Page 35 of A Wicked Game

Morgan stepped closer to her father again. “Before I go, sir, I have a question for you.”

“Go on.”

“One of my father’s old school friends, John Saunders, was one of the navy’s top surgeons. He spent years in Egypt studying the effects and treatment for sand blindness in our troops during the Egyptian campaign. When he left the navy, he set up his own practice on Harley Street, in Marylebone, and for the past few years he’s specialized in eye surgery, most especially on cataracts like yours. I wonder… would you might like to meet him?”

Harriet’s body was still tingling from the effects of the erotic prints, but she held her breath, certain her father would refuse his offer. She hardly knew what to think of Morgan; the dreadful man humiliated her in one moment, then tore at her heart with a generous and utterly unexpected offer the next.

Father’s brows lowered as he steepled his hands together, his elbows resting on the arms of his chair. “Yes, all right. Why not?”

The floor tilted oddly beneath her feet. He’dagreed? She’d spent the last two years alternately nagging and pleading with him to get an opinion from a qualified doctor. And now Morgan ambled in here—one of the devilish Davieses no less!—and Father agreed to his suggestion as docilely as a lamb?

Harriet didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Perhaps Father was only agreeing so as not to look cowardly in front of a Davies.Thatshe could quite understand. She’d done the same thing herself on countless occasions.

Still, it was impossible not to feel grateful to Morgan for bringing about such a miracle.

“Excellent!” Morgan said brightly. “I’ll set up an introduction between you as soon as I can.” He sent Harriet a jaunty little salute—a mocking parody of a real naval show of respect—and started for the door. He nodded toward the book she’d unconsciously clutched against her breast.

“Enjoy your book of prints, Miss Montgomery. I hope you think of me whenever you look at them.”

Thatput the heat back in her cheeks. Cursing his shameless flirting, she ushered him back out into the shop.

“Thank you for your help today, Captain Davies,” she said severely, loudly enough for Father to hear. “I am truly appreciative of all you’ve done.”

Morgan swept her an elegant bow. “I’ll see you at Carys’s costume ball.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Make sure you wear something low-cut. Thoseengravings have given me all sorts of ideas about where to put kiss number two.”

Harriet sucked in a breath, but he merely gave her a teasing flick under the chin with his fingers and sauntered out of the shop.

She watched him go with mingled relief and regret.

Chapter Fifteen

It had been impossible not to take another look at that terrible book that night when she was alone in bed.

Each drawing was worse than the next, and they made Harriet’s stomach feel all hot and squirmy. And yet she was luridly fascinated by the sheer variety of possibilities depicted.

Living so close to the less genteel parts of town, she was far from a complete innocent. She’d glimpsed harlots beckoning men into darkened alleyways, seen couples fumbling and kissing in doorways. She’d seen animals copulating in the fields. She had a vague idea of the basic mechanics of lovemaking, but this—this tiny book—had expanded her universe exponentially.

Almost without volition she stroked her finger over the exposed bosom of a woman and felt her own breasts tingle in response. What would it feel like for Morgan to touch her there? And the image that showed a man with his head between a woman’s legs—what was allthatabout?

She flipped the book closed with a guilty snap.

Morgan Davies was a wicked man.

There was no point in denying that she was physically attracted to him: She’d been pining after him ever sinceshe was fourteen. But now her longing had taken on a far less abstract—and far morephysical—dimension.

He seemed to be doing his level best to produce lustful feelings in her, too, but his endgame was still infuriatingly unclear. He’d told the Aunts that he was going to start looking for a wife: Shouldn’t he be concentrating onthat, and not driving her to distraction by dragging out their kissing bet for weeks on end?

It didn’t help that he was proving himself far more than just a handsome nuisance. Not only had he solved her problem with Heron, but he’d made incredible steps toward helping her father too.

Harriet fell back on her pillows and let out a long sigh.

Oh, the man was a menace.

Friday, and the costume ball, came much too soon.

Since Carys was infamous in thetonfor her spectacular wardrobe, Harriet knew that outfits for the evening would be even more outrageous than the usual society affair. It was the only reason she’d plucked up the courage to wear something more daring than normal.

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