Faith blinked at the maid’s greeting. “Lord” Kincade? Had the girl greeted Matthew as “Lord”?

“Thank you,” Matthew was saying politely as the two servants set the table for them.

“You’re welcome, m’lord,” they both cooed. They thought Matthew Kincade irresistible and wished that the handsome nobleman would take notice of them. They had heard talk in the kitchen of the girl’s misfortune and subsequent rescue by him and thought her a most lucky woman. Oh! To be saved by Lord Kincade! How romantic!

Matt, however, was unaware of their interest as he directed, “Miss Hammond needs your help to dress before we breakfast. I’ll wait outside while you assist her.”

Before Faith could say anything, Matt had gone from the room, leaving the two maids to attend her. Maids? she thought quizzically. She had dressed herself for her entire life, and yet Matt had assumed that she would need help.

“Is something wrong, ma’am?” Mary asked as she sorted through the garments.

“Did you call him ‘Lord Kincade’?”

“Yes, ma’am. He and his brother are newly arrived from England this week,” Mary told her, surprised that she didn’t know he was an aristocrat. “Didn’t he tell you?”

“No. I had no idea that he was a nobleman.” Faith was astounded.

“Yes, ma’am,” Beatrice said, “and he’s such a fine good-looker, too.”

“That he is,” Mary agreed quickly, glancing toward the door. “Come now. Let us help you with these clothes. We don’t want to keep him waiting long.”

For the first time in her life, Faith allowed herself the luxury of attendants, but only because it would hasten her exit. She had to leave…had to get away. Lord Matthew Kincade was too dangerous for her peace of mind. Besides, she knew how little the aristocrats thought of colonials. Hadn’t she heard the soldiers’ mocking, degrading statements? She stood quietly as they helped her into the garments and then brushed out her long, dark hair. Though the dress and underthings were made for another, they fit reasonably well. Faith was feeling much more herself when she finally stood before them fully clothed.

“Now you look fine for His Lordship,” Mary remarked, taking care to hide her envy. “We’ll be going now.”

The words screamed inside her as they hurried from the room. You look fine for His Lordship. Lord Matthew Kincade was the stuff of which fantasies were made, and she could not allow herself that dream. There was no point in remaining. She was fully recovered, except for a few bruises and aches, and her mother needed her. Self-preservation dictated that she go, now. She would not share the meal with him. She would not stay with him a moment longer.

The maids admitted Matthew on their way out and he thanked them warmly for their help before facing Faith.

“You look lovely,” Matt complimented as he stood before her, his eyes glowing as his gaze skimmed over her. She was beautiful, despite the secondhand clothes. Her hair was glorious, tumbling unconfined down her back in shining splendor. Though the bruise on her forehead was more pronounced, the healthy rosy color in her cheeks seemed to assert that she was feeling better, and he felt a quickening deep within the heart of him. She was going to be fine. Without thought, guided only by his feelings, Matt bent toward her then, his lips brushing ever so lightly against hers.

It was a soft kiss, a gentle exchange, nothing like the disgusting advances of the soldiers. It sent a thrill of physical awareness through Faith unlike anything she’d ever felt before and made her all the more determined to flee. Breaking the contact, she darted toward the door, throwing it wide in her need to escape.

“Faith…” Matt was caught off guard by her action. Only when his startled eyes met hers and witnessed the wariness there did he think he understood his mistake. He shouldn’t have touched her…shouldn’t have taken advantage of her trust. She had been so abused, and he had frightened her away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…please stay…”

“No…I can’t…” Faith had to get away from his overwhelming presence. The kiss had only emphasized the need. She was vulnerable, her defenses were down, and he was perfect, everything she’d ever wanted in a man, but he was beyond her reach. “I have to go…”

With that she disappeared into the hall, dashing for the stairs. Matt stood perfectly still, stunned by all that had happened. She was gone. He hesitated only an instant before running after her, but as he started from the room, he ran headlong into Noah. The jolt of the impact jarred them both.

“Matt? What the hell…?” Noah grasped him by the shoulders to steady them both.

“It’s Faith…”

“Faith?” he frowned.

“The girl. She just ran out, and I was trying to catch up to her.” Matt shifted free of Noah’s grip and hurried to the top of the staircase, only to find to his dismay that she’d already gone from sight.

“What happened?” Noah asked as he came up behind him.

Matt did not want to answer, for he believed that the blunder he’d made in kissing her had frightened her away, and he felt more than a little ashamed.

“Nothing,” he answered curtly.

“Nothing? Then why were you chasing her down the hall?”

“I wasn’t chasing her down the hall,” he denied. “I just didn’t think she should be up and about yet, that’s all.”

“Oh.” Noah knew that there was more to the moment than his brother was ready to confess, but he let it drop. “Join me for breakfast, then?”

Matt wanted to race after her. He knew her address. He knew he could hire a conveyance and reach her home before she did, but he did not. He was certain that he was the last person in the world she would want to see.

“I’ve got a better idea,” Matt remarked. “Why don’t you join me?” And he led the way back to his room.

Standing before the mirror above the washstand in his room, Noah finished arranging his neck cloth into a precise style. He then donned his ivory satin waistcoat and quickly buttoned the polished gold buttons. Noah had always disdained the ornately embroidered fashions of his contemporaries, thinking them particularly dandyish, and instead had favored a more understated style, one that enhanced the man and not the clothes.

His peers in London had often chided him for not following the current trends, but the ladies had thought him daring. His elegantly tailored wardrobe had emphasized the lean power of his manly form, and the women had found him near to irresistible.

Noah was not remembering London society, though, as he drew on the unadorned black velvet cutaway coat he’d selected to wear to the Demorests’ ball. Instead, he was thinking of CC. There was unfinished business between them, and he wondered how she was going to handle welcoming him to her home tonight. Would she welcome him openly and make him feel at home as she’d promised her father before their first meeting? A brief, leering smile played about his lips at the thought. Or would she try to stay out of his way and ignore him as much as possible? There was only one thing he knew for sure. It was going to be interesting seeing how she handled herself in front of her father’s loyalist friends. Turning back to the mirror, he surveyed himself critically. Satisfied that he looked his best, he paused to idly adjust his ruffled cuffs when a knock sounded on his door.

“Noah, it’s me…” Matt called out.

“Come on in,” he responded.

“Are you about ready? It’s well after eight,” Matt told him as he let himself into the room. Since his fateful encounter with Faith Hammond early the day before, Matthew had thought of little else, and he was looking forward to the diversion the ball would present. The young colonial woman had haunted his thoughts ever since she’d rushed from the inn and out of his life. Though he had been tempted on several occasions to go to her home, he had held himself back. She had suffered enough. By leaving as she did, she had let him know how she felt in no uncertain terms, and he knew there was no point in pursuing it.