Scruggs cleared his throat. When he spoke again, his voice still sounded different yet oddly familiar. "Uh, Graystone, perhaps you ought to reconsider this notion of driving aimlessly about tonight. You are not in the best of tempers at the moment."

"When I want your advice, Scruggs, I shall ask for it." The edge on Harry's voice was as sharp as a knife. "Is that quite clear?"

"Yes, my lord," Scruggs said dryly.

"Excellent." Harry bounded up inside the coach and slammed the door. He reached out and drew the curtains across the glass.

"There was no need to snarl at him," Augusta said reproachfully as Harry dropped down onto the seat across from her. "He is an old man and he suffers a great deal from rheumatism."

"I do not give a damn about Scruggs's rheumatism." Harry spoke much too softly. "It is you who concerns me at the moment, Augusta. Exactly what in hell do you think you were about, breaking into Lovejoy's house tonight?"

It dawned on Augusta just how furious Harry really was. For the first time she began to wish she were safely back in her own bedchamber. "I got the impression you understood what I was doing, my lord. You seemed to know about my vowels being in Lovejoy's possession. I presume you also know how I lost a thousand pounds to him. Did Sally tell you?"

"You must forgive Sally. She was quite concerned."

"Yes, well, I tried to repay the debt, but Lovejoy refused to take the money. I must say, he is no gentleman. I got the distinct impression he had some nasty plans to use my signed note to humiliate me or perhaps you. I thought it best to retrieve it."

"Damnation, Augusta, you had no business getting lured into a game of cards with Lovejoy in the first place."

"Well, looking back on it, I can certainly see it was a mistake. But I must say, I was holding my own, sir. I was winning, in fact, until I got distracted by another matter. We started talking about my brother, you see, and all of a sudden I looked down and saw that I had lost rather heavily."

"Augusta, a lady with any notion of proper behavior would never have gotten herself into such a situation."

"You are no doubt correct, my lord. But I did warn you I was not the sort of lady you should even contemplate marrying, did I not?"

"That is beside the point," Harry said through gritted teeth. "The fact is, we are going to be married, and allow me to tell you here and now, Augusta, that I will not tolerate another incident such as this. Do I make myself plain?"

"Very plain, sir. But for my own part, I would point out that it was my pride and my honor that were involved here. I had to do something."

"You should have come directly to me."

Augusta narrowed her eyes. "No offense, my lord, but I do not think that would have been such a brilliant notion. What would have been the point? You would have lectured me and made a most unpleasant scene, just as you are doing now."

"I would have taken care of the matter for you," Harry said grimly. "And you would not have put your neck and your reputation at risk as you did tonight."

"It seems to me, my lord, that both of our necks and our reputations were at risk tonight." Augusta tried a tentative smile of appeasement. "And I must say, you were most impressive. I am very glad you turned up when you did, sir. I would never have found my marker if you had not suspected the globe was a secret safe. It seems to me it all turned out for the best and we should both be thankful the thing is over."

"Do you really believe I am going to let the matter rest there?"

Augusta drew herself up proudly. "I will, of course, understand completely if you feel my actions tonight have put me beyond the pale. If you feel you cannot possibly tolerate the notion of marrying me, my original offer still stands. I shall be quite willing to cry off and free you from this engagement."

"Free me, Augusta?" Harry reached out to catch hold of her wrist. "I fear that is impossible now. I have come to the conclusion that I shall never be free of you. You are going to bedevil me for the rest of my life and if that is to be my fate, I may as well take what consolation I can for what I shall be obliged to endure."

Before Augusta had time to realize what he intended, Harry had yanked her across the short distance between them. An instant later she found herself lying across his strong thighs. She clung to his shoulders as his mouth came down on hers.

"Harry."

Augusta 's startled cry was stifled under the fierce, exciting pressure of Harry's mouth. He took command of her senses in a single instant. Her stunned amazement dissolved into a shimmering excitement, just as it had that first time on the floor of his library.

Augusta wound her arms slowly around Harry's neck as she recovered from the initial shock. He was demanding entrance into her mouth and she obediently parted her lips. The instant she did so, he was inside, claiming her warmth. Augusta shivered.

Her body was reacting so quickly she could not think clearly. Part of her was aware of the sway and jostle of the vehicle, the rattle of the wheels, and the ring of the horses' hooves on stone. But here in the carriage, locked in Harry's arms, she was in another world.

It was a world to which she had secretly longed to return ever since that first time Harry had held her like this. The hours she had spent reliving those intimacies in her imagination paled now as reality took its place. A euphoric sensation unfolded within her as she realized she was going to have another opportunity to experience the wonder of Harry's kisses.

Obviously he had forgiven her for the unpleasant business involving Lovejoy and her debt, Augusta thought happily. Surely Harry would not be kissing her like this if he were still angry with her. She clutched at him, her fingers sinking deeply into the heavy fabric of his black greatcoat.

"Good God, Augusta." Harry raised his head slightly, his eyes gleaming in the shadow. "You are going to drive me mad. One minute I could cheerfully shake you and the next you make me want to drag you into the nearest bed."

She touched the side of his face and smiled wistfully. "Will you please kiss me again, Harry? I do so like it when you kiss me."

With a muffled oath, Harry's mouth came back down on hers. She was aware of his hand gliding over her shoulder, stroking gently, and she froze for an instant when his fingers touched her breast through the fabric of her shirt. But she did not pull away.

"Do you like that, my reckless little hoyden?" Harry's voice was husky as he began to unfasten her shirt.

"Yes," she breathed. "I want you to kiss me and go on kissing me forever. I vow it is the most fascinating experience, my lord."

"I am very glad you find it so."

Then his hand was sliding inside the open shirt and cupping her bare breast. Augusta closed her eyes and sucked in her breath as Harry's thumb circled her nipple.

"My God," Harry whispered thickly. "Like the sweetest of ripe fruit."

Then he lowered his head to take the rosy bud into his mouth and Augusta moaned in response.

"Hush, love," he muttered, his hand moving down to the fastening of her trousers.

Dimly Augusta realized they were in a carriage somewhere on a busy street and that Scruggs was only a few feet away, blissfully unaware of what was happening inside the cab. She knew she should keep silent, but she could not swallow each tiny gasp of surprise Harry's touch made her body sing with pleasure. An unbearable eagerness was rippling through her, creating a tension that was too new and too strange to deal with in complete silence.

When she felt Harry's fingers inside her open trousers, searching out the warm secrets between her thighs, Augusta caught her breath and cried out softly. "Oh, Harry."