Page 20 of Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife
Hugo stepped out of the vehicle and lifted a hand to help Miss de Smith down.“Madam?”
With more of that instinctive grace, she descended to stand beside him.Every masculine urge rose to bundle her into his luxurious London house and see how things progressed from there.But it was too early for her to trust him.He was smart enough – and experienced enough with women – to recognise that his problems with Miss de Smith stemmed almost entirely from trust issues and not a lack of desire.While she did her best to dampen his pretensions to become her suitor, he hadn’t missed how she couldn’t keep her eyes off him.He felt the same.
While that boded well for his eventual victory, strategy favored patience and care.
Nonetheless he kept hold of her hand.“Shall we seek our conveyance?”
Fogg led the horses and carriage away, leaving Hugo and Miss de Smith alone.“There’s no point pursuing me, Sir Hugo.You’ve had my answer.Better to send me off to Sylvie and forget we ever met.”
He wasn’t going to argue with her in the middle of his stables.So he responded with deliberate casualness.“I said I’d see you safe and that’s what I’ll do.”
She took that at face value and accepted his arm as they walked up the alley to where Paul waited with a decrepit closed carriage that looked like it had seen service under the first George.“Best I could do, Sir Hugo.”
“It will be fine, Paul.Thank you.Go now and help Fogg.I won’t need you again tonight.”
“Aye, sir.”He bowed to Miss de Smith.“M’lady.”
“What’s the address in Blackfriars?”Hugo asked Miss de Smith.
What she said meant nothing to him.He hadn’t ventured much beyond London’s fashionable quarter.But the driver seemed to know it, and once Hugo and Miss de Smith were on board, the horses set off at a cracking pace.
“This isn’t necessary,” Miss de Smith said in the teacher voice that always whipped him into a frenzy of desire.
Hugo smiled at her from where he sat opposite her, with his back to the horses.“You’re ravishing when you’re annoyed.”
Her expressive dark eyebrows rose.“Pray don’t patronize me, Sir Hugo.”
He laughed more in appreciation than resentment.“You don’t intend to give me an inch, do you?”
“Why should I?”In the light of the lamps affixed to the outside of the conveyance, her stare was uncompromising.Hell,shewas uncompromising.What a wife she’d make.He didn’t want a hothouse lily.He wanted a woman who seized life by the scruff of the neck and gave it a good shake.
She meant her frosty manner to frighten him off.But very little deterred a stalwart Yorkshireman.Instead, her indomitable character only made him want her more.When he already wanted her more than a drunkard wanted his next brandy.
He rubbed his chin in thought.“Now there’s a question.”
She avoided his eyes and glanced around the carriage.“This must have once belonged to someone grand like the Duke of Devonshire.”
“Maybe.In 1650.It’s seen better days.”He wrinkled his nose.“And something died in here around the 1700 mark.”Although at least the vehicle was warmer than his curricle, however stylish.
She didn’t smile.“Stop it.”
Startled, he regarded her.“Stop what?”
“Trying to charm me.It’s not working.”
“Pity.”He folded his arms and settled back against the worn leather upholstery, stretching his long legs out into the well between the benches.“Things will be so much easier if you find me as irresistible as I find you.”
She frowned.“I’m not that appealing.”
Whoever had broken her heart, he’d done a job on her.Hugo wished that the fellow was here so he could beat the living daylights out of him.
But then if the bastard was here, Hugo wouldn’t have Miss de Smith to himself.“There I have to disagree with you, madam.If you aren’t appealing, I wouldn’t be in such a lather to kiss you.”
Her eyes rounded with surprise, wiping away her haughty expression.“K-kiss me?”
“Indeed.I’m hoping you’ll invite me to sit beside you and take you into my arms.”
It was his turn to be surprised when she laughed.“I’m impressed you’re waiting for me to ask.”
