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Apparently, agents of the Crown did not appreciate sarcasm. His jaw tightened as all traces of mirth vanished; in its place was an unfamiliar, world-weary expression that bordered on hostile. “He asked for my help. I’m here as a favor.”
Lottie managed not to flinch at the trivial description. She expected to be considered as little more than an annoyance, but they both knew Uncle Alfred neverasked. He demanded.
“And is that really all you thought it would take? You show up here unannounced and I would simply go off with you?” She laughed again. “That’s even less convincing than my note.”
Alec moved closer. “This isn’t a game, Lottie,” he began in a low, harsh voice that sent goose bumps racing up her spine. He then brushed his fingers against her elbow, and the light touch was so immediately recognizable, and so shockingly familiar, that Lottie nearly gasped. As the warmth from his fingertips sunk deeper into her skin, a heady, comforting feeling settled over her until she very nearly swayed against him. “You aren’t playing house up here,” he continued, unaware of her reaction. “And I don’t need to provide a list of reasons because you know you cannot stay.”
Lottie pulled away from the hypnotic grasp and matched his glare. “I’m afraid I can, actually. I didn’t wander off and end up here by accident. I’ve let this house for the nextyear.”
Alec’s eyes went nearly black as he leaned closer. It was impossible not to notice how much larger he was now. “Then I hope your landlord will honor a refund. As it stands, you have been traveling unaccompanied in a foreign country for over a week. Did you not consider what would happen when you deserted your chaperone while staying in a pension that is extremely popular with British tourists? Did you actually think your disappearance would go unnoticed?”
His tone remained cold while only the barest hint of color stained his cheeks. It appeared that Alec had finally learned to control his temper. However, after insinuating that she was both remarkably inane and grossly incompetent, Lottie saw no need to bother with civilities.
“What kind of a fool do you take me for?” she seethed. “The wholepointwas for them to notice.”
By running away in such a dramatic fashion, Lottie had hoped to create a scandal so irresistible that it would be written about before the day was out. Those letters would then reach the finest drawing rooms in London before spreading even further with the relentless drive of the most potent plague until her ruination was achieved. And if the letters didn’t do the trick, Lottie had every faith that Mrs. Wetherby herself would make sure word spread. The older woman had her own reputation to maintain, but no one would blame her if a willful young lady ran off with anItalian.
It would be the scandal of the season, if not the year. Lottie was counting on it.
Alec stared as if she was a stranger. “You mean you…youwantedto be ruined?”
Lottie lifted her chin. Proud. Defiant. And entirely unrepentant. “I’d be very disappointed to learn otherwise, Mr. Gresham.”
Finally he was seeing her, reallyseeingher for the first time; now he would know how strong she was, how determined, how capable.
“Oh, Lottie,” Alec sighed, as if in deep pain, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What have you done?”
Chapter Two
The heart-stopping relief that came over Alec when he stepped out onto the terrace and saw Lottie standing there, the picture of health—andalone—was entirely too short-lived.
He had forgotten so many things, like the exact shade of her hair or the dimple on her left cheek that came out only when she laughed. He had also forgotten how damned stubborn she could be.
And how disarmingly alluring it was.
Over the years, in the rare moments when Alec dared to picture her, it was only as the girl he had first met: the sweet, seven-year-old orphan afraid of the dark who insisted she had an invisible pony named Buckles. Even earlier, while he was traipsing up this godforsaken hill, he was determined to prove that everyone else was mistaken.Lottiehadn’t run off with anyone. No, she had merely wanted to visit the little medieval village where her late parents spent their honeymoon and hadn’t even considered the havoc her little folly would cause.
Silly, lovely Lottie.
It never occurred to him that Charlotte Elizabeth Carlisle, born into one of the finest families in England, and beloved only niece of the illustrious Sir Alfred Lewis, would knowingly do anything to destroy her sterling reputation.
But the steely-eyed young woman before him suggested otherwise.
Alec had vastly underestimated her.
A careless error. Inexcusable for an agent of his experience. It would not happen again.
Lottie watched him with hawklike concentration. Her brows, a few shades darker than her hair, pulled together, but Alec couldn’t speak. It had taken him years to learn how to control his emotions, but this anger had come on so suddenly, sofiercely, that it nearly took his breath away. How long had it been since he let such raw feelings surface?
Oh, about five years or so.
He moved next to her and pressed his palms against the balustrade. He took a few deep breaths until the vibrant pulse of anger faded into that cool, familiar numbness. “I won’t pretend to understand what possessed you to do such a thing, orwhy,” he said, turning to her. “But to no one’s regret but your own, your reputation is still somewhat intact.”
Lottie let out a frustrated huff. “Well, that is disappointing to hear,” she said dryly. “I had hoped Mrs. Wetherby would be hysterical. She threw a fit at the slightest inconvenience. I thought my leaving would at least elicit the same response as being served a lukewarm pot of tea.”
Her cynicism was even more provoking. And bizarre. She had never been so cold before.
Whathappenedto you, Lottie?
