Page 5 of The Moonstone Governess
“I am not certain I can,” she said with utmost sincerity, because he was a puzzle for her, and she did not wish to lie to him about her determination to figure him out. “Would you care to accompany me back to the village? I think I shall end my walk with one of Mrs. Halsey’s teacakes, now that you have mentioned them.”
She noticed his horse was lathered. He must have taken the magnificent beast for a hard ride, which only proved her point that he was in a dark place and unable to find a solution to whatever was plaguing him. “You ought to take it easier on your horse. No matter how hard you ride him, you will not outrun the devils chasing you.”
“Blessed saints, you have a mouth on you.” He said no more as he gathered the reins, but his horse snorted in annoyance, since he was contentedly munching on some nearby gorse and did not wish to be disturbed. “Come, Scipio. There’ll be sweet grass for you at the stable, old boy.”
Scipio nodded as though in understanding.
Brenna stroked the horse’s nose. “He’s a warhorse, one you’ve obviously named after a much-admired Roman general. Were you cavalry?”
“What makes you think I was ever in the army? A man of my rank and privilege could have bought his way out.”
“But you did not. Do not bother to deny it, for it is obvious.” She began to walk alongside the duke as he led Scipio back to the village. The horse required very little coaxing from his master.
Well, his master was quite a handsome fellow and could be very persuasive. Of this, Brenna had no doubt.
He had gorgeous eyes, the beckoning bedroom sort, capable of reducing a woman to tingles and flutters with a mere glance. Not that she was responding to him in this way…
Well, she was ignoring the excited shivers running up her arms and the butterflies fluttering in her belly.
As for the duke, she did not know what else he wanted from her, or what he was thinking, or what to make of him at all.
She made the mistake of posing the question to him.
He arched that eyebrow of his, a sign of his amusement as he cast her another of his wry smiles. “Are you sure you wish to know the thoughts whirling in my head?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Very well, my snoopy miss,” he said, with a little heat to his voice and a heightened smolder in his eyes. He took her hand—neither his nor hers were gloved—to draw her closer. She thought his hands would be soft as hers, but they weren’t. They were big and rough, and so was his voice as he said, “What I was thinking… Since you do not wish to give me your house…”
“Which I don’t.”
“Perhaps you might be persuaded to give me…you.”
“Me?” Her mouth dropped open as she gaped at him.
Had she heard him right?
Would she be clapped in irons if she hit him? Perhaps not, since her uncle was the local constable.
She hauled her arm back, fully intending to slap him, since the entire village, including the Duke of Malvern, Marquess of Burness, and Viscount Brennan, would come to her defense against this loathsome man if he were so low as to press charges.
How dare he insult her with that revolting proposition!
He easily blocked her hand, then drew her open palm to his lips and gave it a soft kiss. “I warned you not to tangle with the coiled snake.”
She had to own that he was right.
Why had she passed that comment about his demons? She could see by the turmoil in his eyes that she had ripped the bandage off a wound that had yet to heal. She ought to learn to keep her mouth shut.
What was he going to do next?
His eyes had a feral look to them…hot and raw.
“Brenna,” he said with a wrenching ache that seemed to emerge from the depths of his damaged soul. “Brenna,” he repeated with a throatier ache, lowering his head to hers and kissing her full on the mouth with scorching heat.
Chapter Two
Daire drew hislips off Brenna’s mouth, needing a moment to make his head stop spinning. He had expected to dazzle her with the soft crush of his lips on hers, melt her, and render her helpless to his prowess, but—what the blazes? He’d never tasted sweeter lips or felt a lovelier body pressed to his.
