„I beg your pardon, but did you say that you have never lost your temper before? Is that what you said?“

„Yes. At least not since I was mature enough to learn self-control.“

He shook his head, but said nothing.

„And now you are not even going to accept my apology, Major? Is that some sort of military training? Never concede?“

He did not answer immediately, but took both her hands and kissed each in turn. Though his expression still bordered on amazement, there was humor in his eyes. „Grace Anderson, it has been my ambiguous pleasure to introduce you to your first burst of temper. May there be many more.“

„What does that mean?“ Now she was the one who was confused. It was hard to be detached when the object of annoyance was holding your hands. It felt almost as good as his touch on her neck.

„It means that no one should go through thirty years of life with such careful control of her sensibilities.“

„One of the differences between men and women, Lindsay. I suspect that most women who are dependent on men control their feelings. I’ve spent most of my life keeping peace, making sure that my father or my brother and then my husband was happy, comfortable and, heaven forbid, not angry with me. Or anyone else.“

„Like a junior officer with never a chance of promotion.“

„If you say so.“

„But you see, my lady, the roles are reversed now. You are the one in charge and I am the one who lives to see that you are happy and comfortable and, heaven forbid, not angry at me.“

„How odd,“ she said, considering his words, „but I see that you are right.“ She laughed a little. „Perhaps that was the real reason I gave into the anger last night. To lose some of that self-control with someone I felt“ – she paused, searching for the right word – „someone I felt safe with.“

The word hung between them for a moment. She felt safe with him? How could any woman be so completely wrong? Safe? When all he wanted to do was lay her on the carriage seat and ravish her. That was what the anger was a cover for – for both of them, he suspected. Surely she knew that as well as he did. He cleared his throat and tried a smile. „As I said, it was my pleasure.“

„Surely you do not mean you liked my ill temper?“

„No.“ He could at least be honest about this. „But it did make a refreshing change from your inclination to phrase all your wishes as questions.“ When she would have spoken, he raised his hand. „I see now where that comes from: a lifetime of caution, trying to appear thoughtful, while still making your wishes known.“

„That makes me sound like one of those managing women that are so unappealing.“

„Not at all. More like someone who feels the need to be circumspect.“ He stopped, realizing how carefully she did protect herself, how guarded she was except around friends or in the security of her home. Did she even grasp that he was another line of defense between herself and society? Probably not, since he himself had only this moment realized it.

She was watching him, waiting for more. But he was not sure how she would react to his revelation and chose to keep it to himself.

„My lady, I can see that your urge to please is much too well developed. Feel free to irritate me as often as you wish.“

She laughed at this absurdity.

He leaned closer and pressed his mouth to hers, because he could no longer resist the look in her eyes, the invitation in her laugh. No coyness from his lady – another convention ignored. She leaned closer, her hands pressed between them, then sliding up to circle his neck. She was feminine, soft, willing. He tasted her passion and felt it rising to match his own.

Some small, still rational part of his brain resisted the temptation to deepen the kiss, to take them to a place beyond friendship. They ended this sweetest of kisses three times, but finally, end it they did. Her response touched his heart. He prayed it would not complicate his life too much.

„Ah,“ she whispered, her mouth still close enough to touch his lips, „I’ve been wishing that you would do that.“

He smiled, a smile he was sure she could feel even with her eyes closed. „Wish or not, I’m not sure that was wise.“

He moved away, and she opened her eyes. „Major, I do not think the pleasure of kissing and wisdom can exist in the same world.“

He raised her gloved hand and kissed it. „Then the pleasure is mine.“

„Not all of it, Major,“ she said with a mischievous grin.

Lindsay heard two female voices in the entry and went to open his study door. „I need to talk to Poppy, Miss Truslow.“

„Certainly, Major. As soon as she changes from her play clothes.“

„Now, if you please. I would prefer her being dirty to my being late for my next appointment.“

„Are you going to see your particular friend, Papa?“

He did not answer her, since that phrase was precisely what he wanted to talk to her about.

She took his hand and sat next to him on the settee. She sat very still and tried for a ladylike appearance, the effort seriously compromised by the dirt on her face and her muddy hem. Had Grace Cardovan looked like this as a child, before her natural enthusiasms were curbed by marriage to Anderson? Yes, it was entirely possible that this was the child’s version of her rediscovered joie de vivre.

„Poppy?“

She turned to him with an expression of disdainful interest. He almost laughed out loud.

„Where did you learn mat expression? Certainly not from Miss Truslow.“ At least he hoped not.

„From my friend Verity’s governess. I was trying to look like she does when she comes to the park and Miss Truslow talks to her.“

Miss Truslow must be desperate for friends, Lindsay thought.

„I think I like Poppy’s smile much better.“

She grinned, and he nodded his approval.

„So, Poppy.“ He cleared his throat and considered the best approach to the somewhat delicate subject. „I understand that you have been telling your friends some amazing stories.“

„I have?“

„Yes. That your papa is going to be married and soon you will have a mama.“

Poppy sat back and began to bounce her feet against the edge of the settee. „It is not a made-up story, is it? You do have a particular friend, and why else would you spend so much time with a real lady if you did not wish to marry her?“

A real lady? He could speak on that subject for an hour. He had met a dozen of society’s „real ladies“ who were more whore than Poppy’s mother had been. He would, however, leave that discussion to Miss Truslow.

„Because I am seeing someone does not mean that I will marry her. Listen to me carefully, my girl: You must stop expecting me to bring a mama home to you.“

„I do not precisely expect it, Papa. It’s more like a wish.“ She nodded as if that was the perfect explanation, and stopped thumping her feet. „Like a wish.“

„I see. Then shall I give your coin back to you so you can make the wish?“

„No, Papa, I already made one. You must keep the coin and give it to someone else. Do you remember I wished for a mama and a papa? But I told you that only part of it came true, and now I see that the other part will too.“

„No, Poppy. It will not. Miss Truslow is as close to a mama as you will come.“

„You are going to marry Miss Truslow?“ She was wide-eyed with surprise.

„No, I am not.“ He closed his eyes and prayed for the right words. „I am not going to marry anyone. Do you understand that?“

„Yes, Papa.“

„And you must stop telling your friends that it will happen. That is one way that very nasty gossip begins. And no true lady spreads gossip. Miss Truslow will agree with me on that.“

„But Papa, if you sell your commission and have some money, then can you marry someone?“

„Where did you hear that?“ He was going to have to curtail trips to the park if marriage and money were all they discussed there.