Page 11 of A Trickster’s Temptation

'And look! There are people going into the gardens. Are they allowed to stray from the path like that?'

'I doubt anyone's going to stop them.'

'Maybe Amelia Hardwick is the sort of person who wanders around other people's gardens at night.' Mary paused for a moment; Adam almost tripped over his own feet as he struggled to stop as well. 'But then again, maybe she's the sort of person who worries what on earth the gardeners will make of her footprints all over the rose beds.'

'Yes.' Adam laughed. Mary was exactly the sort of person to be that considerate, to worry about giving servants more work, even when she was pretending to be someone else. 'Quite the quandary.'

'It's probably the first. Miss Hardwick isn't someone who worries.'

'That's evident.'

'It is?' Mary paused, anxiety clouding the joy in her face. 'Has she been careless?'

'No! No.' It didn't matter who he pretended to be tonight; whatever he said felt lacking in adequate preparation. 'Quite the opposite. Miss Hardwick has demonstrated abundant care in every aspect of her behaviour tonight, and has been deemed the belle of the ball in recompense.'

'I... no. That can't be true.' But Mary's cheeks were slowly turning a soft, bewitching red; Adam clenched his fists, fighting the urge to reach up a hand and caress the colour. 'Your character is being far too gallant.'

'My... my character is only telling the truth.' It was convenient to have a face to hide behind in moments like this, to avoid feeling too exposed. Still, being exposed to Mary's blushes felt quite wonderful. 'He has moments of unexpected honesty.'

'And he also stops in the middle of paths, making it dreadfully difficult for ladies and gentlemen to walk past him.'

'I must remind you, Miss Hardwick, that you stopped first.'

'You've just declared Amelia Hardwick the belle of the ball.' Mary smiled. 'I'm afraid she can do no wrong.'

She walked away, laughing. Adam hurriedly began walking again, determined not to miss a moment of the enchanting creature that Mary Fine had suddenly become.

There was that word again.Enchanting, enchanted. He'd been the enchanter for a long, long time, spinning webs of deceitful fiction to enjoy status, money, power that had never been his... and now, with little more than a new gown and an adventurous outlook, Mary had stolen his place.

Stolen his attention as well. Perhaps, just perhaps, she had even stolen his sentiments--but that had to be the champagne talking, the late night and the odd situation he found himself in, and certainly wasn't a thought to be indulged.

He and Mary walked on, past the rose garden sending an aromatic cloud of scent into the air, past the dark entrance to the hedge maze with the giggles of lost ladies coming from within it. As the number of ball goers slowly lessened, most ladies and gentlemen choosing the more immediate pleasures closer to the house, Adam realised that he and Mary were almost completely alone.

He'd been alone with Mary before. He'd never given any thought to it. But now that she'd all but stolen a kiss from him, now that he'd done the same in kind, now thatthiswas happening... well, was it any wonder that he trembled just a little at the prospect? That anticipation, rich as wine and just as heady, tightened his chest as he looked across the dark, empty lawn?

'Perhaps we've gone too far.' He didn't want Mary to feel ill at ease. 'I'm sure more cakes will be served shortly.'

'I don't want more cake. Do you want cake?'

'No.' Right now, Adam didn't want to do anything that wasn't this. 'But here there's nothing to do but walk into the dark.'

'And are you afraid to walk into the dark with Amelia Hardwick?' Mary's smile had the faintest hint of caution in it. As if she were preparing to say something, do something, but Adam couldn't imagine what. 'Is your character a coward?'

'My character has seen what Amelia Hardwick is capable of tonight.'

'No.' Mary half-turned away. 'He hasn't.'

Was she... flirting?

Yes. Yes shewasflirting, flirting in a way that Adam would have noticed immediately had it come from any other woman, and the sudden realisation made the earth feel as if it were shaking under his feet.

It was the character she’d chosen. She was simply seeing how far she was willing to go in another person’s skin; Adam had done the same in the past, to great effect and considerable personal enjoyment. But even though it had to be nothing more than a meaningless thrill, an exercise of personal power, the fact that Mary was doing it to him and no-one else meant more to Adam than he wanted it to mean.

Those kisses that they had exchanged, those shy, sweet touches… they hadn’t meant anything either. Certainly not to him, although they may have had some novelty value for Mary. It was important to remember that, to put himself on guard, even as his heart began thudding in his chest as if he were an adolescent again.

‘Well.’ It was important to remain chivalrous. To act as if he wasn’t surprised, gratified, curious about what would come next. ‘If Amelia Hardwick is capable of feats that can only be performed in darkness, I am deeply interested in seeing them.’

Mary’s shy smile was very different indeed from the slow, brazen grin of a woman used to such overtures. She turned abruptly away from Adam, walking slowly across the grass in her slippered feet as unseen birds called from the nearby copse.

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