complain too loudly. After all, we have just been quite properly introduced at a local meeting of the literary society."
Her momentary hesitation vanished immediately. She gave him a glowing smile. "You are quite right, my lord. I must tell you, I can hardly believe we have finally met. It is the culmination of all my hopes."
She started to slide down off the mare and Simon reached up to assist her. This time she did not lose her balance and tumble into his arms. He realized he was a little disappointed. A part of him wanted to feel that soft, lithe, feminine body against his own hard one again.
"I am sorry for catching you unawares this afternoon," he said as he led the horses into the trees. "I had hoped to surprise you. I know how you like surprises."
"That was very thoughtful of you," she assured him. "I do like surprises." She paused. "Most of the time."
He smiled wryly. "But not always."
"It is just that I would have liked very much to have been looking my best when we met," she admitted. "You cannot imagine how I have been agonizing over this event since I got your letter this morning. I assumed I would have weeks to prepare. Not that it would have made all that much difference, I suppose."
He looked down at her and realized she only came to his shoulder. She was small but there was an entrancing, airy grace about her movements. "You must allow me to tell you that you are in excellent looks, Miss Faringdon. Indeed, I was charmed the moment I saw you."
"You were?" She wrinkled her nose, clearly amazed by this pronouncement.
"Absolutely."
Her eyes gleamed with pleasure. "Thank you, my lord. I assure you I was equally charmed. By you, I mean."
This, thought Simon, was going to be almost too easy.
"But I would not have willingly upset you or the ladies of the literary society. You must forgive me."
"Yes, well, you see, we had not actually planned to discuss poetry or the latest reviews today," Emily explained as she stepped lightly along beside him.
"What were you intending to discuss?"
"Investments." She gave a vague little wave of dismissal.
He glanced shrewdly at her. "Investments?"
"Yes. I realize that must strike you as terribly dull." She looked up at him anxiously. "I assure you that today was rather unusual. I had some excellent news to report in regard to the investments I have made on my friends' behalf. They are all most concerned with their pensions, you see. One can hardly blame them."
"You are seeing to their future pensions?"
"I have some ability in financial matters, so I do what I can. The ladies you met today have all been very kind to me. This is the least I can do to repay them." She gave him a reassuring smile. "But I promise you that normally we devote ourselves to a lively discussion of the latest books and poetry. Why, just last week we were involved in the most intense analysis of Miss Austen's book,
Pride and Prejudice
. I was going to write you a letter on the subject."
"What did you think of the novel?"
"Well, it is all very pleasant in its way, I suppose. That is to say, Miss Austen is certainly a very fine writer. Wonderful gift for illuminating certain types of character, but…"
"But?" He was curious in spite of himself.
"The thing is, her subject matter is so very commonplace, don't you agree? She writes of such ordinary people and events."
"Miss Austen is not Byron, I'll grant you that."
"That is certainly true," Emily agreed in a rush of enthusiasm. "Her books are quite entertaining, but they lack the exciting, exotic qualities of Lord Byron's works, not to mention the spirit of adventure and the excess of passion. The literary society just finished
The Giaour
."
"And enjoyed it, I take it?"
"Oh, yes. Such marvelous atmosphere, such remarkable adventures, such a thrilling sense of the darker passions. I adored it fully as much as Childe Harold. I cannot wait for Byron's next work."
"You and most of London."
"Tell me, sir, have you heard precisely how
Her momentary hesitation vanished immediately. She gave him a glowing smile. "You are quite right, my lord. I must tell you, I can hardly believe we have finally met. It is the culmination of all my hopes."
She started to slide down off the mare and Simon reached up to assist her. This time she did not lose her balance and tumble into his arms. He realized he was a little disappointed. A part of him wanted to feel that soft, lithe, feminine body against his own hard one again.
"I am sorry for catching you unawares this afternoon," he said as he led the horses into the trees. "I had hoped to surprise you. I know how you like surprises."
"That was very thoughtful of you," she assured him. "I do like surprises." She paused. "Most of the time."
He smiled wryly. "But not always."
"It is just that I would have liked very much to have been looking my best when we met," she admitted. "You cannot imagine how I have been agonizing over this event since I got your letter this morning. I assumed I would have weeks to prepare. Not that it would have made all that much difference, I suppose."
He looked down at her and realized she only came to his shoulder. She was small but there was an entrancing, airy grace about her movements. "You must allow me to tell you that you are in excellent looks, Miss Faringdon. Indeed, I was charmed the moment I saw you."
"You were?" She wrinkled her nose, clearly amazed by this pronouncement.
"Absolutely."
Her eyes gleamed with pleasure. "Thank you, my lord. I assure you I was equally charmed. By you, I mean."
This, thought Simon, was going to be almost too easy.
"But I would not have willingly upset you or the ladies of the literary society. You must forgive me."
"Yes, well, you see, we had not actually planned to discuss poetry or the latest reviews today," Emily explained as she stepped lightly along beside him.
"What were you intending to discuss?"
"Investments." She gave a vague little wave of dismissal.
He glanced shrewdly at her. "Investments?"
"Yes. I realize that must strike you as terribly dull." She looked up at him anxiously. "I assure you that today was rather unusual. I had some excellent news to report in regard to the investments I have made on my friends' behalf. They are all most concerned with their pensions, you see. One can hardly blame them."
"You are seeing to their future pensions?"
"I have some ability in financial matters, so I do what I can. The ladies you met today have all been very kind to me. This is the least I can do to repay them." She gave him a reassuring smile. "But I promise you that normally we devote ourselves to a lively discussion of the latest books and poetry. Why, just last week we were involved in the most intense analysis of Miss Austen's book,
Pride and Prejudice
. I was going to write you a letter on the subject."
"What did you think of the novel?"
"Well, it is all very pleasant in its way, I suppose. That is to say, Miss Austen is certainly a very fine writer. Wonderful gift for illuminating certain types of character, but…"
"But?" He was curious in spite of himself.
"The thing is, her subject matter is so very commonplace, don't you agree? She writes of such ordinary people and events."
"Miss Austen is not Byron, I'll grant you that."
"That is certainly true," Emily agreed in a rush of enthusiasm. "Her books are quite entertaining, but they lack the exciting, exotic qualities of Lord Byron's works, not to mention the spirit of adventure and the excess of passion. The literary society just finished
The Giaour
."
"And enjoyed it, I take it?"
"Oh, yes. Such marvelous atmosphere, such remarkable adventures, such a thrilling sense of the darker passions. I adored it fully as much as Childe Harold. I cannot wait for Byron's next work."
"You and most of London."
"Tell me, sir, have you heard precisely how
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