Four

Now that Colton Wyndham was home and lord of the manor, he was deserving of chambers worthy of a marquess. Yet servants were still unpacking his possessions, freshening the linens on his bed and generally dusting and airing the several rooms that comprised his new, second-story apartments on the southernmost side of the house. When Colton expressed to Harrison a desire to find a quiet place to take a nap, the steward suggested that he retire to the room he had once occupied in his youth until the new accommodations were ready.

Colton didn't mind; he was too near exhaustion to care much where he slept. Just as long as he had enough privacy to doff his clothes and stretch out upon something approaching a serviceable mattress, he'd be content. After all the narrow canvas cots he had slept on during his military career, his old bed with its down-filled mattress would seem like a luxury. Thus, he stripped away his uniform and, in complete exhaustion, sprawled upon the bed that Harrison had had the foresight to send servants to turn down.

Having gotten little rest during the lengthy carriage ride from whence he had bade farewell to his troops, he felt bothmentally and physically drained. But then, perhaps that wasn't entirely due to his journey. The news of his pending betrothal to Adriana had set him back upon his heels. Once again, he found himself reliving those moments preceding his break with his father and his departure from home.

Thoroughly incensed that his sire would seek to arrange his life by committing him to a mere slip of a girl ten years his junior, he had stormed out of the house in rebellious resentment. Even at the age of six and ten, he had been acquainted with far more comely maidens to whom in years to come he'd have dutifully promised to give his protection and perhaps even his heart had his father considered any one of them suitable as a future spouse for his son; but almost from the time of her birth, the late Sedgwick Wyndham had been especially partial to the youngest daughter of his closest friend and neighbor. Never mind that the girl had seemed destined to remain not only a spindly little reed but a plain, awkward gamine with enormous, ebon eyes and a thin face. How could anyone have expected anything more? That was the way she had always looked, and in contrast to her two older sisters, who were petite, fair-haired, and exceptionally pretty, as well as closer to his own age, Adriana had seemed like nothing more than a dark, nondescript shadow in an otherwise extraordinarily handsome family. Notwithstanding, his father had set his aspirations resolutely upon six-year-old Adriana, recognizably the most studious of the three siblings, and deemed her a prudent match for his only male offspring. In that decision, Sedgwick had remained firmly dedicated, even declaring he would have no other for his son.

Colton had balked, to the point that he had left home the very day of his angry confrontation with his parent. He had entered military academy, at which time he had gained the support of his maternal uncle, Lord Alistair Dermot, who had confessed with a mischievous gleam in his eye that over the passage of some years he had been secretly yearning to find a righteous cause to go against the dictates of his brother-in-law, whom many of his peers had considered keenly intuitive inevaluating the worth of a person. Just once, Uncle Alistair had said, he wanted to prove Sedgwick Wyndham capable of committing errors in judgment, but no matter how much he may have longed for that event to come to fruition, Alistair had failed to gain the evidence he had sought. Now it seemed the contrary was true.

During the course of the next two years, Colton had learned the art of war and, in 1801, had gone to Egypt as a young officer, second lieutenant grade, where he had seen service under Lieutenant General Sir Abercombe. From there, he had distinguished himself time and again in many bloody conflicts against the enemy, daringly leading his men into the thickest of frays or, when the enemy swarmed upon them, either standing firm in a solid square of armed men facing four sides or else advancing or retreating as a block, an infantry formation upon which commanders of the British Empire even now often relied. During the next fourteen years in which Uncle Alistair and letters from family members had been his only contact with home, a series of promotions had elevated him to the status of colonel in command of a sizable regiment under Lord Wellington. Though Waterloo had recently evinced the deterioration of Napoleon's ambitions, Colton had let it be known that he intended to carry on with his military career. Wellington had been delighted and assured him that if his wounds healed properly he would make general ere the year was out. Then had come news of his father's death, and Colton had had a change of heart. After finally getting on his feet again, he had discharged himself from the surgeon's care and begged leave of Wellington and the English army. Casting his sights toward home, he had sworn an oath to himself that he would do his duty by his family and to his newly acquired marquessate. In spite of their past disagreements, he had felt an enormous pride in his father's accomplishments. Even to think of the title being bestowed upon another had gone against everything he had held dear, and he had become increasingly resolved to keep the marquessate firmly within his grasp.

In his years as an officer, he had never given serious consideration to the girl he had once rejected except to lament the fact that he had hurt her deeply by his adamant refusal. He had certainly never imagined that one day she would reach the extraordinary degree of exquisiteness she had attained during his absence. Had someone swung a wood plank across the back of his knees and swept his legs out from under him the moment she announced her name, he couldn't have been more surprised.

Still, her unrivaled beauty would mean little to him if the two of them proved incompatible, which had seemed the way of it shortly after Samantha had recognized him. The girl's stilted aloofness had evidenced something closely approaching resentment. Then, too, considering the number of years he had held staunchly to his decision not to yield to his father's dictates, he couldn't envision himself accepting a betrothal merely to pay tribute to the elder's memory. Something more promising would have to manifest itself ere he'd relent and turn his thoughts in line with what his sire had decreed for him.

A pair of hours later, Samantha left Percy chatting with her mother and went upstairs to seek out her brother. At her light knock, she heard his muffled, halting footfalls and the thump of his cane approaching the door. When the portal was drawn open, she found him garbed in older military attire that had softened over the years and clung more readily to his tall frame, evincing his broad shoulders and the sleekness of his hips.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," she ventured apprehensively. Of a sudden, he seemed like a stranger, and she felt a surge of regret for having come. "Were you still resting?"

"No, actually, I was considering taking the dogs out for a short walk. My leg could use the exercise. It tightens up on me when I sit for long spells, as was the case during my journey here." Leaning heavily upon the cane, he backed away from the entrance and, with a welcoming grin, pulled the door wide. "Come in."

"Are you sure?" she inquired in a tiny voice, closely reminiscent of the way she had sounded as a child.

Old memories of happier times came winging back to Colton, drawing a chuckle from him. "Indeed, please do. You don't know how often I reminisced on your visits to my room after I left here. Whether you came to beg for help in repairing a broken toy or to be read a story, you made me feel cherished as a brother. After so long a time, I feel honored that you still have a desire to seek me out."

Moving inward with more enthusiasm, Samantha glanced about the chamber, finding it basically unchanged from the last time she had entered it years ago. As a child, she had idolized her brother and suffered through a painful loneliness after he had gone away. As much as she had tried earlier that afternoon to subdue the anxieties aroused by his conversation with their mother, she had found herself beset by a niggling apprehension that he'd revolt against the arrangements that had been made during his absence and once again take his leave. After being his own man for half his lifetime, he had grown accustomed to doing just as he pleased. It was understandable that he might resent intrusion into that area now.

Her smile wavered between uncertainty of the future and gratification that he had at last come home. "You can't imagine how much I've missed you, Colton. During the first several years after your departure, there were times when I felt so lost and forlorn that I just wanted to sit down and have a good cry. After Papa's passing, I found it doubly hard to stay here in the manse, especially without Percy. Every room seemed to echo with Papa's deep voice and laughter. If you're not aware of it, Colton, you not only look like him, but your voice has the same mellow tones that his had."

"Uncle Alistair complained about that on a fairly frequent basis," he acknowledged with a soft chuckle. "I suspect I startled him more than he cared to admit whenever I'd come up behind him unawares and say something. Once, he even called me Sedgwick before he realized his error."

The silkily lashed, dark gray eyes sparkled with amusement. "Dear Uncle Alistair, what a darling he is."

Never having thought of his uncle in that precise way before, Colton offered her a skeptical grin. "Well, he certainly helped me out when I was in dire need, but I always assumed that was only because he wanted to thwart Father any way he could."

Samantha's soft smile hinted otherwise. "Uncle Alistair seemed to enjoy giving the impression that he and Papa were ever at odds. Some of their views were dissimilar, granted, and neither was hesitant about speaking his mind. At times, when they argued, one could even believe they were the fiercest of enemies, yet if anyone spoke against the other in either's presence, woe to the fellow, for his ears would soon be ringing. I must admit Uncle Alistair had me completely duped until I saw tears welling up in his eyes at Papa's funeral. That was when he acknowledged he had never known a more honorable nor a more intelligent man than our father. He even avouched that he had never been more pleased about a wedding than the day his sister married Sedgwick."

Totally astounded by her claims, Colton could only stare at her as he tried to mentally assimilate what she was telling him. Initially, Alistair had led him to believe that his aim was merely to show up Sedgwick as being opinionated and selfwilled. Now Colton was hearing something totally contrary to that premise. Feeling a bit dumbstruck at this new perspective of their uncle, Colton could only shake his head in wonder. "I suppose I'll have to reform my thinking and consider that Uncle Alistair's grumbling complaints about Father were merely for my benefit. Should I also negate the idea that he was actually looking for a way to recompense Father for his flaws when he offered to support me?"

A smile traced across Samantha's lips as her translucent gray eyes sparkled back at him. "The likelihood has merit. He probably didn't want you to feel beholden to him."

The manly brows flicked upward in amazement. "I should've known something was afoot the night I went to pay my debt to him and he told me that he had just bought a small estate near Bradford on Avon so he'd be able to visit his sister whenever he wished. The very thought of their proximity leftme wondering how he was going to cope with Father's presence since our parents were together so much."

"After Uncle Alistair moved into his estate, he seemed to enjoy testing Papa's knowledge about this and that during his many visits here. I thought for a time he was merely trying to tweak Papa's temper, but at the funeral he confessed that whenever he wanted to know how some mechanism worked or some such thing, he'd just ask the one most likely to have that knowledge … our father." Having started weeping, she tried to laugh it off as she drew a dainty handkerchief from her cuff and hurriedly dabbed at the tears trickling from her eyes. "Foolish me, getting so emotional."

"I must give Uncle Alistair credit for his cunning. He certainly had me fooled," Colton admitted, a pensive grin slanting across his face.

Seeking another subject that would stem the emotional watery flow, Samantha turned her attention to her surroundings. Not since she had moved from her bedchamber just off the bathing room across the hall had she been in this area of the manse. Upon maturing, she had taken larger chambers in the north section, near the suite of rooms their parents had resided in for the whole of their married life and where her mother had chosen to remain after Sedgwick's passing. Samantha suffered no doubt that the happiest years she had ever spent in the manse were those wherein she had been ensconced across the hall within close proximity to her brother.

"Nothing at Randwulf Manor has really changed since you left, Colton, especially in this part of the house. Of course, your new chambers are far more impressive, but I have always thought these bedrooms cozier."

Samantha ran slender fingers fondly over the top of the desk where her brother had once studied languages, arithmetic, and science, among a host of other subjects that his private tutor had considered needful for a maturing young man, if only to help one face without shirking the difficult challenges of the world. According to the gentlemanly scholar, Colton had demonstrated himself of superior intellect in his studies inspite of the fact that he had also evidenced a tenaciously stubborn streak, which Malcolm Grimm had declared had often tested his patience. According to the man, that tendency had provoked lengthy debates between them, which had proven beneficial to them both. The scholar had also considered Colton unique among his peers in that he had carefully researched his facts before settling his mind firmly upon a matter. In a vast majority of the cases, which the two had passionately discussed, Mr. Grimm had been quick to acknowledge that the youth had established himself correct in his hypotheses.

Samantha smiled at her brother over her shoulder. "When I saw you standing in the hall outside the gallery this afternoon, I first thought you were a stranger. Then it finally dawned on me that you had the looks of someone I had known very well. Of course, your features aren't the only things you've inherited from Papa."

Perhaps it was his own intuitive instinct that led Colton to think she was referring to his willful independence. "I can imagine I've been just as stubborn about the betrothal as Father was. It certainly didn't help that we were at opposite ends of the spectrum."

Samantha chewed a lip worriedly as she strolled across the darkly hued oriental rug cushioning the floor. Upon reaching the fireplace mantel, she traced a finger reflectively over the elaborate scroll that finished its marble edge as she broached the main reason for her visit. "I tried to ignore your conversation with Mama this afternoon, but it was impossible. You must be aware that it's a subject that deeply concerns me."

"The agreement that Father arranged between Adriana and me, you mean." Colton rubbed his neck where tension had formed a kink soon after he had been told of the contract to which his father had committed him. It was not that he was against seeing Adriana again, or even courting her. In truth, he yearned for feminine companionship, the sort that lent no shame to a man, and she was, after all, far more exquisite than even the rare few he had deemed exceptionally beautiful during his lifetime. Still, he was a man who had considered his independence of great import; he wasn't necessarily anxious to give up that autonomy immediately upon his return home. He had no wish to hurt Adriana or his parent, but it would probably come to that should he decide not to marry the girl, for he wasn't at all sure a demure young lady with Adriana's strict upbringing wouldn't bore him nigh to his grave.

During his absence from home, he had deemed it prudent to shun lengthy entanglements and had avoided innocents with doting, ambitious fathers, many of whom had been his superior officers. He had had no lofty reputation to uphold and, for the most part, had casually sought the company of vivacious, exciting women. Then there had been the widows of close friends, who had come to him in the dark of night, at odds with themselves as they sought to assuage their sorrow and loneliness with one who had shared in the loss of their loved one and yet could be trusted to understand and hold his tongue.

Apart from his temporary light-o'-loves, he had become involved with an actress in London, which, taking into account his infrequent and limited visits to the city, had been a fairly casual affair in spite of the fact that it had been going on for perhaps five years now. Still, he had never considered his involvement with the beauteous Pandora Mayes of any consequence. He had merely deemed it safe to be with her in view of her inability to have children and the fact that he had never heard her name bandied about among the officers and bachelors. Yet, even while pampering her with lavish gifts, he had been fairly forthright and warned her that one day their affair would have to end. The less Pandora had known about his aristocracy, he had decided, the fewer inquiries she'd be inclined to make and the less likelihood she'd be able to embarrass him later on. It hadn't been until an article extolling his valor had appeared in the London Gazette that the actress had learned of his father's marquessate, but, even then, he had casually brushed off her questions by explaining that he had left home much at odds with his family. He had never declared that as an aristocrat he was bound by the requirements of his birth tomarry a lady from among his peers, but in that area, he had made a private commitment to himself that when the time came to marry, he'd do the honorable thing and faithfully adhere to the union lest he embarrass his heirs by begetting nameless contenders for the marquessate.

Though the Wyndhams and the Suttons had been close friends and neighbors for what seemed an eternity, Adriana was almost a complete stranger to him. Still, he had to admit that he was as intrigued as any man could possibly be. Beyond being incredibly beautiful, she had a body that seemed far more tempting than any he had ever held. Softly rounded in all the right places, yet slender and long of limb, she had whet his imagination to such a degree that he found himself wondering if he'd find her just as enticing waking up naked beside him in the mornings.

Samantha turned to face her brother, beset by her own deepening apprehension. "The contract concerning you and Adriana is exactly what I mean."

Colton made no further effort to curb a mounting desire to jeer. "Apparently I'm the last one to know how well Father planned my life."

"He did nothing more for you than he did for me."

Fairly amazed by her statement, Colton could only stare at his sibling. The couple seemed so taken with each other that he found it hard to believe that a betrothal had been arranged for them. "You mean that your marriage was someone else's idea?"

Samantha inclined her head with a well-defined nod. "Aye, ‘twas, and though you may have difficulty believing that it's possible, we love each other deeply."

"When did this come about? On your wedding night?"

Samantha's eyes flared with indignation at the mocking derision in her brother's tone. He had made it clear from his youth that he didn't believe in arranged marriages or betrothals and was highly cynical of their outcome. Now he was letting his skepticism spew over like a boiling cauldron. "Our love for each other began to sprout during our courtship. Sincethen, it has firmly taken root. Truly, we find it difficult to imagine how our love could have come about if Papa hadn't planted the idea and initiated our betrothal."

"Am I supposed to believe that kind of devotion could happen between Adriana and me?"

Samantha was frustrated by his obvious scorn. "You must know by now that Adriana and I are as close as sisters."

"I'm aware of that, Samantha, but as much as you may cherish her, I tell you now that that fact will in no wise influence my decision. By the terms Father laid out for me, I find myself committed to three months of courtship with Adriana. I will honor that agreement, but as far as the rest, I shall offer no empty platitudes or promises." He shrugged his shoulders with a casual air of indifference. "Simply put, Samantha, what will be will be."

Clasping a fist to her breast, she looked at him beseechingly. "Colton, I beg you … please, please don't hurt Adriana. As much as you may resent the arrangements Papa made for you, none of it has ever been her fault."

A pensive sigh escaped his lips. "I know that, Samantha, and I will make every effort to consider the merits of our future together. I shall also try to conduct myself in a manner Father would've deemed appropriate, but until I'm completely convinced that Adriana and I can come to love each other, I won't make any promises that I may later come to regret. Neither will I exchange nuptials with her to please family members. You must accept the fact that though I've agreed to court her, there still remains a very strong possibility that nothing will come of it. In view of the fact that the contract was drawn up without my knowledge by our parents, warning Adriana to be on her guard seems the only way to forestall the likelihood of her being seriously wounded by my rejection."

Samantha realized her pleas had profited nothing. Having gained no commitments from her brother, she and her friend were no better off now than they had been earlier. The arduous task of waiting would now begin, and only time would reveal whether Sedgwick Wyndham had been right all along when hehad offered the comment that Adriana and his son were so well matched they could've been joined at the hip.

Thoughtfully, Samantha tilted her head aslant as she considered her handsome kin. "There is one thing I would have you explain, Colton, if you'd care to enlighten me. My question has nothing to do with Adriana, so you needn't be on your guard. I've just been curious about something, that's all."

His lips traced upward. "I'll try my best."

"Earlier this year, Mama and I were told by several acquaintances that they had met you in London. We were certain after being away for so many years you'd come home during that brief span of peace since we were there in London ourselves, but, of course, you never did. It has been our deepest regret that you didn't get to see Papa while he was still alive and in good health. Couldn't you have seen fit to visit us while we were all there?"

Colton was reluctant to upset his sister any more than she had been. Had it not been for the fact that on the day of his departure, his sire had forbidden him to darken the door of the family homes until he could yield himself to the idea of discussing plans for his betrothal to Adriana or, as it had come to be, the elder had been laid to rest in a grave, he would have visited much sooner. "I'm sorry, Samantha, I went to London on official business for Lord Wellington and, while there, I had to stay within an area wherein I could be located easily by couriers. I wasn't there long before other commanders and I were sent to join Wellington in Vienna to discuss Napoleon's return to France. I had my orders; I had to obey them."

"Papa kept asking for you on his deathbed," she said in a small voice, futilely struggling to suppress the tears that still seemed inclined to come whenever she remembered their father's muted pleas to see his only son.

The unrelenting remorse Colton had suffered over his father's death had lain like an arduous weight upon his chest since news of that event had reached him. As much as he wished he had the ability to reverse time and events and substitute

those sorrowful moments with happier, affectionate moments, he could not. He was merely a man, after all.

Noticing the wetness glistening in the eyes that were so very much like his own and their father's before them, he limped toward his sister and, slipping his arms about her, breathed a humble supplication against her hair. "Dearest Samantha, please forgive me. We were confronting the enemy when your first missive of Father's illness came, and I was bound by duty to remain with my regiment. Then, later, after his death, I was prevented by my wound from making a departure. It was some time before I could even leave my cot."

Realizing her own dialogue had turned morbid, Samantha became immediately repentant. "I must ask your forgiveness in return, Colton. You can't imagine how truly relieved and grateful we all are to have you finally home and to know for a certainty that you're alive and well." Amid a profusion of tears, she slipped her arms about him. "Mama and I have been so dreadfully worried about you. Though Papa dared not speak of his fears while the fighting was so intense, he, too, was deeply concerned for your welfare." Striving diligently to pull herself together, she took a deep breath, seeking to subdue the emotions that even now threatened to undermine her efforts to speak. Forcing a smile, she stood back with eyes still brimming with moisture. "In spite of your differences, he loved you very, very much."

His sister's words wrung Colton's heart, and it took a concerted effort for him to move beyond his regret. He had loved his father deeply, but he had abhorred the tradition that allowed parents to select spouses for their offspring. But then, he wondered if he'd have felt any different had he been the parent.

Adriana raced up the wide staircase of Randwulf Manor in an anxious quest to get bathed and dressed before dinner was announced. She hadn't imagined that Stuart and she would be returning so late, yet when Mr. Fairchild had arrived at Wakefield Manor to fetch Felicity, he had proven quite verbose in his praise of his daughter and the beneficial changes he had purportedly been making at his grandfather's mill. No one, least of all her mother, had wanted to appear rude and urge him on his way until Stuart, seeing their time dwindling rapidly away, had hurriedly explained their need for haste before begging leave of the Fairchilds. Whisking Adriana out the door, he had promptly handed her into her parents' waiting landau and then had urged Joseph to use all possible speed to get them to the neighboring mansion. He had quickly ascended into the conveyance just as the whip cracked above the horses' heads and then, as the team shot forward, had fallen into the seat beside her, readily evoking their merriment.

Dinner at both manors was always served punctually every evening, which meant by the time they arrived Adriana had little more than an hour to bathe, dress, and reasonably coif her hair before joining the Wyndhams downstairs in the great hall in time to drink a toast to Stuart's birthday. She just hoped there would be enough hot water simmering in the kettles above the fire in the bathing chamber to allow her to prepare a bath for herself fairly quickly. It would prove especially beneficial if Helga, the family's upstairs maid, could lend assistance helping her dress. From previous experience, Adriana knew the woman could speed her on her way.

Years ago, the bedchamber into which Adriana fairly sprinted had graciously been designated as her own. After sweeping her undergarments and gown onto the bed and dropping her slippers beside the chaise, she rushed into the bathing compartment, which nowadays was rarely used unless the house was overflowing with guests. As a child, Samantha had wanted her ensconced nearby whenever she came to spend the night, and had claimed for Adriana the bedchamber on the opposite side of the narrow bathing compartment from her own room. It was rare nowadays that Samantha took advantage of the chambers she had been given as an adult much less those from her youth unless Percy was perchance required to travel alone as royal emissary for the Prince Regent.

As much as Colton had once disliked having to cross thehall to use the bathing room and had squabbled countless times with his younger sibling over her tendency to monopolize the facility and leave it a total disaster after her lengthy baths, that would no longer be the case. Henceforth, as lord and master of the house, he'd be residing in his own spacious, recently renovated chambers replete with his own private bathing room. Considering the limited luxuries even an officer garnered in the military, such comforts would seem rather grandiose until he got reacquainted with the better things in life.

Considering her tardiness in returning from Wakefield, Adriana had to glumly face the realization that her toilette would be greatly shortened in contrast to what she normally enjoyed. Although she may have acquired a few manly skills from her father throughout her lifetime, she definitely relished occasions to luxuriate in certain feminine pleasures, such as soaking in perfumed baths. As closely as Colton had seemed inclined to approach her earlier that afternoon, she definitely wanted to rid herself of any scent closely resembling a horse. Besides, her black crape gown ornamented with black velvet Vandykes silhouetted upon white satin around the décolletage and the bottom of the hem was new and quite lovely. Before donning her lace and satin chemise and the stylish gown, she yearned to indulge in a warm fragrant bath.

Flames crackled and danced around the belly of a large kettle hanging in the bathing chamber's small fireplace, lending a cheery warmth to the narrow room, which in the winter months proved especially needful. Yet when Adriana flicked slender fingers through the liquid simmering in the cauldron, she groaned in despair, for it was hardly more than lukewarm. The best bath it promised to yield would be a shallow, tepid puddle in the bottom of a huge tub. Although several large pitchers stood beside the washstand, full to the brim, they were there merely to refill the kettle or to blend with the boiling water once it had been poured into the tub.

Heaving a dejected sigh, Adriana glumly crossed to the huge, copper tub where an empty pitcher had been left. Whatshe saw there caused her to catch her breath in sudden elation, for a fairly deep bath had already been prepared for her.

"Oh, Helga, you're such a dear," she crooned in appreciation, and made a mental note to thank the servant profusely for her foresight. The maid could only have run ahead when she had seen her coming, for steam was still drifting over the surface of the water. On an ornate linen rack near the end of the tub, a large linen towel and a bathing cloth hung, evidencing the thoughtfulness of the older woman.

The elongated copper bathing vessel, replete with tall sides and a rounded back, had always been comfortable. In her youth, Adriana had also used it for a hiding place during games of hide-and-seek. Several times she had lain flat and fully clothed on the bottom while Samantha searched high and low for her. The elevated sides had allowed her to remain undetected. Even now, as a grown woman, she had to use the small step kept conveniently near when either entering or exiting the vast confines of the copper vat.

The water was sufficiently hot for a soothing soak, a treat Adriana greatly anticipated. Hastily stripping off her boots, riding habit, stockings, and undergarments, she left them in a disorganized heap on the floor and stepped to the tub. From a vial of rose oil, she drizzled several droplets over the surface of the steaming liquid and then flicked her fingers back and forth to swirl the scent evenly throughout. A sigh of pure delight escaped her lips as she settled into the fragrant water. The bath was actually deeper and hotter than Helga normally prepared, but it was a change Adriana appreciated. It was now comparable to that which her own maid, Maud, prepared for her at Wakefield Manor.

Thoughtfully, Adriana drizzled the contents of a saturated sponge over the pale, rounded hills of her bosom as she leaned back against the curved end of the tub. The warmth of the water proved immensely relaxing, and after the shock of Colton's return, the confrontation that had ensued between him and Roger, and her tardy return to Randwulf Manor, she felt much in need of a few moments of quiet repose. Perhaps itwould even rejuvenate her spirits, which in the last few hours had been suffering mightily from her growing anxieties over the contract and its possible effect on Colton.

Dismissing that fear from her mind took determination, but Adriana folded a wet cloth, laid it over her eyes to block out the glow of the oil lamps hanging overhead, and slid down into the tub until the liquid lapped at her chin. She deliberately turned her mind to the fictional story she had been reading the night before. It had been immensely slow-paced and had soon issued her into the arms of Morpheus.

The tale proved equally effective in recall, for the next thing she became mindful of was a low clearing of a throat interrupting her dreams. Reluctantly rousing herself, she mumbled sleepily, "Thank you for preparing a bath for me, Helga. It has been no less than heavenly."

Instead of the cordial reply she expected from the plump maid, a deep, throaty "Ha-hmm" intruded, causing Adriana to gasp in sudden alarm and snatch off her makeshift blindfold. For barely an instant, she gawked at the tall, near-naked man looming over the tub before her dark eyes descended and promptly widened in horror. He wore nothing more than a towel around his narrow hips and that linen was bulging ominously in front. In the passing of a heartbeat, Adriana scrambled to sit upright and, upon achieving that position, clasped her arms tightly around her legs as she sought to hide her nudity from the new Marquess of Randwulf.

Having leisurely observed the beauty to his heart's content while she slept, Colton made no effort to curb an amused, all too confident grin. "I hope I'm not intruding, my lady."

His casual statement ignited Adriana's temper. Angrily she railed at him, "Why are you here and not in the master's chambers?"

He gave a succinct bow, which seemed at the very least absurd, considering the brevity of his attire. "Your pardon, Adriana, but I was told a bath awaited me here." His tone was warm and mellow, somewhat unnerving to the one who had just screeched at him. "Indeed, had I known we'd be sharing onetogether, I'd have returned posthaste rather than spend so much time walking the dogs."

"We're not sharing anything!" she cried, hauling back the sodden washcloth and letting it fly. Never would she have imagined it would fall short of its mark (his grinning face) and plop across the ominous, towel-covered shelf protruding from the area of his genitals. It caught and hung half-mast where it landed until Colton made a point of plucking it up by a thumb and forefinger. Shaking his head in chiding reproof, he displayed the deepening grooves in his cheeks as he draped the sopping cloth over the rim of the tub.

"Tsk, tsk! Such a temper you have, my dear! ‘Twould seem it hasn't changed much at all since I left home. And here I was ready to accept your invitation."

"You conceited buffoon!" she shrieked. "Do you actually think I was waiting for you?"

Her show of outrage bestirred his hearty laughter. Thoroughly incensed, Adriana glowered at him until his amusement dwindled to nothing more than a slanted grin. Meeting her furious glare with glowing eyes, he lifted bare shoulders, which, in contrast to his taut, lean waist, seemed even wider and far more firmly muscled than even his short-cropped military blouse had revealed.

"You can't really fault a wounded officer recently returned from the wars for hoping that such would be the case, now can you, my dear? You're the most enticing female I've seen in … well, perhaps my whole life."

"I doubt your mother has it in her to run a bawdy house, my lord, nor would I be one of the attractions even if that were the situation," she stated caustically.

Colton had to wonder if the lady's indignation was merely a ploy. Long ago, he had become inured to the schemes of lonely wives and harlots who had followed their camps. The latter had used coyly diverse methods in order to entice him into taking them into his cot, and he had to admit that at times he had seriously been tempted by their invitations, but the idea offalling victim to a malady that would perhaps taint him for the rest of his life had been a very sobering restraint. In Adriana's case, however, he couldn't believe the Suttons had been anything but protective of their offspring. Yet as much as he yearned to taste and relish firsthand her creamy form, he had to consider at what cost he'd be doing so and what she'd require of him. Almost betrothed was definitely not the same as actually being betrothed, and being lured into marriage by such a delectable form fully visible to his hungry eyes was an inducement he hoped he'd be able to resist, though, truly, at the moment, he desired to throw caution to the four winds and dally to his heart's content with the lady, for he had serious cause to doubt that he had ever seen the like of such perfection before. Her beauty certainly made his past conquests seem paltry in comparison.

When he had first entered the bathing chamber, he hadn't noticed her over the rim of the tub; but after doffing his clothes, he had stepped to the huge copper vat and, upon espying within its confines a nymph as ravishing in her naked glory as any man was capable of imagining, he had experienced a most titillating shock. If after their collision in the gallery he had suffered even the smallest scrap of doubt as to the desirability of the lady's form, then it had definitely been sundered by the flawlessness to which he had become privy. For a moment, he had savored the delectable details of her womanly curves—admiring her intriguingly round, delicately hued breasts; her smoothly taut belly; and the long, sleek limbs that were far more admirable than any he had ever seen—fully aware of his body responding to the stirring sights. He had almost been reluctant to wake her. If not for the threat of a manservant coming to see if there was anything he needed, he'd have gladly relished the sights until the rising of the sun.

"Have you no sympathy for what I've suffered?"

"None at all," Adriana declared flatly. "But since you seem to belabor your hardships overmuch, no doubt to evoke sympathy where there is none, I'll relent and leave the bathing cham-ber entirely to you!" She glanced around for the towel and, upon finding it missing, realized it was the very one that provided him with what little modesty he was presently enjoying.

"Turn your head, you jackanapes, or, better yet, close your eyes before they pop out your head! You've left me nothing to cover myself."

Colton chuckled softly. If the lady knew how long he had ogled her during her nap, she'd realize it was far too late for her to try to salvage her modesty. "That's a bit like closing the fence after the horses have escaped, isn't it, my dear? I assure you, ‘twould not wipe from my mind the loveliness I've savored for the last several moments."

In spite of his unrelenting stare, Adriana braced her hands upon the rim of the tub as she emitted a frustrated snarl. Pushing herself upward, she set her rounded bosom momentarily a-bounce, evoking a low strangled groan from Colton as the sights tweaked his goading desires to an even higher level. Knowing the pain that would come swiftly to assault him if he didn't find release for his pent-up desires, he could almost wish he had not viewed such a delectable form, for he feared hereinafter he'd be tormented and hard-pressed to forget what he had seen.

Wondering what malady had suddenly beset the man, Adriana cast an oblique glance at him, only to find his warmly glowing eyes devouring her nakedness as if he were strongly tempted to do more than just stare. Angrily she held up a hand to ward him off. "Stand back, you blackguard, and give me room to depart," she commanded. "And while you're doing so, try not to stumble over your drooling tongue. I don't have enough hands to cover myself and climb over the rim of this blasted tub at the same time. Trying to preserve my modesty would likely cause me to break my neck."

"Would you like assistance?" Colton offered solicitously, stretching forth a hand in hopeful anticipation. At the moment, he thought he'd even be willing to take his chances bedding the lady; it was a fact he'd never be able to find such satisfactory appeasement for his throbbing desires elsewhere. Indeed,he seriously doubted he had ever known the extent of such blissful torment or experienced the degree of rutting heat he was now battling. If not for the fact that he had long been coached in the ethics of a gentleman, he'd have left this vision of Venus little opportunity to deny him. "I'm more than willing to verify with more credible evidence that what I'm seeing is actually mortal and not some wondrous vision I've conjured from yearnings long starved. Only by touching you will I be able to ascertain that you're real and not some figment of my imagi—"

"A slap in the face would supply that evidence just as well," Adriana shot back in rapid fire. "Try anything, Colton Wyndham, and that's just what you'll be getting."

A heavy sigh did much to express his disappointment. Such sights to which he was now conversant as she stepped over the rim of the tub came nigh to dissolving the strength from his limbs. As far as other areas of his body, it had the opposite effect. Never before had he viewed such long, sleek limbs wondrously crowned by a dainty nest of womanly perfection or the like of such temptingly round, creamy hued orbs. His palms all but itched to feel the silkiness of that luscious fullness within his grasp.

Facing what promised to be a lack of appeasement, Colton knew he'd soon be suffering the torment of the damned when the curse of his lengthy abstinence began to tear at his vitals. He'd rather not have to endure that discomfort… if the lady would only relent.

Stretching forth a hand as he offered her a cajoling smile, he appealed to her with all the charm he was capable of putting into play. He had not come this far through life without becoming aware that the vast majority of women he had known had been intrigued … and captivated … by the grooves that deepened in his cheeks with every smile from his lips. "Will you not relent, Adriana?"

Sharply elevating a brow, Adriana considered the lean hand a brief moment before lifting a challenging gaze to meet his. As they lit upon that handsomely chiseled visage, her eyeswere immediately drawn into the snare, and for a moment she found herself susceptible to the appeal of that wondrous smile. Still, the memory of his angry departure years ago was not far from mind and served as a very effectual deterrent against a disastrous thaw. She met his warmly alluring eyes with a cool stare as she warned him crisply, "You lay a hand upon me, Colton Wyndham, and I'll scream until your mother comes running. That much I promise you."

"In that case, my dear, I shall comply with your wishes," he avouched with an unwavering grin, acquiescing with an impromptu bow as he retreated from the tub. "I wouldn't want to shock my mother unduly by our mutual state of undress, especially yours, which you flaunt with such grace and style."

"Flaunt!" she railed in outrage, thoroughly incensed by his audacity to lay the blame on her. "You lecher, you know you gave me little choice in the matter. Whether fortuitously or deliberately, you intruded into my bath while I slept. If by chance, then you should've been enough of a gentleman to leave ere I ever awoke."

"What? And ignore what I truly believed was an invitation?" he asked with an incredulous grin. He chuckled softly as he served quick death to that notion. "My dear, as utterly tempting as you are, you couldn't expect that of a saint, much less a man who has eyes in his head and has become your ardent slave."

"Just how many women have you addled with fabricated protestations of that sort, milord?" Adriana asked snidely. "If any believed you, then they must have been a simple lot."

Colton refrained from boasting of his previous success with similar platitudes. The fact that this particular lady was disinclined to accept his cajolery made her rather unique among the women he had known. Even if this beauty was the one his father had chosen for him, he was nevertheless intrigued by her aloofness. It was a simple fact that an easily won prize wasn't treasured by its recipient half as much as one that had been obtained by great toil and difficulty. Her disinterest in his propositions did much to challenge him. It certainly heightened hisinterest, if indeed it could be intensified any more than it was already.

The casual lifting of his broad shoulders was only briefly considered by Adriana before his limping retreat drew her dark eyes downward again to the bulging towel. Only then did she notice the purplish, puckered scar slanting downward toward the inside of his right thigh, but it was only a fleeting glance, for it was impossible to ignore the protuberance beneath the linen. On rare occasions from the windows, she had seen Ulysses servicing the mares in the fields stretching out beyond her bedchamber, a fact that would have seriously shocked her mother had she known. The bold lance seemed a necessary prelude to the joining of two beings of different genders. Even concealed beneath the towel, it posed a threat that unnerved her … and yet, at the same time, awakened a strange pleasurable excitement at the core of her being. This was the closest she had ever come to viewing a naked man. Once she wed, her maidenly curiosity would be appeased, yet she couldn't deny there had already been moments when she had wondered what she'd see on her wedding night.

Becoming cognizant of the fact that Colton was grinning like some hopeful lecher beneath her fleeting glances, she groaned in embarrassment and clasped her arms over her nakedness as she faced away. "Have you no shame, sir?"

"Why? Because I make no pretense about my vulnerability as a man or that I desire a woman as beautiful and perfect as ever I've seen?"

"Just tell me one thing," she demanded, tossing another glare over her shoulder. "How long were you standing there ogling me before you decided to awaken me?"

It took an Herculean effort for Colton to drag his gaze away from her long, shapely legs and fetching derriere in order to meet the lady's gaze. "Long enough to know I won't ever forget what I've seen here this evening, if that's what you're wondering. As for ogling you, it was impossible not to. I doubt I've ever met a lady more ravishing devoid of clothing than she is properly garbed. The sight of Venus sleeping in mybath awoke a slumbering dragon that I fear will not be placated till satisfaction is found with such a comely maid. I'd certainly feel sufficiently welcomed home from the wars if you were to relent and take pity on me, Adriana."

"Please, forgive me for ever thinking you were a gentleman," she derided. "You've done much to prove yourself a full-fledged lothario. In addition to your impertinence to ogle me and suggest that I might be amenable to pacifying the dragon, you've had the effrontery to take the only towel, which is further proof that you should've stayed under your father's roof a bit longer and learned a few more manners before running off to become your own man."

"Your pardon, Adriana, but I thought you'd be offended by the sight of my male nudity and sought to protect your virginal senses from such a view. Please accept my humble apology for not thinking of your basic needs first." Giving her a brief, impromptu bow, he straightened and whisked the makeshift skirt from his hips. Holding the towel out to her, he offered it to her with a wayward grin. "At least now it's warm."

A shocked gasp was snatched from Adriana's throat as she gaped in shock at his bold blade of passion. Then, with a mortified groan, she turned abruptly about, her face flaming.

Stepping close behind her, Colton leaned over a sublimely naked shoulder. Her dainty pink nipples proved so enticing that it became a test nearly beyond his ability to resist to keep himself from stroking his fingers across them in awe. Smiling, he heckled in a husky whisper, "After all the fuss you made, my dear, would you have me believe you don't want the towel now?"

"Will you please just leave me alone!" she begged in exasperation and tried to toss back an angry glare, only to find his face too close to allow her to do anything more than stare into those warmly glowing orbs. They ensnared her own before his gaze dropped to her lips. She felt his hand settle lightly upon her ribs, and for a wild, crazy moment, she thought he intended to kiss her, for his head lowered ever so slowly as his lips parted. Foreseeing the imminent threat, she stepped freeof his hand and gathered her dignity, at least what little remained of it. "If you don't mind, my lord, I'd like to get dressed before we're late for dinner."

"Colton," he insisted, as a grin curved his handsome lips. "You must call me Colton. ‘Tis the price I demand for letting you go."

"What will you do if I scream?" she challenged, lifting her slender nose higher in the air.

He grinned back at her. "Admire the wondrous sights until everyone comes running."

Adriana rolled her eyes at the thought of the humiliation she'd suffer from such an occurrence. A heavy sigh exaggerated her capitulation. "If you insist… Colton."

Chuckling softly, he retreated, once again admiring her very shapely backside as he did so. "Well, actually, however much I'd rather keep you prisoner, I can see the necessity of letting you escape. I'm still in need of a bath, and since you appropriated mine, and there's no time for servants to prepare another, I'll have to make use of what you've left."

He was greatly disappointed when she made use of the towel, yet when she faced him, tucking a corner into the deep valley between her breasts, he readily decided that Pandora Mayes had never looked remotely as alluring draped in a towel as this young beauty.

"Do you perhaps need assistance in readying yourself for dinner, my dear? Helga has kitchen duties since one of the scullery maids fell ill tonight. I rather suspect it was due to tippling so much of Father's brandy, since Harrison said that he found what was left of the crystal decanter shattered on the drawing room floor, but that's neither here nor there. The simple truth is that Helga won't be able to assist you. Can I be of service in her stead? I'm quite adept at fastening tiny hooks and buttons. Although the temptation would be enormous, I'd even promise not to look any more than I have already."

An angry snarl issued forth from Adriana's gnashing teeth as she struck out at him with the backside of her arm. The blow hardly fazed him as it came in contact with the taut musclesacross his midsection, but the pain she encountered caused her to cry out in sharp surprise. Her sudden anguish drew more chuckles from the naked man. Mortified and enraged, she clasped her throbbing forearm against her midriff and stalked past him into the adjoining room.

Immediately upon passing the door, she turned abruptly to make sure he wasn't following her and found him sauntering leisurely in the opposite direction toward the tub. At its edge, he bent, testing the warmth of the water and, in so doing, bringing into view other manly parts. As much as she was wont to gape in virginal innocence, her eyes were drawn to a small, purplish birthmark shaped like a flying gull that marred the otherwise unblemished skin of his right buttock.

After dumping a pail of hot water into the tub, Colton turned to face her again in all his naked glory. That damnable grin, which seemed naturally inclined to curve across his handsome lips, had not diminished in the least. "What? You haven't gone yet?" he inquired, his eyes casually flitting the entire length of her towel-covered form. "I thought you were in a hurry to leave my sight."

Had she not been so fearful of waking the dead, Adriana would've screamed at him in fury and called him every foul name in her limited repertoire of insulting appellations. Glowering at him with dark eyes fairly snapping with fire, she caught the edge of the door and sent it flying forward with all her might. Alas, the force of her outrage caused the solid plank to rebound before the latch could catch. As it swung back, she shoved the door forward again with another raging snarl. This time she was able to savor some small bit of satisfaction as the latch clicked firmly into place.

Dreading her encounter with Colton Wyndham after their meeting in the bathing chamber, Adriana dallied upstairs as long as she dared, but the appointed moment approached, leaving her no other choice but to make her descent. By the time she arrived, Colton had already joined his family and their guests in the drawing room, and though he remainedstanding with his white-garbed backside to the warmth radiating from the fireplace and seemed content to quaff the dark red wine in his goblet, his eyes above the crystal rim were vividly alive with manly admiration as they swept upward from her black silk slippers, leisurely perused the tempting roundness visible above her bodice, and then moved higher still to the upswept coiffure elegantly adorned with a black plume. Feeling as if he had just stripped her down to bare skin, Adriana turned aside and sought some other area of the room where hopefully she'd be able to escape those shining orbs. Alas, they seemed to feed upon her every movement, following wherever she led.

Samantha had occasion to pass close in front of her brother, but, in doing so, was brought up short. Peering at him rather strangely, she leaned near, sniffed, and then wrinkled her nose in disdain. "What in the world are you wearing, Colton?"

Somewhat confused, he hefted his cane in one hand, and with his glass clasped in the other, spread his arms wide as he looked down at his uniform. "What does it look like I'm wearing? ‘Tis the best I have until I fetch my tailor from London."

Samantha giggled. "Why, Colton, I never would've expected you, of all people, to indulge in a ladies' scent. If my nose hasn't deceived me, I'd be inclined to say the scent is closely reminiscent of the one that Adriana is fond of wearing. In fact, I think the pair of you have used the same perfume tonight."

All eyes turned upon the brunette who, with unswerving dedication, drained her goblet before placing it on a serving tray of a passing servant and accepting in its stead a fresh glass. Uncomfortable beneath the curious attention that had descended on her, Adriana carefully avoided meeting anyone's gaze as she awaited Colton's answer. Although she feared the shame that would descend on her if he proved callous, she had too much backbone to turn tail and run.

"Merely a mistake, my dear Samantha," Colton murmured with a soft chuckle, "one that I had no time to rectify if I wanted to be down here for dinner at the appointed hour. Once I realized my bath had been permeated with the scent, it was too late to bid servants to bring up enough buckets of hot waterto suffice for another one. Alas, I had spent too much time outside walking the dogs and was much in need of a bath to consider foregoing it. Frankly, I hadn't realized anyone else had been using the bathing chamber near my old room or that some lady had been there fairly recently."

Laughter rippled effervescently from his sister's lips. " ‘Tis a wonder you didn't come across something far more shocking than a vial of bath oil. For some time now, Adriana has been using those rooms if she has been riding and needs to bathe and change here for dinner. I'm sure it's her fragrance you're wearing this evening, but I must admit, I prefer to smell it on her, not you."

"I'm in full agreement," Colton avowed, casting a slanted grin toward the younger woman. "Although divinely alluring on the lady, it seems a bit sweet for my personal taste."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that," his sibling responded with a teasing smile as she flicked a glance down his tall form. "You had me worried there for a moment. Truly, the scent left me wondering what the war had done to you."

Noticing that Stuart had approached and was now standing at his sister's elbow, Colton stretched forth his hand to the man. "I'd like to join those who've already extended hearty wishes for your health and good fortune on this event, Stuart. May you enjoy not only this one, but many more birthdays in the years to come."

The viscount responded with a wide grin and a hearty shake of the other's proffered hand. "I didn't have a chance to converse with you very long this afternoon, so before too much time has elapsed, I'd like to take this opportunity to invite you to join me and a small company of my friends on a hunt, that is, if you're up to venturing out. We'd be delighted to have you come with us."

Colton exaggerated a wince before shaking his head. "I must confess I still have some difficulty riding, as you may well understand, but I shall consider your invitation with considerably more enthusiasm once my leg is completely healed."

"I had the same problem not too many days past," Stuartconfided as his own feigned grimace turned easily into a grin. "I've become rather loath to lie upon my stomach. For too long now, it seemed it was either that way or no way at all."

The men laughed together over the hindrances they had been forced to surmount, those in the past and some that still lingered. As their amusement ebbed, Colton extended an invitation of his own to the viscount. "Now that you're more or less in the family, Stuart, you must visit Randwulf Manor more often. I'd enjoy hearing stories of the military campaigns in which you were involved."

The viscount eagerly accepted the invitation. "I'd be delighted to share them with you and would be grateful if you'd reciprocate in kind. May I also say at this time that I'm pleased to know that you'll be assuming the marquessate. Latham has his good points, but I'm afraid they're far outweighed by his shortcomings. As for your sister and mother, they tried to appear gay and hopeful these past few weeks, yet it was evident to all concerned they were worried about you and afraid you wouldn't come home."

"I shall make every effort not to trouble my family in the future," Colton avowed. "God willing, I'm home to stay."

"That calls for a toast," Percy interjected as he laid an arm about his wife's waist and, with his free hand, lifted a goblet high. "To the seventh Marquess of Randwulf. May he have good fortune and long life!"

"Hear! Hear!" Stuart cried, raising his glass aloft and saluting Colton in like manner.

Silently Adriana joined the toast by elevating her own goblet and was surprised when the darkly translucent eyes touched on her above a warm smile. For a moment, their eyes merged as her own delved into the depths of those glowing gray orbs. She could only wonder what was going through the mind of the handsome man, but when his gaze descended in a slow, sensual caress of her bosom and crape-clad form, she decided it would probably not be to her liking.

Averting his attention lest he arouse to a greater intensity the hunger still gnawing at his being, Colton murmured thanksto all and then, a short time later, shook hands with Stuart as the latter excused himself. Following their parting, Samantha, Philana, and Percy briefly joined Colton to convey their own good wishes upon him. From the women, he received affectionate kisses and, from the younger man, a pat upon the back. Still, he was wont to glance fairly often across the room at the beauty who, with pinkened cheeks, sought to ignore his lingering perusals.

Stuart approached Adriana, bearing two glasses of wine and, with a smile, offered her one as a replacement for the empty goblet she had just set aside. "You're looking extremely beautiful tonight, my lady, but from the way you were glancing around, I'd be inclined to say you were in need of another libation."

"Yes," she agreed with a valiant smile. "It has been a fairly eventful day."

"One to savor for years to come," the marquess volunteered as he limped near. The fact that Stuart had been perusing Adriana with more than casual interest for the better part of their sojourn in the drawing room had not escaped Colton's notice. With slow deliberation he bestowed his own attention upon the brunette, remembering only too well how her wet, beautiful body had gleamed enticingly beneath the warm glow of the lamps. "I understand from Mother that we are all but promised, Adriana."

Stuart's mouth flew open in surprise, and he stumbled back a step. "Your pardon, my lord. I didn't know."

"Actually, I wasn't aware of it myself until earlier this afternoon," Colton admitted, not entirely sure why he slammed the door in Stuart's face the very moment he noticed the major warming up to the idea of wooing the girl. When he still found the idea of a betrothal irksome, how could he come close to explaining the annoyance that had surged within him when he had seen the man approaching her? When had he ever felt even remotely possessive of a woman? That emotion had always seemed foreign to him … at least, until this present moment in time.

"You needn't fret that you've offended Lord Colton," Adriana informed the viscount kindly before lifting a brusque smile to the marquess. Her eyes conveyed an unmistakable coolness as they searched those luminous gray depths. "You see, the truth is that Lord Colton has a choice in the matter prior to the actual initiation of any betrothal. A three-month tenure of courtship will see the way of it, yet, from past experience, ‘twould seem unlikely his lordship will be interested in solidifying the agreement since it was the very reason for his lengthy absence from home."

"Even so, my lady," Stuart replied in a muted tone. "I'm honor-bound to give him time to consider his windfall before pressing my own suit. All I can say is that I envy the man for the exceptional opportunity he has been granted."

Smiling at the major, Adriana dipped her head in acknowledgment of his compliment. "Thank you, Stuart. I shall remember your kind words."

As the viscount retreated, Adriana peered up at Colton with cool disdain. "Can you tell me why you found it necessary to tell Stuart that we're promised when you know yourself that you have no real interest in courting me? Does it give you delight to chase away my suitors because of some claim that is at best nebulous? Have I done anything to warrant your spite?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of, my dear," Colton replied pleasantly and offered her a confident grin. "But I saw no reason for Stuart to get his hopes up when there'll be a span of three months ere we decide the matter. I shall allow myself at least that much time before determining whether there is hope for us, if my father's predictions have some merit after all, or if I should negate the whole thing as ludicrous. Until then, my dear, I intend to be as protective of my right to claim you as I want to be. After all, the agreement allows me that privilege, does it not?"

"What could you possibly find of interest in a castoff collection of odd parts?"

Having had those very same words imbedded in his memory by his own remorse, Colton pressed a lean hand to his blouse.

"Forgive me for that slur, Adriana. At the time, ‘twas said in rage and directed toward my father rather than at you. I didn't know when I issued that cutting remark that you were sitting outside the room. I would never have knowingly hurt you. In any case, it's far from the truth. Indeed, merely looking at you affirms my belief there is indeed a Divine Creator, for you are far too exquisite to have come into existence by mere chance."

Her cheeks warmed at his praise, and feeling suddenly at odds with herself, she sipped her wine again, looking everywhere but at him. "Perhaps we should forget the past," she suggested. "I find it rather troubling to remember the ire you once felt toward your father because of me. Though you may find this difficult to understand, I loved him, too."

"Adriana?" Colton searched the dark orbs that finally lifted to meet his. "Have I your forgiveness?"

Although she hoped a meager smile would suffice for an answer, in the prolonged silence that followed she was certain his eyes searched hers to the very depth of her being. Unable to bear his inspection any longer, she inclined her head in a brief, consenting nod. "Yes, of course, my lord. You've actually had it for some time now. ‘Twas impossible to feel any resentment toward you when I was constantly aware of the danger you were in. You were the brother I never had, and I would've grieved nearly as much as your family had you been killed."

His handsome lips curved in an angled grin as he stepped nearer. "After seeing you this afternoon all decked out in a riding habit and then, later, wearing nothing at all, I'm immensely relieved you're not my sister. ‘Twould be ill met if I were to lust after a sibling the way I've been hungering after you since our meeting in the bathing chamber. I will be hard-pressed to forget the details of the flawlessness I saw before me then. Your breasts are fairer by far than any I've ever seen, and as for the rest of your beautiful body, I can only believe you are without equal."

Adriana cleared her throat in embarrassment and took another lengthy sip from her goblet. A brief moment later, another long sampling drained the contents of the glass, andwhen Harrison passed, bearing a tray upon which fresh glasses of wine resided, she availed upon him to exchange the empty goblet for a fresh one. As the servant moved on, several more swallows seemed to give her enough courage to ask the marquess, "Have you become a fair judge of naked women since you left home, my lord?"

Colton's lips twitched in amusement as he braced forward on his cane. "Of those I've seen, my dear, you are far and away the most exquisite."

"Well, thank you for that," she said dryly, briefly flinging him a glance.

"As for what your experiences have been, I would assume from your shocked expression in the bathing chamber that I was your first."

"I would hardly boast about such encounters were you wrong, sir," Adriana retorted, feeling fairly faint. Once more inundated with detailed images of his male nudity, she quaffed the wine again, feeling much in need of its lulling effect.

Noticing how the crystal goblet shook in her slender hand, Colton searched the lady's eyes for barely an instant before the dark orbs went chasing off in another direction. Smiling, he leaned forward to speak over her ear. "The sight of my nakedness didn't frighten you, did it?"

"No, of course not," she denied in a frantic rush, staggering back in an effort to put some distance between them. Her retreat was necessary to cool her burning cheeks and to ease to some small degree the unruly pace of her heart. "Why should you think it did?"

Colton curbed a grin. "Because you're trembling, Adriana, and probably thinking the worst. Believe me, after the rending of your virginity, you will be amazed at the pleasure to be found in the arms of your husband. Should my father's desires come to fruition, I can promise you such delight as you've never before imagined." He watched her take another nervous sip and bent over her ear again. "If I'm allowed to be plain spoken on another topic, Adriana, I'd say you're becoming increasingly inebriated. Truly, you needn't be distressed by whatyou've seen. Making love can be just as enjoyable for a woman as for a man."

As he straightened, she leaned briefly toward him and delivered her own rejoinder in an angry whisper. "Well, any lady would be upset if she were involved in this conversation. ‘Tis hardly the topic to soothe one's senses."

"I'll allow the subject itself wouldn't soothe you, but the joining of our bodies in the rites of love would do wonders for relaxing you. I'd certainly be willing to give you a fair sampling of what goes on when two people enjoy such intimacy." His broad shoulders lifted in a casual shrug. "Actually, more than a fair sampling, if you'd be of such a mind."

"Will you please stop?" she hissed and lifted her eyes to his face in time to see the gray orbs dip into her décolletage. "And stop ogling me. We're not married yet, and considering your previous disdain for that idea, ‘tis doubtful we ever will be."

Colton chuckled softly. "Who knows what will come from our association? I may just decide to forget my aversion to arranged marriages and take you to wife just to show you what delights can be had between a married couple."

Adriana chuckled chidingly. "Oh, what subtle ploys you practice, my lord. You think to soften my heart and get me into your bed by your liberal use of the word marriage, but I'm not as gullible as you may think. You'll have to speak the vows with me ere you see me naked again."

His eyes danced as he probed the dark, shining orbs. "And would you, fairest maid, willingly speak the vows with me?"

Considering his question, she feigned a museful attitude. "My parents would certainly be pleased if I were to do such a thing. After all, it was what both yours and mine agreed to, to the extent that they willingly signed the contract. But since I cannot imagine you'll come to want me as your wife, I don't expect such a wedding will ever take place."

He grinned down at her. "I suppose if I were to get you with child, I'd have to marry you and save your reputation."

Fairly faint at such an idea, Adriana gulped the last of her wine before passing him the empty goblet. "Would you mindfetching me another? This conversation is too much to bear sober."

The corners of his lips twitched in amusement. "Frankly, Adriana, I think you've had enough, so much so that I'm afraid to leave you. A breath of fresh air would likely do you far more good." He set aside her goblet and reached to take her arm. "Come, I'll escort you out."

"No, thank you," she hurriedly replied, managing to avoid his touch. She could well imagine his eagerness to unite with her in a private place without benefit of wedding vows. "I'll be all right. I just need to sit for a moment…. Perhaps I'll just go across the hall into the great room and wait there until dinner is announced."

"I won't leave you," Colton declared, slipping a hand beneath the bend of her arm and turning her toward the door. As he led her toward it, Harrison entered and announced with stately dignity that dinner was to be served.

"Too late," Colton murmured and grinned askance at Adriana. "I'll escort you to your chair instead."

"Why bother with me when you could just as well assist your mother?" she protested, trying to free herself.

"Considering that I've shocked you nigh out of your wits, I feel responsible for your present condition," he replied, a grin flitting across his lips as he drew her against his side. Though she tried to push herself away, he leaned down and breathed above her ear, "Besides, it pleases Mother to see us together, so if you wish her to enjoy the evening, you should consider limiting your protestations and allowing me to attend you for a few rare moments. You'll be rid of me soon enough."

Adriana thought that would be the case as he escorted her into the great room, but she was mistaken. The customary place of honor for the Marquess of Randwulf had always been at the head of the table. It had been that way during the late Sedgwick's reign as lord of the manor; it seemed destined to remain so under the new marquess's authority. Adriana hardly expected Colton to escort her to a place immediately upon the right of the lord's chair, but that was indeed where he led her. Stuart was directed to sit next to her, and Samantha and Percy settled across from them. As the sole marchioness of the household, Philana took her customary chair at the end of the trestle table.

In spite of the fact that the meal was outstanding and the company even more so, Adriana didn't feel much like participating either in the consumption of food or the conversation. The fact that she graciously declined more wine was certainly conducive to the clearing of her head and senses. Still, she felt in dire need of its numbing effects, considering that, throughout the meal, she found herself the recipient of Colton's careful perusal. Her gown gave her little protection from those hungering eyes, and at times the warm glow she saw in them made her feel as naked as she had been in the bathing chamber. She was not at all surprised when she realized her nerves were taut enough to be plucked.

It proved an especially fine feast. Cook had outdone herself in that area in spite of the fact that the new scullery maid, who had secretly imbibed the late lord's brandy, had to be dismissed and then, because she had been so befuddled by the amount she had imbibed, had to be carted home. The groom and his son, who had been assigned that task, had been required to carry the woman into her cottage. The pair later returned with glum tales of her three young offspring, all less than six years of age, looking as if they were in dire straits, being bone-thin, hollow-eyed, filthy, and raggedly clothed. This news was solemnly absorbed by Harrison who would dutifully report it to his lordship at a later time.

In the drawing room that evening, the presentation of several gifts to commemorate Stuart's birthday were made amid bantering comments and cheery wishes. Many of the presents brought hearty laughter, while others drew smiles of pleasure from the man. Percy had had a blacksmith make a heavy metal shield for his brother's backside, which, the younger sibling claimed, could be conveniently strapped on should the elder ever go to war again. Adriana had sewn Stuart a heavily quilted velvet throw to place atop his saddle. Although that, too, drewhumorous comment, it would likely prove serviceable in the colder months, especially for one whose hind parts would still be tender from his wound. As for Samantha's gift, she had cross-stitched a pair of stiff flags for her brother-in-law, one with an arrow that indicated a way to the rear, the other to the front.

The evening's celebration finally drew to a close, and once again Colton lent gentlemanly assistance to Adriana by helping her on with her cloak. Had she been given a choice, she would have preferred Harrison's help rather than the marquess's, for the younger man seemed wont to linger overlong at the task as he stood behind her and smoothed the velvet over her shoulders. Not knowing exactly where his gaze was directed, she glanced downward and immediately blushed as she faced him with a brow raised at a challenging angle. He offered no apology for allowing his gaze to delve into her décolletage, but smiled as if his ogling was something to be expected as he snuggled the hood up close around her face.

"The sights are much too enticing for any man to ignore, Adriana, much less one who has seen you in the altogether. If you must know, I enjoy looking at you."

"As if that wasn't obvious in the bathing chamber," she retorted.

"Shhh,"he shushed with a grin. "Someone will hear you and think we shared a bath and have good reason to smell the same."

Adriana rolled her eyes, wondering why she even tried to get the last quip in when this man had spent at least the first ten and six years of his life perfecting his teasing banter. There was no accounting for the time he had spent in that endeavor during the latter half.

Philana approached them with a smile. "Adriana, my dear, please inform your parents that I shall be accompanying my son when he visits Wakefield."

Adriana searched the woman's gently smiling face, wondering if she had actually detected a note of resolve in the marchioness's tone. Colton had merely stated earlier in the daythat he'd inquire into the appropriateness of such a visit, whereas Lady Philana had simply presumed they'd be going. But then, Adriana couldn't remember a time when the elder hadn't been welcomed with enthusiasm at Wakefield Manor. Indeed, all of the Suttons considered Philana among the finest of women.

"Of course, my lady. Papa should be returning from London late tonight, but upon my arrival home, I shall inform Mama straightaway. We shall send a missive over with dates and times. If none is convenient, select one that will be. I'm sure we'll be able to accommodate you and Lord Colton."

"Thank you, child."

Philana stood back, allowing her son to escort Adriana through the front door and beyond the portico where her family's landau awaited her. Philana couldn't believe how well the evening had gone, for her son had actually seemed quite taken with the girl. The two certainly made a handsome couple, and she was especially pleased that Adriana was tall enough to complement rather than detract from Colton's height. Most women, including Melora and Jaclyn, would've been dwarfed by him, yet she could imagine that when her son entered a room, everyone turned to watch him, much as they had done when his father had made an appearance, not only because of his extraordinary good looks, but also for his lofty presence. Perhaps, after all this time, there was still strong evidence of that Viking lord from ages ago running in the Wyndhams' blood.