Page 85 of Tempting the Marquess

Visibly taking a deep breath, Samantha lifted her chin. “Well, you have something else to deal with, then. Because I can throw a knife. I have my own, which I carry in my reticule everywhere I go. As a matter of fact, while you were in France I stopped a fleeing thief in Hyde Park by embedding a dagger in his backside.”

Relief swamped him and he stifled a grin. “Really? I’m surprised such an interesting event didn’t make all the scandal sheets.”

“I was with Uncle David and told everyone he threw the knife.”

“Ah.”

“William,” she said tentatively, walking over to sit next to him on the bed, close enough so the scent of roses teased his senses. “I know what he saw in the garden sounds bad, but I want...no, I need to make you understand. About me and Alexander.”

He concentrated on her words, trying desperately not to be jealous of the affectionate way she talked about his friend, and failed utterly. “When did you become so close he gave you leave to call him by his givenname?”

“After a particularly memorable morning when I hurled brandy in his face and punched him several times,” Samantha said stiltedly, her cheeks crimson as she stared at a spot behind his left shoulder rather than meet hisgaze.

William choked on a cough. That sounded like a story he would have to coax out of her at a later date. Something like that would never pass Alexander’s lips, even under torture.

“Do you lovehim?”

“I love Alexander’s honor and strength because those qualities remind me of you. But as a man? No. His smile never made me dizzy. When he took my arm my skin didn’t tingle. And I never, ever felt the urge to rip his shirtoff.”

“I’m relieved to hear that,” he said, as light and warmth unfurled through his body. “Calling him out was not something I wanted todo.”

Samantha sagged against the bedpost. Then she leaned forward and rested her head against his uninjured shoulder, letting her hair spill freely onto his chest. Right where she shouldbe.

“I wouldn’t kiss another man. Ever,” she mumbled.

“Good. It would be extremely tiresome travelling around the countryside requesting dawn appointments, and his majesty really doesn’t approve of dueling.”

“Don’t joke. I would do thesame.”

“Excuse me?” he said, confused.

“If you kissed another woman I would request a dawn appointment with her. Not with pistols, though, because I don’t know how to shoot.”

“Hmmm. I could teach you, although I don’t think you’ll have too many problems with other ladies. You staked a definite claim—my feet still carry the heel imprint from the night we re-met at Almack’s.”

She didn’t smile. “If I promise to refuse all future dance invitations, will you promise to be careful if you keep your government post? When they said you were shot and might die, I wanted to die too. And forget what I said in your bedchamber, I don’t want to marry anyoneelse.”

William curled his good arm tighter around her hip. Despite everything, all the risks and excellent reasons why not, he had come here tonight because he’d made a decision.

“Stop it,” he said sternly, glad she couldn’t see his annoyingly wayward grin. “That sounded like the start of a proposal, and it’s the man who does the asking, not thelady.”

“Well, if you are going to do it, hurry up!” she scolded, twisting her head to look up at him. “This baby is already going to be far too early.”

“Good point. We also have the relatives to consider. I imagine Stephen threatened all sorts of dire and ghastly punishments if I failed to marry you and atone for my disgraceful and ungentlemanly behavior.”

Samantha flushed again and bit her lip. “Er...”

“I’ll forgive his hypocrisy, poor thing. Because he has never been caught behaving badly with a lady. Not ever. Indeed, it is me who is the black sheep. The most rakish rake who ever raked.”

“Do not wiggle your eyebrows at me, Lord Standish! It’s nothing to be proudof!”

“Oh, very well. Anyway, for the sake of your health, and mine, you’ll need to marry me sometime in the near future. We’ll worry about all the problems later.”

“Problems? What problems?”

Your father wants to killme.

“Don’t think about them. Just answer the very important question I askedyou.”