Page 67 of To Love A Spy
Lynsley’s chuckle was soft, soothing. “Was I such an ogre?”
“Ogre?” A sigh slipped from her lips. “Surely you were aware that all the girls were in love with you.”
A dull flush crept over his face. He covered his embarrassment with a cough. It was rather endearing to see him so nonplussed.
“But we were, of course, under no illusions on that score,” went on Valencia. “We, of all people, knew the realities of the world.” Her mouth scrunched, recalling those long-ago days. “Still, even Merlins have girlish dreams.”
He was silent for moment. “What of you, Valencia? What were your dreams?”
“Me?” She lifted her shoulders a fraction. “I never gave much thought to being aught but a Merlin.” A draft from the rainswept breeze rattled the window casement. “I should have, of course. Even if I hadn’t been injured, it is not a job one can do forever. One day I should have been forced to retire.”
“As will I.”
“You are hardly shuffling into your dotage,” she remarked, cocking her head as she studied the planes of his face. “And it seems you haven’t exhausted your formidable talents just yet.” She hesitated before adding, “We all knew you were quite a daring operative before the Academy. The Madras mission is the stuff of legend.”
He frowned and leaned back in his chair. “How do you know about Madras?”
“We added brandy to the Christmas punch one year and got Mrs. Merlin a bit in her cups. She told us some very interesting stories before the spirits wore off.”
“That was an underhanded trick.”
Valencia grinned. “Just practicing our lessons in devious deceptions.”
“Hmmph.” His attempt at sounding stern ended in a smothered chuckle. “Be that as it may, I’ve settled down considerably since then.”
“I doubt most people would consider this foray to Paris a holiday excursion.” She paused, feeling her mind turn even more muzzy as the painkiller spread through her limbs. Whether it was the drug or the darkness, her tongue loosened enough to venture a personal question “As for settling down, I can’t help asking once again. . . why haven’t you married?”
He stiffened. “Once again, you are being impertinent.”
“No, I am merely being curious. But it is clear you would rather not talk about it.”
The silence stretched for some time. She thought he meant to ignore the question.
But strangely enough, after shifting in his chair, he replied, “I still have some years left in my dish. There is still time yet.”
“That’s another unfair advantage men have—you can breed well into old age.”
He chuckled. “Please, not another lecture on biology. I am conversant with the mechanics of making an heir.”
“So why haven’t you?” she persisted. “In your world, a gentleman of wealth and title is expected to follow tradition.”
“I rarely feel the need to bow to outside pressure.” Lynsley crossed his legs and regarded the tip of his boot. “I suppose I haven’t yet found the right lady.”
Surprised by his candor, Valencia needed a moment to frame a reply. “Ah. You mean to say you are a romantic at heart?”
“Quite the opposite,” he said gruffly. “ I am a realist, not a romantic. Given my present profession, it would be highly unfair to ask a lady to wed. She would be expecting a very different sort of life than the one I lead.” His expression turned meditative. “Gaiety. Glitter. Glamour. She would want all the trappings of prestige and privilege. And rightfully so. Not a husband who must be secretive about his life, often leaving without word of where is he off to, or when he might return.”
“How noble.” Valencia yawned. “But if she loved you, she wouldn’t care about such superficial things.”
His chair scraped over the carpet. “I should you sleep.”
She kept hold of his hand, loathe to let the camaraderie slip away. “Might you stay for just a bit longer. Just talking is . . . nice.”
Lynsley sat back down. “Very well.”
Their gazes met and Valencia wondered whether she was simply imagining the strange swirl of blue. Light and dark, like the sea in storm.
“What’s good for the gander is good for the goose,” he said after a moment’s of silence. “What of you, Valencia. Why have you never taken a husband?”
