"But the ton is your milieu-have you not enjoyed the b.a.l.l.s this Season?"

Harry's gaze touched hers, then he looked down. He took one of her hands in his. Small, slender, her hand nestled in his much larger palm, confidently trusting.

Harry closed his fingers about hers, his lips twisting. "There have been..

x:ompensations."

His lids rose; he met Lucinda's gaze, Slowly, she raised her brows.

"Indeed?" When he offered nothing more but simply looked away across the lake, she followed his gaze to Lester Hall, basking in the afternoon sun. As at Hallows Hall, Lucinda felt the tug of old memories. She sighed.

"However, to answer your question, despite my fascination, I seriously doubt I could stomach a never-ending round of tonnish life. I fear I would need a steady diet of cOuntry. peace to 205 enable me to brave the Season on a regular basis." She slanted a glance at Harry and found him watching her.

Her lips quirked.

"My parents lived very retired in a rambling old house in Hampshire. When they died, I removed to the Yorkshire moors, which, of course, is as retired as it's possible to be."

Harry's features relaxed, subtly but. definitely.

"So you're a country miss at heart?" He lifted one brow, Slowly, his eyes on hers, he raised her hand.

NaY ve He brushed his lips across her fingertips, then turned her hand in his.

"Innocent?" His lids fell as he pressed a kiss to her palm. ,~ Lucinda shuddered; she made no effort to hide it. She couldn't breathe, could baroly think as Harry's lids rose and his eyes, green and direct, met hers.

His lips twisted; he hesitated, then shifted closer and bent his head to hers.

"And mine?"

He breathed the question against her lips, then captured them in a long, commanding kiss.

Lucinda answered in the only way she could--she turned to him, sliding her arms up and wrapping them about his neck, then kissed him back with a fervour to match his own.

Instinct prompted Harry to edge back, drawing her around the pillar to where the shadows shielded them from inadvertent eyes.

Silence filled the small pavilion. The breeze idly played with the honeysuckle, wafting perfume through the air; a drake hooted from some distant reed-fringed sh.o.r.e. The shadows shifted gently over the figures entwined in the pillar's lee. Spring had blossomed; summer stood in the wings, eager for its day.

"Oh! How lovely--a Grecian temple! Can we go and see?"

Heather's high-pitched tones carried easily across the water, hauling Harry and Lucinda back' to their senses.

Harry's chest swelled as he drew in a deep breath--then looked down.

Lucinda's eyes slowly filled with comprehension; Harry felt his lips firm as he saw his frustration mirrored in misty blue.

Muttering a curse, he bent his head to taste her lips one last time, then drew his hand from her breast and quickly, expertly, rearranged her bodice, doing up the tiny b.u.t.tons with a dexterity equal to that with which he had undone them.

Blinking, struggling to subdue her harried breathing, Lucinda straightened his collar and brushed back the heavy lock of hair she'd disarranged. She had shifted his cravat; her hands fluttered uncertainly.

Harry abruptly stepped back, long fingers reaching for the starched folds.

"Your skirts."

Lucinda looked down--and swallowed a gasp. She shot an indignant glare at Harry, which he met with an arrogantly raised brow, then shook the clinging muslin down, smoothing the folds so that the skirts once more hung free. She spied her hat lying on the floor; she swiped it up and set it in place, tangling the ties in her haste.

"Here--let me." Harry deftly separated the ribbons, then tied them in a neat bow.

Putting up a hand to check on his efforts, Lucinda threw him a haughty glance.

"Your talents are quite astonishing."

Harry's smile was a touch grim.

"And extremely useful, you'll admit."

Lucinda tilted her chin, then, turning, plastered a bright smile on her lips as Gerald's voice floated up from the bottom of the steps.

"Take care! Wait till I make fast."

Lucinda strolled forward into the sunshine at the top of the steps.

"h.e.l.lo--did you have a pleasant time on the lake?"

Gerald looked up at her and blinked. When Harry appeared from the shadows b~hind her, Gerald's expression turned wary.

But Harry only smiled, albeit a touch coolly.

"Just in time, Gerald.

Now we can take the punt and you can show Miss Babbacombe around the temple then stroll back. "

"Oh, yes! Let's do that." Heather could barely wait for Gerald to a.s.sist her from the bobbing craft.

"It's such a lovely spot--so secluded."

"Usually," Harry murmured, so low only Lucinda heard.

She shot him a warning glance but her smile didn't waver.

"The tiles on the ceiling are quite splendid."

"Oh?" Heather trod~ up the steps and into the temple without further encouragement.

Gerald, meanwhile, was staring, mesmerised, at Harry's gold acorn pin, the one his excessively precise brother used to anchor his cravat. The pin was askew. Blinking in bemus.e.m.e.nt, Gerald raised his eyes to Harry's,. only to be met by a languid, distinctly bored green gaze--which he knew very well meant he'd be well advised to quit his brother's presence forthwith.

"Ah--yes.

We'll walk back. "

His expression studiously blank, Gerald nodded to Lucinda and hurried after Heather.

"Mrs Babbacombe?"