"Ohhhh," she breathed, and he watched her orgasm claim her, felt her body tense, her inner walls clutching him, pushing him over the edge with her. With an animal-like growl, he threw his head back and thrust into her, spilling his seed deep in her body. He pulsed inside her for an endless, mindless moment, then collapsed, burying his face in the fragrant curve of her neck, pressing his lips against her jumping pulse.

It took several moments for sanity to return, for him to garner enough strength to raise his head. Their gazes met and his heart performed a slow roll at the warm, satisfied glow in her eyes.

There were a dozen things he wanted to say to her, tell her, but he hesitated, partly because he was not sure she was ready to hear them, and also because he wasn't yet capable of speech. So he said the one word he could manage to push past his lips.

"Allie."

She blinked twice, then a slow smile eased across her face, reminding him of the sun coming out from behind the clouds. Here was his girl from the sketch. She whispered one word in reply.

"Robert."

He felt himself grinning in return, unable to hide his happiness. She was his. And nothing, no one, would keep them apart.


********

In her bedchamber, Allie had just finished repairing herself after her sensual interlude with Robert, when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in."

A middle-aged maid bearing a bright smile and a ceramic pitcher entered.

"Beggin' yer pardon, Mrs. Brown. My name's Mary. I were just wantin' to bring some fresh water and see to tidyin' up. I can come back later."

"Hello, Mary. Please come in." She was about to add that she herself was about to leave the bedchamber, when something stopped her. With her bright cheeks and wide grin, Mary struck her as a friendly sort. Perhaps the friendly sort of woman who might be led to answer some questions…

Her conscience tapped her firmly on the shoulder. Not even an hour ago you were furious with Robert for being dishonest. Trying to glean information from this woman is hardly honest.

She slapped back her inner voice, rationalizing that there was a distinct difference between dishonesty and curiosity about the man she'd taken as her lover. And she was merely…curious. Besides, the maid might not know anything.

She engaged Mary in small talk regarding the rainy weather and the new baby, as the woman bustled around the room wielding her feather duster with energetic efficiency. Then Allie led the conversation around to Elizabeth and the duke.

"Fine people. Not hoity-toity as the Quality often can be," Mary said, her mobcap swaying as she fluffed the bed pillows. " 'Course, the whole family is the first water. I've been here at Bradford Hall for twenty years, you know."

"So you've known the duke and his siblings since they were children."

"Indeed. Smart as whips, every one of them." A chuckle passed her lips. "But the youngest, Lord Robert, now he were a caution, that one. Always gettin' into some sort of mischief. But a more lovable boy ye'd be hard-pressed to find."

Allie's heart pounded at the conversational opening Mary had unwittingly handed her. Forcing aside the guilt once again nudging her, she said, "Yes, he's very charming." She lowered her voice and added in a halting voice, "Of course, it's too bad… about what happened…"

Molly looked confused for several seconds, then her eyes widened. "So ye know about the fire?" She made a tsking sound and frowned. "Can't believe folks still talk about it, it happened so long ago."

Fire? "A terrible tragedy," Allie murmured.

A disgruntled harrumph sounded from Mary. "Don't care what anyone else says, 'twas a youthful indiscretion gone bad, if you ask me. That boy wouldn't hurt no one on purpose, not ever. And he made all the reparations, just like he promised. 'Course, no one hardly mentions it anymore as it's been four years. And the family don't discuss it at all."

"Perfectly understandable," Allie managed to say, her head spinning with Mary's unwitting revelations. Was Robert guilty of some sort of criminal act?

"All's tidy here, Mrs. Brown. I'll leave you now."

"Thank you, Mary."

The maid quit the room and Allie pressed her fingers to her temples, where a headache was rapidly forming. Thankfully she was standing close to the wing chair near the fireplace and required only a few jerky steps to sink onto the cushion. Surely she should not feel as if someone had cut her legs off at the knees. Yet she did.

Mary had mentioned a fire. And reparations. What were the details surrounding this incident? And how was Robert involved-for clearly he had been in some way. Something tickled her memory, and she suddenly recalled Robert's odd reaction when Lady Gaddlestone had mentioned a fire during their tea at The Blue Iris. What had he done? A shiver of dread gripped her, and she wrapped her arms around her middle to ward off the sudden chill. Clearly there was more to the man she'd asked to be her lover than she had anticipated. Should she follow Elizabeth's advice and ask him? Did she really want to know the answers? And if she did ask him, would he tell her the truth? Or, like David, would he lie, or evade her questions?

Get a hold on yourself, Allie. It's not as if you're going to marry him. Did his past really matter? The man was her lover. Nothing more. It was not necessary to know every facet of his life.

She drew a deep, calming breath. As long as she kept her heart uninvolved, his past and secrets did not matter. She would allow him to engage her body and nothing else.


*********

Geoffrey Hadmore sat in his usual leather chair in White's. He'd just lifted his brandy snifter to his lips when a commotion near the betting book captured his attention.

"The official announcement arrived from Bradford just this morning," proclaimed Lord Astley. "The duchess was delivered of a girl yesterday." A smug smile curved over Astley's face. "Lots of money going to be changing hands on that one."

Geoffrey sipped his brandy and turned a deaf ear to the crowd gathering around the betting book. So the duchess had her baby. Excellent. Everyone's attention at Bradford Hall would be focused on the newest edition, allowing Redfern more freedom to accomplish his task. And allowing Geoffrey himself more freedom to accomplish his.

A slow smile pulled at his lips. Bringing the newest member of the Bradford household a gift was an excellent excuse to visit the estate.

Chapter 17

Dressed in the beautiful golden gown, Allie paused at the top of the wide staircase and pressed her gloved hands against her stomach. Drawing in a deep breath, she tried to calm her inner jitters, but anticipation and excitement and emotions raced through her at a breakneck speed she'd been unable to control all day.

She looked down at the fall of shimmering material and could not suppress the sigh that escaped her. It had been so long since she'd worn anything so bright and colorful. That felt so sinfully delightful against her skin. And she had never owned a more gorgeous gown. It fit her perfectly, from the gathered bodice to the short, puffed sleeves, to the velvet ribbon gathered beneath her breasts. How amazing that one garment could make her feel so wonderful. So feminine and pretty. Like a princess.

And as much as she loved wearing it, she could not wait to see Robert's reaction. His words echoed through her mind, leaving a trail of heat in their wake: I greatly anticipate slipping that shimmery material from your body and making love to you.

Good Lord, how would she make it through the evening without giving herself away? Especially now that she'd finally figured out what that elusive something was that she'd felt was missing in her physical relationship with David.

Realization had dawned this afternoon, as she'd lain beneath Robert on that sofa, recovering from her intense orgasm, aftershocks of pleasure still rippling through her. He'd collapsed against her, his weight pressing her into the cushion, his heart hammering against hers, his breath panting against her neck. His jacket and shirt abraded her tender breasts, his breeches pressed into her splayed thighs. And it came to her in a flash of recognition.

This wild wanting, this intense need he clearly felt for her-this was what she'd been missing. His total loss of control. His wanting her so much that he simply couldn't wait to undress to have her. Had to just impatiently push aside the barriers keeping their skin apart.

This was what had been lacking between her and David. For while David had been an exciting and proficient lover, he'd never lost control like that. She'd never once stripped him of his command over himself. Driven him to such intense physical need. Had never incited him by her words or deeds to simply… take her. To want her that much. So that his control fled. And she, she now realized, had never truly surrendered her own control. Not completely.

No, she'd never experienced this depth of physical and emotional connection. It was, without a doubt, what she'd been missing. And now that she knew, she wanted to experience it again…

God help her, she had to think about something else. Pressing her hands more firmly against her midriff, she started slowly down the stairs. Perhaps the fact that Elizabeth was joining the family for dinner would save her. Yes, she could concentrate on her friend, and push Robert from her mind completely.

Completely? her inner voice taunted. Ha! You 're a fool. The next time you push him from your mind will be the first time you've managed to do so.