Mad for Love: Even Gods Fall in Love, Book 2 Read Free Page B

mind?”
    His half smile demonstrated his amusement. “How could I? Of course not. It’s merely I guessed what you were thinking because I was too. We have to avoid scandal, for your sake.” He began to walk, careful to guide her down the two shallow steps before the pavilion.
    Then he took her in the opposite direction. “If this garden conforms to most I’ve seen, then we should have an exit by several better populated areas. We will claim we have been in that vicinity all along. We were gone barely ten minutes, by my reckoning. It should be enough to calm your mother’s fears.” He gave her a mischievous smile. “The pavilion was a lucky chance. They are often situated in such places, but I had no guarantee it would be there. We should pass this off as a stroll in a well-populated garden.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Don’t thank me.” They walked by a group of trees, the foliage bursting out in green abundance. “I want to see you again. If I’m in disgrace with your family, I can hardly do that, can I? Do you think your mother will receive me?”
    “With your reputation, sir, I’m not sure. Mama is very protective of me.”
    He nodded. “You’re a prize, my sweet. Any fortune-hunter would be glad of your hand.” The evening was crisp and invigorating. Despite her inner turmoil the small diversion was helping Aurelia regain her equilibrium.
    “Are you a fortune-hunter, then?”
    He gave a crack of laughter. “Hardly.” They strolled into a better-lit area, flames from torchères illuminating the broad paths, and the house came into view. Other people strolled around, and a few glanced in their direction. Stretton nodded to one or two, his movements unhurried and easy. Graceful. “I have fortune enough for two. Or twenty, come to that. If your mother should enquire, she’ll find my estate in good order.”
    That sounded alarmingly like intent to serious courtship. She needed to get a grip of herself first and control this wayward emotion that could lead her into so much danger. “Why would she enquire? We only just met.”
    “And kissed. Tonight we must keep our meeting brief.” He turned, facing her, and she let her hand drop away from his arm. “If you tell me to go to perdition, I will. But if you give me any encouragement at all, I will come back.” An impression of complete sincerity shaded his grey gaze. No teasing smile, no polished society mask. She sensed that few people had seen that expression, as if he’d let his mask drop for a bare moment. Just for her.
    “I don’t know what this is.” A kiss meant nothing. She hardly knew this man, except, deep down, she did in a way she didn’t begin to comprehend. It was a foolish notion. It had to be. It could not signify a thing. She had to think of her future, who would make her happy and in what ways, not succumb to instinct and emotions.
    “We’ve met before, surely.”
    “No, I’ve lived in Scotland all my life. This is my first visit to London.”
    “And my last visit to Scotland was a very long time ago. You wouldn’t have been out.” He gave one of his short laughs, as if momentarily distracted, but returned to his point. “I will take this as slowly as you need to, Aurelia.”
    “As slowly as we both need to.” As a peer of the realm, he needed more than instinct too. He needed a wife who could hold her own in society. And approaching someone like her, well-connected, wealthy, protected and a spinster, he could only mean one thing: she was a prospective wife. He could dally with her for a while, but not too long.
    The next measures of the dance she knew well, although she’d never trodden it herself, only seen it in others and watched. She was relatively sheltered for her age, but her father’s long illness and the surety that she could, unlike other less well-born and wealthy females, take her time, made her secure in her desire to wait.
    He leaned a little closer. “We’ll take as long as you like. But don’t take too