Having listened attentively to her critical assessment of his finer points with cynical amusement, Noah had fully expected her to be ugly, reasoning that her prejudiced opinion of aristocrats was directly related to a well-earned set-down some peer had issued. He was caught totally by surprise when she whirled about, and he found himself staring down into a pair of the most beautiful green eyes he’d ever seen. The sight of her face sent a shock of awareness through him unlike anything he’d ever experienced before, and he stood perfectly still for a moment as their gazes clashed. She was lovely, and he was astounded. No horse-faced miss, this chit; far from it. Her features were so arresting that even the determined tilt of her chin as she glared challengingly up at him could not detract from her beauty.

With the strict self-discipline that he always practiced, Noah brought his turbulent thoughts under control. Women were the last thing he needed to concern himself with these days. Polly would suit. He had no need or desire for any involvement with any other female, especially not a shrewish, viper-tongued one, no matter how gorgeous she was. Noah gave her his most sardonic smile as he spoke.

“May I introduce myself?” His deep, accented voice was a velvet caress on her senses, and she could only nod as she awaited his pronouncement. “Lord Noah Kincade, at your service.” He bowed elegantly as she stood speechlessly before him, and he was smugly pleased by her obvious confusion.

A flush of embarrassment stung CC’s cheeks as she stared at him wide-eyed in her acute mortification. He was Lord Kincade, and she had no doubt that he had heard every word she’d just so scathingly spoken. She swallowed nervously as she tried to think of an appropriate response.

Edward, wondering at the commotion in the hall, stepped out of the room just as Noah introduced himself to CC.

“Lord Kincade? By Jove, you’re here! Delighted, absolutely delighted.” He was nervous as he wondered just how much of CC’s derogatory declarations the nobleman had heard. “I’m Edward Demorest, and this is my daughter, Cecelia.”

“Mr. Demorest.” Noah greeted him cordially before turning back to the young woman. “And Miss Demorest…” Noah spoke her name slowly. “Charming,” he intoned drolly. His gaze swept over her in cool assessment before swinging back to her father, the effect being one of complete and indifferent dismissal.

At his abrupt, arrogant manner a spark of embarrassed anger seared through CC’s momentarily stunned senses, and she glared at him venomously.

“Indeed, Lord Kincade,” she shot back, wondering why she found his snubbing so irritating. He was a titled gentleman. Hadn’t she come to expect such behavior from them? They were all so pompous…so obnoxiously vain. The fact that she found him attractive had nothing to do with it, she declared to herself vehemently. CC gritted her teeth as she gave her father a sweet smile. “Father, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you gentlemen to your business…”

“Of course, dear.” Judging from Kincade’s calm manner, Edward felt certain that Kincade had not overheard his daughter’s disparaging comments, and he was exceedingly grateful. “Come in and have a seat,” he invited, leading the way back into the study. Directing Noah to the chair before his desk, he shut the door behind them.

CC stared at the closed portal for a moment before turning away to find the butler still standing there.

“I’m sorry, Miss CC,” Gilbert apologized humbly, knowing how embarrassed she’d been by the Englishman’s presence, “but the gentleman hushed me when I started to announce him.”

“He did, did he?” That news infuriated her all the more. The damned scoundrel! He had deliberately eavesdropped! How dare he?

“Miss CC?” He read the range of emotions on her expressive face and knew a moment of disconcertion.

CC was angry, but not at the butler. “Don’t worry about it, Gilbert. It’s not your fault that he’s a conscienceless cad who would deliberately listen in on someone else’s private conversation.”

He was relieved that her irritation wasn’t directed at him. “Can I do anything else for you?”

“No, Gilbert, I’m fine, thank you.”

“Do you think Lord Kincade will be staying for dinner?” the servant inquired.

“I hope not,” she muttered under her breath in annoyance as she walked off.

“Miss CC?” he ventured again, not having heard her answer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

CC paused to answer. “You’ll have to check with my father. I’m not sure if their business meeting will last that long or not.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll do that.”

Hoping she’d seen the last of the obnoxious Lord Noah Kincade, CC again started off to her room.

Edward smiled in satisfaction as he regarded Noah across his desk. They had been poring over contracts and manifests for more than an hour and had finally come to a mutually beneficial agreement regarding the Lorelei’s current load of merchandise.

“A toast to an agreement well met?” he offered as he rose and strode to the liquor cabinet across the room.

“Thank you, Edward,” Noah agreed. He had found him a tough but fair man to deal with and he was pleased with the terms they’d finally settled upon. The profit from the Lorelei’s goods would keep Matthew and him comfortably until the Pride’s arrival.

“Whiskey? Or sherry, perhaps?”

“Whiskey will be fine.”

Edward poured two generous tumblers of the golden liquid and handed one to Noah. “To our future business dealings. May they be as successful as this one.”

“I see no reason why they shouldn’t be.” Noah nodded in accord as he sipped of the potent brew, but even as he said it, his thoughts were on the possibility of his upcoming meeting with Smith.

“You say you have another ship due in port soon?”

“The Sea Pride,” he provided. “The best I can figure, depending on the weather, she should make port sometime around the first of the year.”

“You’ll be staying until spring then?”

“Yes. Atlantic crossings are hardly the thing during the winter months, so Matthew and I will remain until the weather breaks.”

“Wise choice. I made the voyage once, several years ago, and I vowed never to do it again if I could possibly avoid it,” Edward said with a rueful shake of his head. “We encountered storm after storm and I spent most of my time belowdecks, fighting off seasickness. The entire trip took four months and it seemed more like four years.” He laughed at his own remembered discomfort as he placed his now empty glass on his desktop. “But enough of that. Let’s speak of more enjoyable pursuits. I’d be honored if you’d agree to stay and dine with me.”

“Thank you.” Noah was pleased at the invitation, for he knew it would be to his benefit. In cultivating Edward, a most loyal British agent, he would be laying the groundwork for preventing any future suspicion regarding his activities.

“Wonderful,” Edward said as he rang for a servant.

“Will your wife and daughter be joining us?” Noah asked casually.

“I’m a widower, my lord,” he answered.

“My deepest sympathies, sir.”

“I appreciate the thought, but my beloved Sarah has been dead for many years now.” Sadness reflected in his eyes as he spoke. “It’s just CC and me.”

“CC?”

“Cecelia, my daughter,” he offered quickly, grinning. “CC’s a pet name. She’s always been a spirited lass, and somehow it just suits her.”

Noah nodded, but he hardly agreed with Demorest’s description of his daughter. Spirited was not quite the word he would have used to describe Cecelia Demorest. The chit possessed a sharp tongue for such an attractive woman, and it was a fault that Edward, as her father, would do well to see curbed.

When the butler appeared at the door, Edward ordered, “Gilbert, Lord Kincade will be staying for dinner. Please inform Cook, and then tell CC that a guest will be joining us.”