you apologizing?” she asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “I don’t regret it. Why should you?”
He blew out a breath. “Because I had no right.”
A sudden thought came into her head that was so awful she of course blurted it right out. “You’re engaged to another.”
“No! No, I’m not betrothed to anyone.”
She stared at him, trying to make sense of his behavior. Then she forced a light smile to her lips. “It was merely a kiss, not a profession of undying love. Rest assured I would never expect a man of your wealth and rank to consider marrying the orphaned daughter of a scandalous scapegrace—the impoverished sister of a gamekeeper—merely because we have relations in common.”
“We are not remotely related,” he growled.
He would point that out, if only to torment her further. “Not by blood, no. But we have mutual connections who might wish . . . who would prefer . . .” Lord, she was babbling. “My point is, I’m not that much of a fool. It’s as I told you at dinner two nights ago: I’m not looking to make a splash in society. I merely hope to find some vicar or physician in need of a circumspect wife.”
His features darkened. “Because you are nothing if not ‘circumspect,’” he said acidly.
Her blood ran cold. How dared the man get angry at her? He was the one who’d just fallen all over himself trying to explain why he hadn’t meant anything by their kiss.
She was gearing up to give him a piece of her mind when the dogs fortunately began tugging on the leashes.
“You’re welcome to think what you want,” she said, tossing off the words with what she thought was admirable nonchalance, “but do it while we walk. The rascals are growing restless, and I assume you still wish to see the bridge. So unless you want Mr. MacTilly wondering what the devil has happened to me, we should go on.”
He caught her by the arm before she could leave. “Beatrice, I didn’t mean to insult you.”
Oh, Lord, if he kept talking one more minute she was going to cry, and she never cried. “There was no insult, Grey. Honestly, you’re placing far more significance on one kiss than is warranted.”
He searched her face as if trying to ascertain her true feelings. And that would not do. Pasting a falsely pleasant smile to her lips, she tugged her arm from his grip so she could gesture toward the path. “Shall we?”
After picking up his hat and dusting it off, he murmured, “Ladies—and dogs—first.”
Great. Now, he wanted to play the gentleman.
Holding her head high, she stalked up the trail ahead of him. Let him play the gentleman if he pleased. But next time he gave her his melting look and lowered his mouth to hers, she wouldn’t be so complacent. Clearly, he wasn’t a gentleman, but another version of her uncle, or for that matter, her dogs. Grey might be more polite and his attentions might be more subtle and inviting, but in the end, she was still just the object of his illicit desires and naught else.
She’d had enough of that to last her a lifetime.
Chapter Eight
Grey followed Beatrice with his blood in high riot. Holy hell, he’d made a hash of that. What had he been thinking, to kiss a woman like her? He’d let his worst impulses get the best of him.
Now, instead of coaxing her into feeling easy with him so he could learn enough to show Sheridan how mad his suspicions were, Grey had put her on her guard. But he hadn’t planned to find her so refreshing. Entertaining. Damn-it-to-hell desirable. His good intentions had flown out the window the minute his mouth had met hers.
It was merely a kiss.
God help him, not a mere kiss. What they’d done had been dancing and delight, fireworks and fantasy. Yet even as he’d plundered her mouth, he’d felt a perverse pain running through his pleasure.
Because he’d known she wasn’t for him. He’d heard her tell her brother she wanted a love match, which Grey wouldn’t give her. Not for nothing had he stood up to his uncle’s bullying year after year to save what was rightfully his. Years of schooling himself to nonchalance had instilled in him an inability to care.
But a woman like Beatrice would never allow him to keep his feelings private. She’d dig until she knew all his secrets and emotions, until she left him no choice but to split