“Then you will do it?”
He nodded slowly. “Under certain conditions.”
“Conditions? What conditions? I am willing to pay you handsomely. Given that, I should think any conditions would be mine.”
“Possibly, but I am not overly concerned with your money.”
“That is absurd. Why on earth not?” Not that she particularly cared right now. It was difficult to concentrate on anything beyond the enticing rise and fall of his chest with every breath and the proximity of his body to hers.
“It doesn’t interest me.”
“Nonsense. You need…” Her voice faltered at the look in his eye. Speculation and… more. Her heart thudded in her chest. The moment the words formed on her lips, she knew the question was a mistake. Or an invitation. And did not care. “What
does
interest you?”
His gaze strayed from her eyes to her mouth and back. Without thinking, she shifted slightly until her lips were scarcely more than a whisper from his.
“Any number of things, my dear,” he said softly, his breath mingling with hers. “But they shall have to wait.” Abruptly, he drew back and straightened to loom over her. “At this point, what interests me most is whether or not you will accept my conditions.”
“I see.” She cleared her throat, ignoring the smug look on his face. The blasted man knew full well she wanted him to kiss her, and probably realized she wanted to kiss him back. “What are your conditions, then?”
“First of all, if you are to pose as my wife…” He stepped aside and again roamed restlessly around the parlor, examining an objet d’art here, a painting there, his attitude as casual as his words. “… you shall have to play the role in a realistic manner. If we are to fool the rest of the world, we shall have to be convincing.”
“It would be ridiculous to do otherwise.” She watched him cautiously and folded her hands in her lap.
“How, pray tell, do you propose we do that?”
“To begin with, this”—he gestured at the opulent room—“will not do at all.”
“Why not?” She furrowed her brow. “This is a lovely house, and quite well situated.”
“However, it is not the house Matthew Weston—forgive me,
Lord
Matthew—would occupy. Not with the current state of his finances.” He picked up an apple from a bowl on a nearby table and tossed it idly in one hand. “I live primarily on a small naval pension, most of which goes for the supplies necessary for my work, and my ever-dwindling savings.”
“Yes?” She heard his words, but her gaze fixed on the mesmerizing motion of the apple. His hands, deft and sure, releasing and catching the scarlet fruit.
“Did I tell you I am trying to refine a heating system of my own design to greater increase control aloft and during ascensions?”
“No.” His strong, tanned fingers captured the apple, enveloped its vivid flesh in an all-consuming caress.
“I can scarce afford to fund this project as well as a proper residence, so at the moment I am living in the cottage beside the stables you visited yesterday.”
Without effort she remembered how those fingers had felt on her flesh.
“In truth, it’s barely more than a roof and four walls, but it was included in the lease of the stables and serves my needs.”
How his caresses had captured her body and seared her soul.
“Nonetheless, right now it is my place of residence. Where I live and where I expect…”
How all-consuming the passion had been between them.
“… my
wife
to live as well.” He caught the apple and held it still. My wife to live ?
The words jerked her to attention. Matthew grinned expectantly.
“You expect me to live in a… a”—she could barely choke out the word—“cottage?”
He shrugged. “If truth were told, it’s not substantially better than a shack.”
“A shack?” She rose to her feet. This was not at all what she had in mind. “You expect me to live in a shack?”
“The rooms we shared in Paris were not especially grand. They were rather shabby, if I recall.”
“Another consideration?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“I have only one horse, and he is better suited to pull—”
“A carriage?” she said hopefully.
“It’s really a wagon.” He shook his head in a regretful manner she didn’t believe for a moment. “In truth, more of a cart.”
“To go along with the shack, no doubt.” She would put up with his living conditions, castle or cottage scarcely mattered, as long as she was with him. But she had absolutely no intention of traveling in a cart or a wagon. Still, it was not necessary for him to know that. “Very well.”
“And there will be no servants,” he warned.
“Of course not, given your modest income,” she said brightly. “Is that it, then? Your conditions?”
“Not entirely.” He studied the apple in his hand casually.
“Really? Whatever is left?” She ticked the items off on her fingers. “Thus far you have eliminated servants and any possibility of civilized living either during our travels or when we are in the proximity of London. It seems to me your requirements ensure I will indeed act as your wife in the fullest, as well as the most frugal, sense of the word.”
He raised his gaze to hers and wicked triumph glittered in his eyes. “Not entirely.”
She drew her brows together. “I don’t see—” At once she did see, and all too well. The man was an annoying beast, but at least he still wanted her, and that was a start. And he had played right into her hands.
“You do not mean…” She widened her eyes in stunned disbelief. “You cannot possibly believe…” She wrung her hands together and paced to the right. “Surely, you do not expect that I…” She swiveled and
paced to the left. “That you… that we…” She stopped and turned toward him. “That you think I would… Oh, Matthew, how could you?” She let out a wrenching sob, buried her face in her hands and wept in the manner of any virtuous women presented with such an edict.
“Good Lord! Your Highness. Tatiana.” Concern sounded in his voice and she heard him step closer. “I didn’t mean—”
“I know what you meant.” She sobbed.
“I didn’t realize you’d— That is to say, I didn’t want—”
“You most certainly did.” She dropped her hands and glared at him. “This is exactly what you wanted. Exactly the response you hoped for.” She advanced toward him. “Are you happy now? Was my reaction dramatic enough for you? Was I as aghast, as offended, as
hurt
as you’d wished?”
“I never—”
“And was it satisfying, Matthew?” She stepped to within a few inches of him and planted her hands on her hips. “Or was there a moment of regret over your beastly behavior?”
“There is now.” He glared down at her but held his ground.
“Hah. I doubt that. Your intentions with this and every other of your ridiculous conditions was to shock me and, furthermore, to put me in my place. Obviously as revenge for the wrongs I have done you.”
“They were not,” he said indignantly.
“Come, now. You don’t lie nearly as well as I do.” She cast him a look of disdain. “These stipulations of yours, especially the last one.” She shook her head. “Did you really believe for a moment I would fall to pieces at the idea of sharing your bed? I am not a blushing virgin. I have been married.”
“Twice, by last count.” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “Or have I missed another marriage or two?”
“Not yet,” she snapped. “But the day is still young.”
“Excellent. Then you will no longer need me.”
“However, at this particular moment, I do still need you.”
“Do you?” An odd intensity underlaid his words.
“Yes,” she said sharply. “And if you think your silly conditions will dissuade me, you do not—”
“Know you?” he said pointedly.
She stared at him for a long moment. He was wrong, and it was discouraging to realize he did not understand that. In their few short days together he knew her better than anyone alive. Knew the truth of her heart and soul that she had never revealed to anyone but him. He simply never knew the details of her life that were at once significant and yet so inconsequential. She drew a deep breath and stepped back, forcing a casual note to her voice and her manner. “Now,
then, regarding your conditions.”
“Yes?”
“I quite understand your position and I must compliment you on such clear thinking. If indeed we are to be convincing, it is necessary to play our parts as thoroughly as possible. Therefore”—she lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug—“I accept your conditions.”
“All of them?” He raised a brow.
“Why not? If I remember correctly, sharing your bed was not an unbearable hardship. We had rather a remarkable time together. In truth, it was the most exciting… well, adventure of my life. Besides, whether you are willing to admit it or not, you are far too honorable a man to insist that I do anything against my will.”
“Are you certain?” That wicked gleam had returned to his eye and he resumed tossing the apple still in his hand.
“I am.”
“Don’t be.”
“Excellent.” She reached out and caught the apple in midair. “Surprise and uncertainty are the very blood and bones of adventure. And I am now confident our masquerade will indeed be an adventure.”
Her gaze met and meshed with his and she bit into the apple. She could see the struggle in his eyes and, even better, the moment when he lost. When his gaze slipped to her mouth. She chewed deliberately and swallowed, licking the apple juice from her lips.
“It should be a most”—his gaze met hers and he smiled—“satisfying adventure.”
The look in his eye was determined. Challenging.
He grabbed her hand and brought the apple to his mouth, biting it as she had, his gaze still locked with hers. For the first time she wondered if she was up to meeting such a challenge with such a man. The woman she had been most of her life was not. The woman she was now had yet to be tried. He chewed and swallowed, his hand still on hers. Her fingers loosened and the apple dropped unheeded to the floor. For an endless moment they froze, as if time itself had stopped. Electricity arched between. Heat flowed from his hand to hers. The very air between them sizzled.
“When do you wish to begin?” His voice was forced, as if he could barely get the words out.
“As soon as possible.” She struggled to breathe.
“Tomorrow, then?” He made no move to release her.
“Early, I should think.” She made no effort to leave.
“Very well.” He drew a deep shuddering breath and let go of her hand.
She brushed aside the odd sensation of loss, stepped away and nodded, fighting to ignore a yearning that threatened to overwhelm her.
“Shall I call for you, then? Here?” At once he was as composed as if nothing had passed between them.
“No,” she said quickly, her outward manner as serene as his. His expression tightened. “Of course not, Your Highness. You couldn’t possibly wish to be seen leaving with someone of my menial position in society.”
“Nonsense, my lord.” Where did the man get such ideas? She heaved an exasperated sigh. “I do not want to be seen with anyone. Only a few of my most trusted advisors know of my plan and I wish it to remain that way. This is not precisely a proper sort of adventure.”
“No, I suppose not.” He shrugged as if it were of no consequence. “I shall wait for you, then, at the cottage.” He nodded and turned to leave.
Without thinking, she started after him. “My lord. Matthew.”
“Yes?” He turned back.
“I just…” She had no idea what she wanted to say. But she couldn’t let him go. Not now. Not yet. Not with this tension between them. She stepped closer. “I…”
“Yes?” he said again.
“I do appreciate what you’re doing for me.”
“Do you?”
“Very much so. Particularly given how you feel about me.”
“And how do I feel about you?” His expression was unfathomable.
“It is obvious that you are still angry with me.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. It is also apparent that you don’t fully believe what I am trying to do.”
“I have made no secret of that.” He studied her curiously. They were but a long stride apart. “Is there anything else? Any other observations you wish to share? About my
feelings
?”
“No. I do not…” She stopped and considered him. “Yes. In truth, there is.” She straightened her shoulders and met his gaze directly. It was past time to issue a challenge of her own. “I quite believe you would like to kiss me.”
“Would I?” He laughed. “What makes you think so?”
“Everything about you.” She swept a wide gesture in his direction. “Your manner. Your so-called conditions. The words you do not say as much as those you do.” She cast him a smug grin. “The very
look in your eye.”
“The look in my eye, you say? How interesting. But perhaps you’re right. I daresay I’ve never kissed a princess before.” She started to protest, but he raised a hand to silence her. “Not knowing she was a princess, at any rate. I do recall once kissing the companion to a princess.”