Chapter 4

Victoria wished the rain would stop already. Just one day. Would that be too much to ask? Apparently so… She sighed and entered the parlor. Several guests had already gathered there. Some guests were just now arriving. Others had remained in their rooms or joined Blake in the game room. None of the outdoor activities she'd planned had gone forward. None could be done with the rain pouring down. It was time to give this group a game to play. One she hoped would take a while to complete. Which was the reason she'd chosen it.

"Hello everyone," Victoria called out. "If I can have your attention."

They all stopped and looked at Victoria. She smiled at them. Not that she felt that smile. It was more to make it seem like she was enjoying herself, when she really would rather be anywhere but in the parlor. "My apologies that we had to cancel the outdoor activities for today. We do hope that tomorrow the rain will allow those to be rescheduled." She sighed. "But we all must accept that weather in England can often turn toward rain." An unfortunate reality…

Laughter echoed in the room. She should find the humor in this situation as well. Somehow, Victoria could not. Partially because she had not yet spoken with Lord Foxcroft again. He was supposed to give her a lesson. He'd said he would. She looked forward to what that lesson would entail. She did not know what he aimed to teach her. Truthfully, what she wanted was to spend time with him. Victoria wanted him to fall in love with her, or at the very least, fall into lust.

"Now that we have no other choice," she said. "I planned some parlor games for each day on the chance we would need them. Today we are going to do something that perhaps we have not done since we were children." Victoria wasn't even certain she'd played this game as a child. Who would she have done so with? She was several years younger than Blake, and she'd had no close friends as a child. But some of the guests must have played it.

She glanced around the room. Lord Harcrest was there, as was Lady Lilah Stephens. Good. That plan was progressing as it should. She sneaked a glance at Lady Daisy Allen as well. She was the other part of that scheme. Each part had to be played carefully to see that to an end. None of them realized exactly what was going on. Which is how she, along with Selena, and Emma had planned it. Now back to her other guests. The ones waiting for directions to the game they were to play.

"We are going to play hide and seek," Victoria announced. They all stared at her. Some still wore their mask of boredom, but she did not care. They were here, and if they wished for some sort of entertainment, they'd play. "No room is off limits. You can hide anywhere. Once you are found, you must return here to the parlor. The last person found will win a boon." She still had to discern what that boon would be. Perhaps she should not have offered one.

"How will you choose who is the seeker?" one guest asked. That's an excellent question. She wished she could just make herself the seeker. Then she could take as little or as much time as she wished to seek out those hiding. That wouldn't exactly be fair, though.

"We are going to draw straws," Victoria said. She held up a fistful of sticks. "The shortest one is the seeker. Now everyone, come forward and pick one."

There were a dozen people in the room. Most were females except for a few gentlemen. The rest might have gone to the game room instead. Each person stepped forward to draw their straw. They drew their straws. Each person held up their straw. Lord Foxcroft had the short straw. She smiled at him. That was convenient. She couldn't have planned it better herself. He looked as if he would rather not be there, but she supposed that was because he owed her that rogue lesson. "All right," Victoria said. "Lord Foxcroft is going to count to a hundred." She grinned. He frowned. How lovely. "As slowly as possible. We need to give everyone a chance to hide."

"Are you hiding?" Lord Foxcroft asked her. Then winked. What was he up to? She narrowed her gaze at him, but his expression gave nothing away. "I might need help counting." Victoria blushed at his words. Perhaps she wasn't quite ready for those rogue lessons. He had such an effect on her. She did her best to ignore his blatant flirting and turned her attention to the guests. "Go everyone. Hide."

Once everyone left the room to hide, she turned to him. He had her full attention now. "I doubt you need help counting," she said. "What is it you expect me to do for you?"

"We can begin our lessons while everyone scurries off to hide." His lips tilted upward. "That is what you want, is it not?"

She did want to have those lessons. Victoria believed they would prove enlightening. What did he hope to gain from them? Was this his opportunity to dissuade her from taking a lover? What would he say or do if he knew that she hoped he would want that role? Time would tell. She nodded. "It is. What shall we focus on first?"

"I would think that part is obvious." He grinned at her. Lord Foxcroft closed the distance between them in a few quick strides. "We have the count of a hundred and then I must seek out those hiding." He leaned in and whispered. "That is such a brief span of time. We must be quick."

"Quick?" Victoria was confused. "With what?" None of this made much sense to her. She needed to understand, but he was not giving her enough information. "You haven't said what this lesson is?"

"Haven't I?" He quirked a brow. "How remiss of me."

Victoria stared at him with apparent confusion. The lady did not know how to flirt. At least not well. That should be where she started. A good rogue understood the value of charm. "Love," he said. "You don't have the skills to seduce anyone. You can't flirt to save your life."

"I can," she insisted. Then frowned. "Well, a little at least."

"I understand I'm not a man you wish to be coquettish with," he began. "But you must practice with someone."

She nibbled on her lower lip. He wanted to groan. David wanted to pull her into his arms and press his lips to hers. Those teeth scraping across that plump lip drove him mad with desire. She was not even trying to flirt and he'd become enraptured. "I don't know where to begin."

"I know, sweet," he said in a patient tone. "That's why we're doing the lessons."

"I should know how to do this. Do you suppose this is why I've been a wallflower for so long?" She sighed. "I don't have the tolerance for silliness."

"It can be silly," he agreed. "But that's why it is supposed to be fun." David grinned. She was so bloody adorable. "Now," he said. "Be a good girl and try to flirt with me."

She wrinkled her nose. "Is that why you keep using those endearments with me? Is that how you're flirting?"

He blew out a breath. This was not working. At all. "If you have to ask, my efforts are lost on you. Can't you pretend you're attracted to me? It will help." He hated that he had to even ask that of her.

Victoria stared at him for several moments, then nodded. "I suppose I can try. But I don't know if I can use any endearments for you. It would seem too…I don't know. Wrong somehow."

That wounded him a little bit. "You don't have to if it bothers you."

He wished she did see him as more than a friend. He had desired her for a while now. If she ever did… David would happily claim her. It was one of the reasons he believed this scheme would work. The flirting was going nowhere, though. Somehow, he had to open her eyes to what they could have together.

She stared at him and seemed to finally relax. As if she'd had a stern talking with herself and gathered the fortitude to see this through. Then slowly, her lips tilted upward. That smile was like one he'd never seen on her before. It was pure wanton and desire wrapped up in a pretty bow. One that he wanted to unwrap with his own lips. The need to kiss her suddenly became overwhelming. She hadn't said a word. Just that smile undid him. Perhaps she wasn't as unpracticed as he'd believed…

"Darling," she began. Her voice had taken on a different tone. One that made him think of sultry nights, naked flesh, and a soft bed. One where he could take the time to touch every inch of her, taste her sweetness, and become lost in her soft body. He nearly groaned, but somehow, he kept his gaze on hers and remained quiet. "I must apologize. I've been derelict in my attentions. You should never be neglected." She pouted prettily. God help him if she ever did this and meant it. "Please forgive me for my lapse." Victoria trailed a finger up his arm that sent tiny shivers over his entire body. He swallowed hard. "I know how much you need me." God, he did need her. "And I never should have kept you waiting for so long." When she leaned into him, he almost wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against his body. "It's no secret that your ability to count is difficult for you." Her voice was breathless now. "And reaching the greatly sum of one hundred may be beyond even your vast abilities." She lifted her hand and trailed a finger over his jawline. "Do you think you'll be able to find everyone, or will you require me to be by your side through that as well?"

David stared at her as if he'd never seen her before. She'd said all the right words, in the right way, and even touched him enough to keep him riveted on every nuance. Her gaze even seemed to be completely focused on him. If he didn't know better, he'd almost believe she desired him, too. That this little lesson hadn't been necessary at all. He cleared his throat and fought for the ability to speak. "If you wish to help me," he told her. "I would not turn you away." He leaned in until his lips brushed her ears. This was his chance to make her feel that same desire. "I'd never allow you to feel neglected either, sweet."

"You're too good to me, my lord," she said in that breathy tone of hers. "How did I do on this first lesson?"

"Perfectly," he said. "Almost too perfectly."

Victoria stepped away from him and stared into his eyes. Those hazel eyes of hers shined with happiness. Tiny green flecks seemed to float around in them. It was almost mesmerizing. "Good," she said. "I always like to succeed. I look forward to the next lesson, then."

She turned away from him and sat down on the settee. "If you would like me to assist you on this hunt, I will," she told him. "But I think I would be more useful here keeping watch as the guests you find return."

Dismissed. That easily. David would sigh, but she'd only wonder what had vexed him. "I'll send those I find back here as planned." How had his life come to this? He really couldn't say. But he had to believe he'd made some progress with her. She must have felt something while they practiced flirting. The question though, was what the blazes would he have her do for their next lesson? He had much to consider. He left her alone in the parlor as he went on his search for those hiding.