"Never," Dare retorted with an amused laugh.

The remainder of their drive was accomplished in relative harmony. And when Dare returned her to her lodgings, he merely kissed her fingers again. But he wanted to do more. Much more.

Clearly, however, Julienne was not of the same mind, Dare reflected irritably as he drove away. His powers of seduction had never proved so pitiful.

He was getting nowhere with her, certainly not where he wanted to be, which was in bed with her naked beneath him, her legs wrapped around his waist. He was beginning to be positively haunted by visions of making love to her again.

There was only one advantage to their current stalemate, Dare acknowledged. Since her betrayal all those years ago, he had felt numb inside, but now he felt eager, alive, all his senses teeming. He woke each morning looking forward to the day, counting the moments till he saw Julienne again-

At the thought, Dare cursed. She had been right on that score: she was a supreme danger to him. He was becoming besotted with her, whether he wished to or not.

He needed to conquer his growing obsession with her, Dare chided himself. Needed to prove that he could satisfy his fierce craving by other means.

Accordingly, that night he visited the Widow Dunleith again. Her cool reception should not have surprised him. Louisa clearly didn't like playing second fiddle to a mere actress, and her jealousy showed in every barbed remark she made during dinner. So he left shortly afterward, without so much as a kiss.

He could have charmed her out of her sulks, Dare knew. Most women allowed him anything he wanted when he put himself out to please.

The trouble was, he didn't want most women. Sex with anyone but Julienne left him feeling alone and empty. Every time he touched a woman, he was grasping for the exquisite, primitive intensity he'd once known with her-and not finding it. No matter how many times he warned himself to forget her, the ache of longing remained.

He tried to tell himself the feeling was due to sexual frustration. He wasn't accustomed to abstinence, and he didn't like it. Any more than he liked having to fight his way past the queue of calf-eyed, romantic young fools who were always at Julienne's side.

Yet he was very much afraid that his frustration would lead him to do something reckless, like throttle the next man who leered at her.

He'd wanted to do just that earlier today when he'd caught Riddingham staring at her full, ripe bosom. He'd wanted to drag the viscount from his curricle and pummel him with his fists…

What riled him most, however, was the affection Julienne seemed to bear for the man, while he only roused her angry defenses.

Cunning killer or not, Dare thought as he tossed and turned in his solitary bed, Viscount Riddingham had best watch his back.

The next day dawned fair and pleasant for early spring. Despite her reservations, Julienne found herself enjoying the short drive to Primrose Hill just north of the city. She had dressed warmly, as Dare suggested, in a green velvet riding habit. And he had laid a carriage rug across her lap to ward off the remaining morning chill.

Riddingham was already waiting when they turned into the crowded yard of the posting inn, with Miss Upcott at his side. The actress was garbed in crimson and a high poke bonnet, which Julienne suspected would catch a great deal of wind once the race got underway.

Not surprisingly a large number of spectators had gathered to watch, she saw as Dare threaded a path through the crush of vehicles. There were several carriages filled with both ladies and gentlemen and more than a dozen sporting bucks on horseback. The wagers flew fast and furious, with most putting their money on Dare.

"Shall we engage in a small wager ourselves?" Dare asked Riddingham as he drew his curricle even. "Say, a thousand pounds?"

"Double that," the viscount snapped, evidently in an ill mood. "Two thousand will make it worth my while."

Julienne heard Miss Upcott gasp at the size of the wager, and she herself shook her head at the exorbitant sums these moneyed noblemen recklessly tossed around.

"As you wish," Dare replied easily. "The first one to reach the Blue Boar Tavern wins."

Shortly all the bets were placed and the congested yard cleared of spectators wanting to be present at the finish line. Willing to give them a headstart, Dare ordered refreshments from the innkeeper, and he and Julienne sipped hot mulled cider while his rival grew visibly more impatient.

They had just handed back their mugs when Riddingham's curricle lurched and he clenched the reins, clearly having difficulty controlling his bays' fidgets. With a polite sweep of his arm, Dare invited the viscount to proceed him out of the yard.

The two men turned on to the road, with Riddingham in the lead.

"Are you set?" Dare asked Julienne as he urged his pair into an easy gallop, as Riddingham was doing up ahead.

"Yes."

"Good. This should be a pleasure."

Julienne kept silent so that Dare could give his attention to his horses. He was an excellent whip, she thought, observing him match his speed to the curricle in front.

He needed to concentrate on the road before him, but she could watch the surrounding countryside. The vast area of heathland spread over sandy hills and secluded vales, and Julienne saw the green landscape rush by in a blur as they bowled along. With the wind in her face, she was glad she had worn a small shako hat rather than the broad-brimmed bonnet the other actress had chosen. Ahead, Miss Upcott strove to keep her bonnet in place with one hand while clinging to the rail of the curricle with the other.

They skirted the village of Hampstead before coming to the Heath itself, with its broad stretches of gorse and grass and numerous stands of trees. Dare leaned forward slightly, his eyes intent on the road and his opponent, and let his horses have their heads.

Julienne felt a rush of exhilaration as they surged forward. There was a risk of danger in racing, with curves and potholes and the possibility of an approaching carriage to challenge them. But as she watched Dare's gloved hands masterfully controlling his grays, urging them to greater speed, she felt complete confidence in his skill.

Ahead, Riddingham was driving with evident skill himself. Julienne doubted either pair could keep up the brutal pace, but for now they were running strongly and showing no sign of fatigue. And Dare's grays were slowly gaining ground.

The road was narrow here, with ditches running on either side providing barely enough room for two vehicles. But when Dare grinned at her, she realized he would to try to pass. He was thoroughly enjoying himself, Julienne knew.

"Hold on," he shouted over the sounds of whistling wind and pounding hoofbeats.

She obeyed, even as she murmured a silent prayer.

Riddingham blocked their attempts, however, by swinging into the center of the road. Julienne winced and ducked her head to avoid the clods of dirt and mud thrown up by the bays' churning hooves.

Patiently accepting his opponent's tactics, Dare bided his time until a blind curve loomed ahead. Then he feathered the turn expertly while Riddingham's curricle went wide. With a calculating glance, Dare dropped his hands and asked his horses for another burst of speed. The gallant grays shot forward, their lengthened strides eating ground.

They had nearly drawn even when a wheel on Dare's curricle hit a rut. The vehicle tilted crazily, and Julienne gasped, gripping her seat in desperation. The grays took exception to the jarring weight behind, but Dare held them steady, calming them until they responded to his iron control.

At his command they slowly drew forward again, and soon the two pairs were racing neck and neck.

What happened next Julienne wasn't quite certain, but she heard the scrape of metal as the curricles clanged wheels. Both vehicles lurched at the contact, and she was thrown against Dare.

She heard his muffled oath and managed to right herself. But when it happened again, she realized Riddingham had deliberately swung over in an effort to run Dare's curricle off the road.

It was an insanely dangerous maneuver, Julienne knew, and when they clashed a third time, the wheels nearly locked and both drivers and their passengers were almost flung from their seats. Miss Upcott screamed and clung to Riddingham, while Dare cursed vividly.

His mouth had narrowed in a grim line, Julienne saw, giving him a frantic glance. He would have again tried to pass, she felt sure, but just then they rounded another curve and an approaching farm cart suddenly loomed ahead, directly in their path.

To her surprise, Dare drew back on the reins and eased the pace.

"What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly as they slowed to a trot.

"I like to win, but not at the risk of your life. I would rather not injure my horses either."

Julienne suspected that in a simple battle of nerves with Riddingham, Dare would have won hands down, but he had her safety to consider as well as his own- and she was frankly glad for his prudence, even if it cost them the race.

But Dare apparently had no intention of conceding.

"Hold tight," he ordered, guiding the curricle from the road on to a narrow track.

Julienne saw Riddingham's look of startlement as he glanced back at them, and quelled her own dismay when she realized Dare intended to drive cross-country.

It was a jolting ride, despite the slower pace, and Julienne feared they would snap an axle or one of the traces as they bounced over the uneven ground. But she clung determinedly to the lurching seat, and Dare's gambit cut off nearly half a mile from the planned route, allowing them to reach the tavern yard a full minute ahead of Riddingham, to a chorus of shouts and cheers from the crowd gathered there.