"I came to the same conclusion. He is a good friend, but in the case of Brentmoor, his judgment became clouded."

Colin nodded. "Men like Brentmoor train their sights on the unwary. They recognize others' vulnerabilities and take advantage." He felt like a hypocrite. He'd taken advantage of Angeline last night. Of course, he would never admit it.

"Wycoff needs to own up to his mistakes, and he needs to be kind to his daughter," Colin said.

The marquess frowned. "What do mean?"

"Wycoff is wrapped up in his own guilt. He keeps away from Angeline, and my understanding is that they were close before this all happened. He is wounding her as badly as Brentmoor."

The marquess clasped his hands over his slight paunch. "I hesitate to get involved."

"Who better than his oldest friend?" Colin said. "You will tell him what he needs to hear, not what he wants to hear."

The marquess sighed. "It may well end in the ruin of a lifelong friendship."

"He won't like it," Colin said. "What man would? But when he becomes defensive, you will tell him that he must stop wallowing in his guilt and be a husband and father to his family."

"Where the devil did you acquire this wisdom?"

Colin huffed. "From you."

His father burst out laughing.

Chapter Thirteen.

Two days later The grounds were too soggy and muddy for walking, so everyone was forced to spend their days indoors, except for the marquess and the duke, who didn't think a little mud would hurt anyone. Margaret disagreed, but she'd long ago thrown up her hands when her husband tracked mud or dirt indoors.

Colin invited Angeline to play backgammon with him. He knew it would be a challenging game, because she was more clever than most, but he recalled their conversation the last time they had pretended to play. Since Margaret, the d.u.c.h.ess, and the girls were involved in needlework, he figured the others would leave them to concentrate.

As they set up the stones for the game, he glanced at her. "You are well?"

"Yes."

"Were there questions?" he asked.

"My mother was appalled that you unlaced me, but I told her to be sensible. You were the only one available."

"How did she react?"

Angeline moved a stone. "She fears you took a disgust of me. I explained that it was only circ.u.mstances, and she blamed herself for allowing me to attend you."

"That's foolish. I hope you did not take it to heart."

"I told her I could not be a martyr to my stays."

He grinned.

"Did you take a disgust of me after my wanton behavior?" she whispered.

He met her gaze. "I started the game. Were you disgusted? Be truthful."

"No, I found it...exciting." She rolled the dice.

"Now you are remorseful?"

"No, but..."

"But what?"

"I want to do it again," she whispered.

His breath whooshed out of him, and his groin tightened. "Me too."

She moved a stone. "I'm shameless."

His shoulders shook with laughter.

"Do not laugh. They are liable to ask what is so funny," she whispered.

He rolled the dice. "I am eager for another visit."

She blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

He leaned forward and whispered, "From the famous courtesan."

"She is entertaining other gentlemen," she said under her breath.

"I forbid it. She is mine and mine alone."

"Exclusive visits will cost you. She demands rubies and sapphires."

He looked into her eyes. "She is beautiful and very desirable."

"I can hardly believe I was capable of the things I said and did. I don't know what is wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you. It's only fantasy."

"It is not ladylike."

He leaned forward and said under his breath, "Angeline, I've never wanted a woman more in my life."

"You are only trying to be polite and spare my feelings," she whispered, "even though I acted like Satan's mistress."

He laughed, but his imagination soared. He pictured her walking in a room in nothing but one of those enormous shawls women favored. Then he imagined tearing it off of her luscious body and having his wicked way with her on the carpet.

"Colin, why do you have that gleam in your eyes?" Bianca said.

Uh-oh. "I am about to trounce Angeline."

"You are not," Angeline said.

He looked at the board. "What happened?"

"I beared off all fifteen stones," she said. "I won."

While he'd been entertaining fantasies of her naked, she'd been strategizing.

"I am a gentleman and naturally let you win."

"Keep telling yourself lies," she said, "but I know better."

When everyone gathered for breakfast, the marquess folded his hands. "I have it on the best of authority from one of the groomsmen that at long last the grounds are dry in most of the areas. I imagine everyone is anxious to be out of doors for a change."

A round of applause went up. Colin smiled at Angeline. They would probably have to spend the first hour or so walking with everyone else, but he hoped that he and Angeline would be able to take a different path so that they could discuss whether they could build a life together.

"Mama, can we ride?" Bianca asked.

"Not today," the marchioness said. "We will all enjoy a very long walk about the grounds, and then afterward, we will have luncheon, as everyone will be hungry from the exercise."

"Mama, may we take Hercules?" Bernadette asked.

"Yes, but bring his leash in the event he manages to find a puddle or mud." Margaret rose. "Chadwick, do try not to step in every mud puddle."

"Wycoff and I are not afraid of mud," the marquess said.

"I know, dear, but given the amount of mud you have managed to find, I would be grateful if you might condescend to avoid some of the puddles."

"We shall see," the marquess said. "Ah, here are the guns."

Margaret shook her head. "Let us all put on our warmest wraps, gloves, and hats. We will meet in the hall in fifteen minutes."

Colin knew it was important that he treat Angeline as a friend only in front of their mothers and sisters. It was not an easy task when she favored him with one of her brilliant smiles and walked beside him. But he thought better of being familiar with her. Wycoff had been displeased about the night they had spent at Sommerall. Fortunately, the marquess had told Wycoff to let him know the day he could predict the weather, as he would sell tickets for miles around.

Hercules forged ahead and the leash slipped from Bianca's gloved hand. "Hercules, come back!"

The dog ignored her and ran farther and farther away.

"He'll be lost," Bianca cried.

Colin whistled as he chased after the dog. Naturally Hercules ignored him. "Come back here!" he yelled. Hercules spied a red squirrel and chased it yards ahead until the squirrel ran up a tree. The foolish dog pawed the tree and barked continuously. Colin scooped the dog up, and of course, he got dirty paw prints all over his coat. "No wonder my father threatens to put you in the dustbin," he muttered.

The girls surrounded him and clapped their hands.

"Bianca, put the leash on him. I saw some mud puddles," Colin said. "Father is liable to make good on his promise to get rid of Hercules if you don't take care of him."

"Thank you for catching him," Bianca said.

"I thought you meant to teach him some commands," Colin said.

"Such as?" Bernadette said.

"Command him to sit."

"Sit, Hercules," Bernadette said.

The dog lolled his tongue.

"Push his bottom to the ground."

Colin looked up at the sound of Angeline's voice. "Good idea."

"Sit, Hercules," Colin said, pushing the dog's hind end to the gra.s.s.

Hercules promptly stood up and lolled his tongue.

"You'll have to do it repeatedly for him to learn," Angeline said.

"You've trained a dog before?" he asked.

"Yes, but I gave him a small treat as a reward when he obeyed."

He met her gaze and remembered the command he'd given her that morning at Sommerall. He still couldn't believe she'd played along.

Her lips parted and she shaded the brim of her bonnet as she looked away. Ah, she might well be remembering.

Colin handed the leash to Bianca. "Today let's not let him loose since there are mud puddles, and it would be just your luck he would find them."

"After we return to the house, ask Cook for some bits of meat that you can use to reward him," Angeline said. "Teach him one command at a time."

"Thank you, Angeline," Bianca said. "Papa makes fun of Hercules, but he really is a smart dog."

"You must take care of him and teach him manners," Colin said.

Hercules broke wind.

"Pew," Colin said, waving his hand.

"He does some very unmannerly things," Bernadette said.

Angeline and his sisters laughed.

Colin groaned. "You had better train him not to do that in our father's presence. That might be the last straw for Papa."