottie barely heard it. She was too consumed with watching Alec march up the slope toward the cart, his strides angry and determined.
If he were any other man, she would have sworn he was hurt.
And she would have been absolutely sure of it.
Chapter Seven
Alec ran through the planned route with Lorenzo once again. It was a straight shot from here to Pistoia, but staring at the well-worn map helped settle his nerves—and his temper. When he drew Lottie into his arms earlier and felt the telltale quickening of her heartbeat while her green eyes glazed over, he had to fight against the fierce urge to hold her there. No matter her wayward suitor, Lottie was attracted to him. At least a little. It shouldn’t have mattered—itdidn’tmatter—and yet the thrill was undeniable. Until she revealed her true feelings.
