Prudence put a restraining hand on Sebastian's arm. "My lord, do stop causing all this commotion." She smiled reassuringly at Edward. "I am certain Lord Underbrink intended no insult."

"None at all." Edward gave Prudence a grateful look. "Wrong door. That's the problem. They all look confoundedly alike in this damn hall."

"Yes, of course." Prudence wondered fleetingly why she had not noticed until now how soft and ineffectual Edward was. "I can see how it would happen. There is certainly a great deal of activity in the hallway this evening, is there not? One wonders how any of the guests will get to sleep."

Sebastian slanted her a warning glance. "Stay out of this, Prue."

"No, I will not," she said calmly. "Do stop trying to frighten Lord Underbrink. He made a mistake and he is very sorry."

"He will be even more sorry by the time I am through with him," Sebastian vowed.

Edward flinched. "My lord, I beg your pardon. I assure you this is all a grave misunderstanding."

"There, you see, Angelstone? Underbrink has apologized." Pru­dence smiled benignly at both men but fixed Sebastian with a deter­mined look. "And you will kindly accept his apology before we attract undue attention."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at Edward. "I shall deal with you later, Underbrink."

"Angelstone, you're being extremely unreasonable," Underbrink said frantically.

"Yes, you are, Angelstone." Prudence tugged futilely at his arm. "Now, do stop this nonsense at once." She turned to Edward. "Good night, my lord. You may rest assured that this matter is finished. Angelstone is not going to call you out."

Edward looked uncertain but hopeful. He stepped back and in­clined his head with stiff formality. "Good night, Miss Merryweather. Again, I am very sorry to have disturbed you at this hour."

"Think nothing of it. I seem to be up and about at odd hours with amazing frequency of late." Prudence reached around Sebastian and

-l_. _t____J 4.1__J_____

Sebastian turned on her. He was still seething. "Do not ever dare to interfere like that again. I will not tolerate it."

She eyed him warily, but she did not back down. "You were being unreasonable, my lord. And entirely illogical. Underbrink made a sim­ple mistake."

"The hell he did. He showed up at this particular door at this ungodly hour to see you."

Prudence brushed that aside. "Why on earth would he want to do that?"

"Because he wants you, you naive little ninny. He didn't take you three years ago and now he's wondering what he missed."

Prudence blushed. "Do not be an ass, my lord."

He loomed over her. "I am looking at the facts."

"You know nothing about the situation."

"Your brother told me the entire tale," Sebastian said.

"Did he?" That stopped Prudence for an instant. "Well, I assure you that whatever feeling Lord Underbrink may have had for me three years ago has long since vanished. He married another and that was the end of the matter."

"It would appear not." The glow of the candle cast the planes of Sebastian's face in demonic lines. "At least not on his part. What about you, Prue? How do you feel about him after all this time?"

"I am certainly not in love with him, if that is what concerns you, my lord." Prudence lifted her chin. "Although what business it is of yours, I cannot imagine."

"It is most definitely my business." Sebastian stalked across the room. "Furthermore, you needn't act as if my interest in the matter is unusual or odd. We're engaged, if you will recall."

His cavalier attitude toward their relationship outraged Prudence. "You seem to be the one suffering from memory lapses lately. Or have you forgotten that our engagement is a sham?"

He wrapped one hand around the bedpost and looked at her with hooded, unreadable eyes. "I wish to speak to you about this engage­ment of ours. I have had enough of this foolishness."

Dismay swept through her. "You wish to end it so soon, sir?" She floundered for a logical, rational reason that would forestall the inevi­table. "What about our investigation?"

"Forget the damned investigation. I am beginning to think that if the matter were put to the test, I would finish a poor second to your

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"I did not mean to imply that you are not also quite interesting, my lord," she said desperately. "Indeed, I have never met a more decid­edly interesting man. I am quite persuaded your intellect is of the highest order. I have been deeply impressed by your inquiring nature. And by your cleverness with locks."

"Enough." He released the bedpost and came toward her with an air of grim intent.

"Sebastian? What are you about?"

"Why don't you apply your intellect to that question, Miss Mer-ryweather? I'm certain you will very quickly arrive at the answer."

He caught hold of her and swung her up into his arms before she realized what he intended.

"Sebastian."

He tossed her lightly down onto the bed and sprawled on top of her, trapping her beneath his hard body. Prudence took a deep breath. The weight of him was indescribably exciting. She could feel the heat of him right through their combined layers of clothing.

She trembled a little as he carefully removed her spectacles and set them on the night table.

"Just once, Prue," Sebastian said against her throat, "do you think you might concentrate on me instead of on the bloody investigation?"

"I have been concentrating on little else except you for the past several minutes." She clutched at his shoulders and tried to focus on his implacable face. The jeweled fire in his eyes seared her. "What are you doing?"

"I am going to make love to you." He reached down and stripped her slippers off her feet.

"Now? Tonight?"

"Yes. Now. Tonight." He went to work on the buttons of her woolen gown.

A moment later she felt his fingers on the bare skin of her back. A tremor went through her as she realized how quickly he was working to undress her. In another minute or two he would have her bodice down to her waist. A deep, throbbing excitement awoke within her.

"Sebastian?"

"Hush, Prue." He stopped her faint, questioning words with a fierce kiss that effectively robbed her of breath. She moaned and in­stinctively tightened her grasp on his broad shoulders. Sebastian lifted his head to look down at her. "We will talk later." his thigh. The startling intimacy of the action sent a wave of hot and cold chills through Prudence. Memories of the night in Mrs. Leacock's bedchamber crashed through her once more.

With quick, urgent motions, Sebastian finished unfastening her bodice and tugged it downward.

"My sweet, Prue." Sebastian's voice was little more than a ragged whisper. He looked down at her breasts for a moment and then he reverently lowered his head and took one nipple between his teeth.

Prudence swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut against the exqui­site sensations that washed over her. She felt as if she were floating in a warm river, gliding along in a current that was quickly gathering force and speed. Because of what she had learned that night in Mrs. Leacock's bedchamber, Prudence knew that a magnificent waterfall lay ahead of her. She was suddenly impatient to reach it.

She arched herself against Sebastian's stroking hand. He groaned thickly in response.

"This time I am going to be deep inside you when you find your release." Sebastian looked down at her with blazing eyes. "I do not care if all the specters of hell put in an appearance around this bed."

He levered himself slightly away from her and yanked off his shirt, breeches, and boots. When he turned to face her, he was naked.

Prudence gazed at him in startled wonder. She had never seen a man in such a state in her life. The candlelight gleamed on his broad shoulders and highlighted the powerful contours of his hard, lean body.