Nine

Christina mentally braced herself for the ordeal of meeting their guests as their butler decorously announced that Lord Randwulf and his mother were awaiting the Suttons' presence in the drawing room. "Thank you, Charles. Please inform my husband of their arrival."

"Yes, my lady."

Several moments later, Christina rapped her thin knuckles on the door of her youngest daughter's bedchamber. "The Wyndhams are here, dear. Are you ready?"

Adriana sighed pensively. As much as she had loved and admired Sedgwick Wyndham from her earliest years, his son set her whole world out of kilter. Merely the memory of his angry explosion years ago left her feeling as skittish as a cat facing a pack of hunting dogs. Yet, when she thought of that moment when she had awakened to find him standing beside the tub in the bathing chamber, her senses quickened with the awareness that he could be hers if only he'd relent and agree to their betrothal. Still, after Roger had informed her that he had seen the man's carriage outside Stanover House, she could only conclude that Colton had been visiting Felicity. Of late, the twohad been together far more than what could be ascertained as merely chance meetings.

Perhaps Melora had been right all along, Adriana mused morosely. She didn't want to face the shame of Colton's rejection. What woman would willingly invite such disgrace? It would be doubly hard, knowing that after seeing her entirely bereft of clothing, he still preferred Felicity. That would be an insult she wouldn't likely get over too easily.

Had there not been looming over her head the very real threat that she'd cause her parents shame, Adriana knew she wouldn't have even thought twice about the matter before making good her escape. She'd have slipped out to the stables and raced off on the back of Ulysses to some far-off place she knew not where. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time she had absconded when presented with the prospect of entertaining a visitor she'd been averse to see. Melora would promptly deem her a coward, but if Colton Wyndham's vehement outburst years ago had been able to raise the hair off the back of her neck, then she entertained little doubt that, after disciplining his troops during his lengthy career as an officer, he had acquired the skill to flay the hide off his victims with nothing more than his keenly edged tongue.

Still, whatever she would experience or suffer while confronting the nobleman, she knew there'd be no escaping her own pledge, which she had given at the actual signing of the contract. An honest man's word is as good as his bond, her father had often quoted while schooling his daughters in exemplary behavior. Gyles Sutton would expect nothing less from her.

"I'll be down directly, Mama," Adriana answered dejectedly from her dressing table. "Maud is still arranging my hair."

"Please tell her to hurry, dear. ‘Tis impolite to keep our guests waiting beyond the appointed time."

"Yes, Mama, I know," Adriana mumbled, none too happily.

Maud chuckled in amusement, sensing her young mistress's glum mood. "Now, pretty mum, meetin' Lor' Randwulf won't be nearly as bad as yu're makin' it out ta be. Cook said sheseen ‘im the other day in Bradford after some young miss pointed ‘im out ta the shopkeeper where she'd gone ta buy spices. She said she nearly dropped her jaw when she turned ‘bout ta look. ‘Is lor'ship cuts a right fine figger all decked out in fancy clothes, she claims. A real man, tall an' wit' some meat on ‘is ribs, not like ‘at Mr. Elston, who come prancin' hisself up ‘ere yesterday like ‘e owned the place. Me way o' reckonin' it, Mr. Elston's a might lank an' bony. Why, ‘e don't e'en look like a man, at least not the way ‘is lor'ship does."

Adriana heaved a laborious sigh. "Everything you say is true, Maud. Lord Randwulf does cut quite a dashing figure…."

"Then why be yu frettin', m'liedy? Ain't yu pleased ‘at such a man'll be wantin' ta court ye?"

"I'm not at all sure that Lord Randwulf wants to court me, Maud. That was his father's idea, not his."

"O' course, ‘e wants ta court yu," the portly maid insisted. "Why, yu're the loveliest maid this side o' ‘eaven, an' if'n ‘e don't thinks so, then ‘e's likely a might touched in the ‘ead. Why, look at all the lords an' gents what's lost ‘eir ‘earts ta yu already, mum. Ain't ‘at proof o' yur appeal?"

"Not all men are the same, Maud, and Lord Randwulf does seem to enjoy his bachelor status…." Adriana broke off, knowing the servant would never understand the true depths of her fears. What bothered her most was her own fascination with the man. If she was attracted to him to the degree she was now, what would her feelings toward him be once he concluded his courtship? It would not be so much her pride that would suffer should he reject their betrothal as it would be her heart. Dismally she shook her head as a pensive sigh escaped her lips. "Who knows what Lord Randwulf wants?"

Maud chortled. "Doan yu go frettin' yurself none ‘bout what ‘e may be likin', mum. If'n ‘e ain't done so already, ‘e's bound ta lose ‘is ‘eart ta yu afore too long."

Time would indeed reveal Colton's true nature and susceptibility, Adriana mused dejectedly. As for the expected outcome, she was not nearly as hopeful as Maud that it would be to her advantage.

Heaving a sigh, Adriana left her bedchamber, dreading the ordeal of facing Lord Randwulf… and losing another large portion of her heart to the man.

Lady Christina had descended the stairs with an uncompromising confidence that her daughter would soon follow, but upon laying a dainty hand upon the Jacobean knob of the drawing room door, her thoughts immediately became mired in the difficult task before her. At the moment, she had no idea which would prove more arduous: appearing unaffected by Lord Colton's scarred face and form … or giving her youngest daughter to him in marriage.

Slowly inhaling a deep breath in an effort to quell her anxieties, Christina tried to brace herself for the ordeal ahead of her, but it seemed to loom over her spirit like some darkly menacing shadow. Valiantly she pushed open the portal and entered the room. Immediately she became aware that Lord Randwulf had taken up a stance in front of the diamond-paned windows overlooking the lush grounds and undulating drive. For that fact she was immensely relieved, for the distance between himself and his mother would allow her to welcome the latter before she'd be forced to confront his scarred appearance. The testing of her fortitude would come soon enough once she exchanged amenities with Philana. As for greeting the marquess, it would be an incredible feat indeed if she managed to conceal her repugnance well enough to appear serenely cordial. The only way she'd ever be able to get through those arduous moments would be to keep reminding herself that Colton was her best friend's son and that his wounds had been reaped in valiant service to his country.

Pasting a cheery smile upon her face, Christina crossed the room to the settee where Philana had settled. She gathered the woman's slender hands within her own as she murmured graciously, "This day has been long in coming, dear friend." It didn't help that the words seemed to stick like pitch in her throat. "Your son, home at last. How relieved you must be that he has returned to claim the marquessate."

"Not only relieved, but thoroughly pleased by his desire to assume his father's duties," Philana replied with a radiant smile. "But more importantly, Christina, we have come to speak with you and Gyles about the contract of courtship and betrothal. I do hope Adriana can join us. She is so very much a part of this discussion that I cannot imagine making any decision of which she is not entirely agreeable or privy."

"Maud was just finishing her hair when I left from upstairs. I'm sure she'll be along any moment now, and Gyles…." The door opened behind her, and, recognizing the approaching footsteps before they were softened by the oriental rug, she had no need to turn and look. "Why, he's here now."

"Welcome! Welcome!" Feigning a joyful enthusiasm to the best of his ability, Gyles joined the women. Sweeping Philana's hand to his lips, he kissed it briefly before declaring, "You're looking as lovely as ever, my dear."

A cheery laugh escaped Philana as she waved off his compliment with an elegant hand. "Save that for more gullible fillies, Gyles. I'm old and wrinkled and you know it."

Giving her a one-sided grin, Gyles clasped a hand over his heart as if to pledge his troth. "I see no wrinkles before me, and whatever your age, my dear, your grace and beauty will always remain evident."

Pleased by his reply, Philana dipped her tawny head in appreciation. "You're a true friend, Gyles, even if you have a tendency to lie more than a little."

Chuckling in amusement, Gyles stepped back, delaying the moment wherein he would have to face the younger man. Like Christina, he could not bring himself to do so just yet, though he was keenly aware that Colton had turned from the expanse of windows and was in the process of limping across the room toward them. The muffled thump of the man's cane on the rug seemed to herald defeat, which Gyles feared would come upon them much too suddenly. His wife had tearfully expressed her aversion to the idea of completing the agreement that would bind their youngest offspring to a disfigured man, no matter how many honors that one had received fighting the enemy. Gyles had empathized with her over her fears and, to a great extent, now shared them. Adriana had always been his cherished darling, and he was loath to see her miserably married to a man whose looks would send children fleeing in fright.

Philana swept a slender hand to indicate her approaching son. "Here is Colton safe and sound in spite of a horrible leg wound."

Gyles placed a comforting hand upon his wife's back to steady her and hopefully bolster her nerve as together they turned to face the marquess. Being small and petite, Christina had to lean her head back in order to meet the gaze of the tall man. When Gyles felt a sharp shudder go through her slender form, he tried to prepare himself for what would likely follow. If she fainted, he'd just make excuses that she hadn't been feeling herself for the last several days, which would certainly be no lie since he had never seen her so overwrought, as the result of the approaching ordeal. Better that, Gyles determined, than conveying her aversion to their friend's son.

Silently vowing he'd have more control, Gyles reinforced his resolve by refusing even to blink an eye should he be repulsed by the man's disfigurement. With lofty dignity, he directed his attention upon his guest.

That was precisely when his jaw plummeted.

"Lord Gyles," Colton greeted in deep, melodious tones, offering a smile to each in turn. "Lady Christina."

"My goodness," Christina whispered breathlessly as a deep, vibrant hue infused her cheeks. Heretofore she had considered both her son-in-law, Sir Thornton Godric, and Melora's fiancé, Sir Harold Manchester, unusually handsome men, but she had to admit that Colton Wyndham, with his lean, noble features, stunning good looks, and tall, broad-shouldered frame, easily put to shame the other two. She shook her head in confusion, wondering how in the world she had ever arrived at the flawed notion that the man was hideous to look upon. "You've changed so much, Lord Colton, that I'm afraid Gyles and I are both taken aback."

Colton smiled pleasantly. "Quite understandable, my lady,considering I was hardly more than a lad the last time we saw each other. Ten and six years can make an immense difference in one's appearance."

Gushing with joyful relief, Christina swept a hand toward the settee where his mother had become ensconced. "Please, do sit down, and tell us about the places you've been since last we saw you."

Before Colton could comply, the door swung open once again, drawing his attention to the portal as Adriana entered. In spite of his fairly exacting perusal of her while she slept in the bathtub, he was ever amazed by the true depth of her beauty. If ever he had discounted the possibility that a woman's features and overall appearance could be flawless, then he was swiftly coming to the conclusion that Adriana Sutton would set the standard by which all other women would have to be judged, at least in his mind. If her looks weren't at the very least perfect, they came as nigh to being so as he was able to bear. Her long, thick hair had been smoothed back from her face and caught in a heavy, swirled topknot at the crown of her elegantly shaped head. Several feathery curls had escaped at her temples, in front of her ears and the back of her neck, lending a charming softness to the hairstyle. In contrast to her dark tresses, her creamy skin seemed fairer by far than other ladies'. A faint rosy blush adorned her cheeks and the soft, winsomely curved lips. As for her large, silkily lashed dark eyes, their appeal was so strong that he had to mentally shake himself free of their spell.

Her garments were in the height of fashion, and her tall, slender form complemented them divinely. Swirled braided silk trimmed the high-standing collar, the epaulette-draped half-sleeves, and the waist of her short, cropped jacket, lending something of a military flare to an emerald green creation of soft, woolen crape. A stock of ivory silk, intricately embroidered with silk threads of the same hue, was wound about her slender throat and then folded under and over itself to form a smooth layer, nattily filling in the stiffly erect collar of her Spencer jacket. Generous sleeves of the same embroideredcreamy silk flowed with undulating grace from under the half-mushroom-shaped extensions capping her shoulders. Wide, closely fitting bands of the same fabric subdued the fullness over her wrists and were themselves finished with scalloped ruffles that fell over her slender hands.

Colton was surprised to find himself making mental comparisons between the dainty accoutrements adorning Adriana's ears and the jewelry Pandora Mayes had always been partial to wearing. The former amounted to nothing more than solitary pearls set in delicately swirling nests of gold filigree, whereas the actress had preferred to emphasize her own raven-haired beauty by wearing dangling, oversized baubles. No similarity existed between the jewelry; so too the women. To compare them would have been the same as likening a delicate rose to a cabbage. Pandora Mayes was a voluptuous temptress, knowing well what she was about when she lured lovers into her bed. The actress would have been offended had anyone called her a strumpet, for she had zealously maintained that she extended her favors only to men she admired and with whom she enjoyed lengthy relationships, yet the costly gifts of money and jewels she received from her admirers and lovers put her in a class similar to those who hawked their wares on the wharves and streets of London. Adriana, on the other hand, was exactly the kind of genteel lady he had purposed to marry someday. After Bentley had dared to remind him of the uncompromising principles of the lady, he could only agree that Adriana was indeed a rare find among women.

Colton curbed a smile as he realized the lady had grown chilled while making her descent from upstairs, for the woolen crape swathing her breasts was now slightly puckered over her nipples. Though he had viewed far more of her in the bathing chamber than any proper gentleman had a right to, those taut little peaks brought back memories of the way they had looked unadorned. In the warmth of the water they had been incredibly soft and pink, crowning beautiful, ivory breasts round enough to arouse any man's lusting admiration.

It came to him that no matter the style or beauty of the garments the lady wore, he was far more mindful of the delectable form they clothed. It was definitely the best he had ever viewed. A young goddess in her prime, the Lady Adriana promised to bring to a marriage exceptionally sweet provender upon which a man could feast his gaze and expend his appetites. Should he yield his pride and himself to his father's dictates and welcome that which had been intended as a gift rather than a constraining lifetime sentence, he could savor everything about her, from her dainty earlobes to her thin toes. Still, he couldn't quite forget he was being coerced into accepting an arrangement he had spent the last ten and six years avoiding.

"Please forgive my tardiness," Adriana murmured to the occupants of the room, diligently avoiding Colton's gaze after managing to avert her own. His unswerving stare was no less tenacious now than it had been before he had propositioned her in his lantern-lit carriage. Considering the perusals to which she had been subjected in years past, she deemed his inspection far bolder. At least other men had had the decency to size her up with discretion, but Colton made no attempt to hide his penchant for caressing every minute detail and at very close range. Indeed, beneath his slowly assessing scrutiny, she felt as if she were literally being devoured. Since his eyes fed upon her every curve, it seemed far-fetched to believe that he'd leave her some meager shred of clothing in his mind.

Stepping behind a Tudor chair, Colton tucked the walking stick beneath his arm and clasped both sides of the tall, ornately scrolled back as he moved it ever so slightly toward her. "Come sit down, Adriana."

In the presence of their parents, Adriana saw no other option open to her. No matter how she yearned to flee back to her bedchamber, she could hardly decline his offer without causing some dismay among the elders. She perched rather rigidly upon its edge, fearful of coming in contact with those lean, hard, beautiful hands.

As expected, her efforts failed to keep Colton at bay. The tip of his walking stick returned to the costly rug cushioning thefloor as he moved around to her side. Leaning close over her shoulder, he breathed in the scent of her hair and lowered his head further still until his warm breath brushed her cheek. Adriana nearly closed her eyes at the unexpected pleasure his nearness elicited. Indeed, it seemed as if her efforts to remain detached from the man were being seriously undermined by the yearning she felt within the depths of her body. It not only threatened to destroy her cool reticence, but to send her fleeing to the stables.

"Relax, Adriana," he breathed warmly. "I'm not going to eat you … at least not yet."

Of a sudden, Adriana found herself trying to collect the fragments of her aplomb from the four winds to which he had just scattered them. His persuasive voice seemed to bombard her very being. She had never known her name could sound so warmly evocative when spoken by a man, or that she could feel as if she were melting inside when those soft, mellow tones stroked across her senses.

A memory of his rage from years past proved sufficient in cooling her mind and in strengthening her resolve to remain aloof from this man. Even more effective was the suspicion that he had been plying his persuasive charms upon Felicity, who had likely accepted them eagerly and without restraint. Considering his indecent proposal after Mrs. Jennings's funeral, Adriana could only wonder if he had used a similar invitation with the miller's granddaughter.

Adriana eyed him obliquely as he pulled another chair alongside hers, bringing the pieces so close that the wooden arms of each were nestled snugly together. She couldn't resist a bit of sarcasm as she offered, "I can move over if you need more room, my lord."

Her barb was not lost upon Colton. Laughing softly in response, he leaned toward her again. "The settee is occupied, my fairest Adriana. Otherwise, I'd have directed you there and taken a place beside you."

"Whatever for?" She feigned bewilderment. "Surely you have no interest in closely assessing the choice your fathermade for you years ago when you stood at the threshold of manhood. Truly, my lord, I thought we were here to discuss your plans for dissolving the agreement." She elevated a brow challengingly. "Was I mistaken?"

Colton managed a contrived grimace, as if sorely pricked to the core. "Though my eyes detect no evidence of a shrew, my dear, there are times when you definitely make me think I've been deceived. Forsooth, maid, you can draw blood with the injuries you inflict."

Adriana scoffed, winning a chiding frown from her mother and another amused chuckle from Colton. She couldn't fully explain why she should feel so many confused emotions whenever she was with the man. On occasion, she was sure that a porcelain figurine or a heavy pot would serve her untold delight if she were to crown him with either. Then, just as often, she was forced to do battle with those disturbing little bubbles of delight he elicited within her. When she was thoroughly convinced that he was merely going through the formality of considering their courtship for his mother's sake, and that at an appropriate time he intended to deal a death blow to it, she had to wonder why she should be so susceptible to him.

"No doubt, my lord, your conclusions have been drawn from your vast experience," she rejoined coolly. "To become an authority on termagants, one must meet them on a fairly frequent basis. No doubt you've had many such experiences during your absence, perhaps even a few since your return." Lifting her gaze to his, she waited for her taunt to strike home, but he only smiled ambiguously. Reading nothing from his expression that lent evidence of her barb's success, she prodded with a more pointed stick, "Or do you cast the blame upon my poor tongue merely to ease your own conscience as you diligently strive to withdraw yourself from the contract?"

For the very first time since her beloved Sedgwick initially proposed a betrothal between their son and Adriana Sutton, Philana felt a spark of hope that a marriage would actually take place between the pair. Colton was too good-looking to be ignored … or rejected by the fairer gender. Most young ladies would be tempted to fawn over such a handsome man and, no doubt, offer their bodies as a token of their infatuation. She found it enormously refreshing to see how adroitly Adriana put her son in his place. Coolly rejecting his advances would likely set the handsome scamp back upon his heels, and deservedly so. He was too confident of his persuasive charm with women and probably wouldn't know how to handle a rebuff.

Missing the real import of his daughter's jibe, Gyles pressed, "Is that true, your lordship? Do you wish to withdraw from the agreement?"

Slowly straightening, Colton smiled as he lent his consideration to the elder. "On the contrary, Lord Gyles, I wish to proceed with the courtship with all possible haste. Since being informed of my father's contract with you, I've read with great care the document you both signed. According to the provisions set forth, I have three months of earnest courtship in which to decide my fate … unless, of course, the lady is otherwise inclined."

Cocking a magnificent brow inquiringly, he peered down his noble nose at Adriana, awaiting an answer. When she maintained a cool reticence, he again settled in the chair beside her and bent toward her with a grin. "What say you, my dear? Do you have any objections as to the date upon which such a testing of our emotions should commence? If you have none, then may I suggest that we start today?"

The sooner to be through with me,Adriana mused derisively, feeling her hackles rise. Although strongly tempted to reject Lord Sedgwick's edict rather than leave herself open to the many antics of his handsome son, she couldn't actually bring herself to the point of doing so. As much as her pride would've benefited from releasing Colton Wyndham from the obligations to which he had long been averse, she knew that she'd have to yield him that distinct privilege, for she couldn't bear the thought of hurting Philana or shaming her own parents by being the one to negate their hopes and wishes for the future. "If you wouldn't mind a short delay overmuch, mylord, I'd prefer to mark the beginning of our courtship with the date upon which the Autumn Ball takes place, the twenty-first of October."

"So long a wait? Why, that's fully a month away!" Colton was taken aback by the idea of such an extended interval. His primary reasons for agreeing to the courtship was simply to prove to his mother that love could not be forced by a mandate drawn up by one's parents. Once that reality had been established, he'd be freed from his commitments. At least, then, if he wanted to marry Adriana, it would be entirely his own decision, not because he felt compelled by his father's dictates. In his opinion, the protracted wait before the initiation of their courtship made the arrangements even more arduous.

Bracing a finger alongside his cheek and his chin upon his thumb, Colton assumed a contemplative pose as he considered Adriana at some length. He was a man who had made his own choices for most of his life, but after viewing this lady in his bath, he had never known so many sleepless nights. As much as he yearned to appease his manly appetites with her, how could he, like some lapdog, blandly accept his father's will over his own? Somehow he'd have to get through the courtship without yielding his heart, his mind, and, more difficult to be sure, his body to the temptations that would be ever at hand. Only then would he remain his own man. Once he managed to accomplish that feat, then he could turn his mind to more serious considerations … courting the lady without having to hide his own desire to solidify their union. "The twenty-first, you say?"

"Or whenever you wish, my lord, as long as the Autumn Ball has begun," Adriana answered aloofly.

Colton was curious to know where the girl stood with the miller's son. "And what of Roger Elston? Will you allow the apprentice to visit you until then?"

Adriana felt her cheeks growing hotter by the moment beneath his close perusal. How dare he question her after he had taken it upon himself to visit Felicity. "Prior to your return, my lord, I had given Mr. Elston leave to attend the ball. For thesake of propriety, I must inform him of the need to halt his visits, but ‘twould seem somehow less rude if I were to tell him at the conclusion of the ball."

Colton teased a curling strand that seemed wont to nestle against her cheek. Such a delicate little ear, he thought, and wondered how she'd react if ever he'd run his tongue into the tempting crevices and fragile ridges that formed the outer configuration. Devilment shone in the gray eyes as he laid a finger aside the lady's chin and turned her face toward his. Probing those dark orbs, he questioned softly, "Would you object overmuch, my dear, if I were to lend my attentions elsewhere that evening? It seems only fair … since you will be otherwise engaged."

Adriana presented her profile to him again and aloofly elevated her brows in a quick, upward shrug. She didn't need to be told the name of the woman he had in mind. "I shall not be otherwise engaged, my lord. I merely gave Roger permission to attend the ball if he so desired, but please do whatever pleases you. I have no claim upon you."

"Oh, but you do, Adriana." Capturing the lustrous curl that teased her cheek, he rubbed it between his fingers and admired its natural tendency to curl softly about his digit. The silken strands were as fragrant as the lady's body, and he could feel his senses reacting as surely as if he had quaffed a strong potion. "We're bound by a contract as surely as if we were already betrothed. That alone gives you entitlement to say yea or nay when it concerns my conduct with other women. And if we're affianced, doesn't that mean we're as good as married?"

"That's hardly the way of it in this case!" In some irritation, Adriana flung up a hand as if brushing a pesky insect away from her cheek and in so doing managing to break his grasp on the coiling strand. "We're not married, my lord, and even if we were truly betrothed, I'd give you permission to lend your attention to whomsoever you please … just as long as you'd agreed to leave me alone in the process…. Now stop that!" she snapped in fiery indignation and slapped the back of hishand as he reached out again to entrap the curl. "Leave my hair alone!"

"Adriana!" her mother gasped, taken aback by her daughter's display of temper. "For shame, child! Slapping his lordship, what will he think?"

"Tsk, tsk!"Colton chided through a widening grin as he leaned toward the enticing beauty. "I think you have little regard for me, Adriana."

"That may well be true, my lord," she retorted hotly. "After all, you're no more than a stranger to me…."

"Adriana!" Christina was shocked by her daughter's bluntness.

"You're presenting a definite challenge to me, Adriana," Colton accused, amusement gleaming in his gray eyes. "I've never before known a woman who seems so loath to accept my attentions." If anything, he had become inured to the fairer gender fawning over him. It was fairly refreshing to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from whence he normally found himself. To chase after a young, beautiful lady who seemed totally devoid of any interest in him? Most intriguing … and challenging!

Adriana's tone was snide as she yielded to a strengthening urge to reproach him. "I'm sure you've left many a heartbroken maiden in your wake, my lord, but I shall try not to offer adulations that have no doubt become hackneyed to you through numerous repetitions."

It came as something of a shock to Colton to realize that he was enjoying this feisty tête-à-tête perhaps as much as he had ever relished the final capitulation of a beautiful, well-versed enchantress. The women he had known had all been experienced in the game of love, and he had never once doubted his appeal. That was certainly more than he could say for himself in this instance. Still, a little more kindling seemed in order to thoroughly test the true depth of the girl's tenacity.

"What if I were to tell you instead, dearest Adriana, how lovely you are? Little did I imagine when you were a child thatyou'd become so exquisite. Your beauty takes my breath away."

"Breathe deeply, my lord," Adriana urged loftily, looking neither right nor left as he recaptured her hand. "I'm sure it will come back."

At her daughter's sarcasm, Christina opened her mouth to intervene, but curbed the motherly instinct when Philana reached across the space separating them and gently squeezed her hand, mutely urging her to remain silent.

Colton lifted to his lips the slender fingers of his perspective fiancée, letting his warm, moist mouth linger on her knuckles in a slow, sensual caress.

Adriana became aware of a strange quivering in the pit of her body and realized her breath was being snatched inward each time his lips came in contact with her skin. The rush of feelings he stirred within her was similar to those he had awakened when they had collided in the hall at Randwulf Manor; yet as titillating as they had proven to be, it now seemed only a meager sampling of what she was now experiencing. To be sure, the sensations he elicited were too persuasive for a young lady to bear in front of her parents and still remain poised!

Reclaiming her hand with a vengeance, Adriana shot to her feet and fled to the door. There she faced her guests with flushed cheeks, managing to erect from her shattered composure some semblance of dignity. Feeble as it was, she offered a truthful explanation. "I promised Melora that I'd help her with a few of the wedding arrangements ere the day was well spent." As her eyes swept to their elderly guest, she sank into a respectful curtsey. "Lady Philana, if you will please excuse me…"

"Of course, child," the marchioness replied with a gracious smile, holding her son responsible for the girl's flight. She cast a chiding glance toward him. The fact that he seemed amused by it all made her heave a mental sigh. He reminded her too much of his younger years; he was still an unabashed tease.

The dark, silky lashed orbs chilled to some degree as Adriana finally settled her gaze upon the marquess. Her smile was crisp, perhaps even a bit terse. "Good day, Lord Randwulf."

Even Colton flinched as the door slammed behind her, and for a moment, parents and suitor stared at the portal in differing degrees of surprise. Then, almost in unison, Gyles and Christina turned their attention upon the younger man, wondering how he'd react to their daughter's spirited departure.

Bursting into laughter at the girl's fiery display of indignation, Colton thrust a thumb over a shoulder as he indicated the door. Obviously Adriana was no more taken with the terms of the contract than he had been. "I swear that girl has a temper the equal of which I've never seen in one so well bred."

Christina managed a hesitant smile. "I hope my daughter hasn't offended you, my lord."

Philana began to chortle in amusement. "I don't know about my son, but, personally, I thought she was wonderful… as usual. Another moment more and she would have boxed Colton's ears … and justifiably so."

Christina didn't know what to say to make amends. She looked almost pleadingly toward the marquess. "At times, my youngest daughter grows a bit annoyed with certain members of the male gender. She doesn't like being pestered, but I never thought for an instant she'd behave so unseemly in your presence, Lord Colton. I shall certainly take her to task for her manners—"

"You'll do nothing of the sort," Philana interrupted with conviction. "My son deserved everything he received for deliberately annoying her. Perhaps next time he'll know better. If not, then he can get used to his fingers being slapped like some naughty little boy's. I can assure you, it wouldn't be the first time. I used to do it on a fairly frequent basis when he was younger. He seemed to take endless delight teasing the girls whenever Adriana came over to play with Samantha."

Gyles rubbed a hand across his mouth several times, trying to banish the unquenchable grin that seemed impervious to his efforts to curb it. Failing in that endeavor, he clapped bothhands to his knees and rose to his feet. "I suffer no doubt that my youngest offspring would have given those frogs at Waterloo a proper thrashing. She riles fairly easily at times. She seems to find it especially offensive to be handled in any fashion by eager young suitors."

Adriana paced the confines of her bedchamber in agitation, angry with herself for having allowed Colton Wyndham to affect her in so many widely diverse ways. Never before had she experienced sensations the like of which he had elicited. Nor had she ever felt so much irritation, not only with him, but with herself for allowing his mischievous ruse to get the better of her. His intentions seemed clear enough. Forced by the mandate that his father had set forth, he intended to humiliate her any way he could, if for no other reason than to vent his frustration over the situation in which he found himself. Coming home after years of mutinous refusal to concede to his sire's dictates, only to find himself caught in the same unyielding snare, had likely been a terrible jolt to him, especially if his thoughts had been focused entirely on the marquessate. In view of the depths and heights his resentment had reached years ago, he might well imagine he had cause to hate her, especially if he viewed the situation only from his perspective. He probably wouldn't even realize she had become a victim, too, chained by her dedication to her parents.

A light knock sounded on her chamber door, and at her call for admittance, Melora's maid scurried in and bobbed a sprightly curtsey. "Excuse me, m'liedy, but yur sister be wonderin' what's been keepin' yu since yu came upstairs."

"I'll be there straightaway, Becky."

The door closed behind the servant, and in the silence that followed, Adriana heaved a long, pensive sigh, wondering if she'd ever be able to endure three months of courtship with Colton Wyndham. It was not that she didn't desire it. Indeed, he was the man she had been waiting for all her lifetime. Nevertheless, he seemed capable of creating within her strange emotions that could well prove her downfall, possibly even hercapitulation to his invitation. In spite of her outward display of annoyance, she treasured secret memories of him that, at times, left her yearning for the warmth of his arms around her and his lips plying hers with lingering kisses. Just thinking of that long, muscular, naked body against her own stirred a strange, unquenchable excitement that left her whole being burning with desire. Her nipples craved some special attention of which she was totally ignorant, and there bloomed within the depths of her woman's body a hunger that seemed destined to remain unappeased until she yielded herself to him and him alone.

By dint of will, Adriana won a battle with her composure and finally made her way to Melora's room, where she found her sister in a flustered snit. In trying to work out the seating arrangements for the breakfast that would follow the wedding, she had become mired in confusion.

"There you are at last!" Melora cried petulantly. "I was beginning to think I'd have to make all the preparations myself. I've been nigh to the end of my wits while there you and Mama were, taking your own sweet time visiting with the Wyndhams, as if the matter of your courtship couldn't wait for a few more weeks! I say, Adriana, considering all the years Colton has been away, it certainly wouldn't have hurt matters any if you had delayed his visit until after the wedding. You should've known how frantic I'd be with the nuptials swiftly approaching. Only ten days left!" Pausing, she peered at her sibling, but saw no evidence of sympathy for herself. Glumly, she vented a ponderous sigh. "I suppose the courtship will begin immediately."

Adriana tried to ignore Melora's tiresome tone. "No, as a matter of fact, I've asked that it be delayed at least until the Autumn Ball."

"Thank goodness!" the older sister exclaimed, exaggerating her relief. "Now you can help me as you promised to do. You can start by compiling a list of the guests who'll be coming and where they should be seated for the wedding breakfast. Cook is already busy with preparations, and, of course, the servants have started cleaning every nook and cranny. We can't allow ourselves to be embarrassed by a bit of dust here or a smudged window there…."

Dismissing as unimportant much of what Melora was chattering on about, Adriana sat down at her sister's tall secretary and began organizing the collection of names. She was sure Cook, the assistant cooks, and the rest of the household servants would do their very best to make the wedding breakfast a memorable occasion for her sister. As for herself, she just hoped she could keep her thoughts well away from the area of Colton Wyndham, for she was just beginning to fear that, where he was concerned, her heart wasn't nearly as safe as she had hoped it would be.