He gave a pleased chuckle at her response. "And now I believe that it is your turn, Miss Cresswell."

Readily recovering, she gave a shrug. "Well, I should wish for a lovely town house in an elegant neighborhood. The pleasure of my sisters' company. And"-she paused before giving a wry smile-"my father free of danger."

Anthony studied her for a long moment, considering her obvious close ties to her family. He experienced a faint flare of envy. Despite their scandalous and highly unconventional life, they possessed a far greater bond than he felt toward his more respectable family.

"You do not wish for a h-husband and family?" he probed with undeniable curiosity.

She gave a startled blink at his unexpected question. "Goodness, no. I am enjoying my independence. Why would I desire to sacrifice it for any gentleman?"

His gaze narrowed at her deliberate challenge. "There would surely be some benefits?"

"Not nearly enough to tempt me."

He leaned slowly forward. "Perhaps you have not yet tasted true temptation."

Their gazes locked and Anthony was seized with an unbearable urge to close the small distance and capture her lips with his own. Gads, but she had bewitched him. But even as his body tingled in anticipation, an empty plate was suddenly thrust beneath his nose.

"May I have more strawberries?" Julia demanded, unaware of the pulsing shimmers that filled the air between her companions.

With an overly brisk motion Miss Cresswell refilled her plate and then busied herself with wrapping the remaining food into napkins.

"Here. We shall make sure these are properly covered and you may save them for a midnight treat."

The blue eyes lit with pleasure. "Oh."

With reluctance Anthony rose to his feet, knowing they had tempted fate long enough.

"I should return Julia inside. We would not wish to have Mrs. Greene discover our secret."

Miss Cresswell gave a nod of her head. "Yes. I will finish packing our things."

Once again scooping the girl into his arms, Anthony returned her to the bath chair and removed the cloak to replace it with a nearby blanket. He was pleased to note that her cheeks appeared nicely colored from her brief time outside and her eyes sparkled with happiness. She had obviously enjoyed her afternoon.

"Do not forget to keep the food and puzzles hidden beneath the blanket," he warned, knowing that there would be trouble if the items were discovered.

"I will," Julia promised, then regarded him with an uncertain expression. "You will return?"

"Certainly," he promised.

"Thank you for a lovely picnic."

"It is I who should thank you for being such a charming companion." He gallantly raised her thin fingers to his lips. "Good-bye, my dear."

Leaving the room, he carefully listened to make sure that there were no sounds from above before hurrying from the house. He discovered Miss Cresswell waiting for him beside the gate and taking the basket from her, he carefully relatched the lock and led her toward the nearby trees.

"Your picnic was a charming notion," he congratulated his companion, delighted to have her alone for the moment.

"It was too lovely a day to remain inside."

"Still there must have been any number of entertainments offered for your enjoyment this afternoon."

She gave a casual lift of one shoulder. "None that captured my interest."

Anthony gave a low chuckle as he gazed down at the lovely countenance. "Why will you not just admit that you were performing a good d-deed? You need not fear that I will reveal the dazzling Miss Cresswell does indeed possess a heart."

A hint of unease darkened her eyes before she gave a toss of her head.

"You are being absurd." She brushed aside a limb hovering in the path then gave a small exclamation. "What is that?"

"What?"

She bent downward then rose to reveal a delicate piece of jewelry studded with diamonds and pearls.

"It is a brooch."

Anthony regarded the small treasure with a lift of his brows. "A very expensive brooch."

"What would it be doing here?"

He hid a smile, suspecting that she was deliberately attempting to change the subject. She was far more comfortable with her image as a callous flirt than a kindhearted innocent.

"I assume that it must have fallen from some lady's gown."

She flashed him a frown. "Here?"

"You are not the only lady who is capable of walking on a fine day."

Her lips thinned at his light tone. "I find it difficult to imagine Lady Broswell or her daughters strolling through the woods no matter how fine the day, Mr. Clarke. They are far too concerned a bit of dust might mar their hems."

He had to admit that she did have a point. Lady Broswell would not be one to consider nature as anything but a nuisance.

"Then perhaps it belongs to Miss Carlfield," he suggested as they continued through the trees and stepped into the parkland.

"Yes, I shall ask her," Miss Cresswell murmured, seemingly intrigued by her discovery.

In silence they moved toward the house, but as they entered the courtyard Anthony came to a halt.

"I shall part from you here, my dear."

She regarded him in surprise. "You are not going into the house?"

"No, I have a project I wish to begin," he informed her firmly.

As expected, her eyes flashed with annoyance at being so summarily dismissed.

"Yet another project?" she demanded.

"Yes."

She gave a small sniff. "I do hope you never intend to wed, Mr. Clarke. I fear a wife would find your habit of forever disappearing to attend to your projects rather tedious."

He smiled with calm indifference to her barb. "Perhaps I shall choose a woman I feel worthy of being included in my projects."

"No doubt she will feel honored."

"No d-doubt."

For a moment she struggled to pretend an aloof disinterest in his movements. She was not a woman who pursued a gentleman. They were meant to pursue her. But his air of mystery at last got the better of her.

"Can you at least tell me what this secret project is?"

"Of course," he agreed with a shrug. "I am going to make a young girl's wish come true."

It was obviously not what she had expected and she blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Somehow I am going to see to it that Julia is allowed to fly like a bird."

There was a shocked silence, then quite without warning, she had grasped his face between her hands and pressed her lips to his own.

It was their first true kiss and Anthony was swift to respond. Dropping the basket he wrapped his arms about her and tugged her close. He was indifferent to the knowledge that they were standing in the middle of the courtyard. Or that this had not been plotted into his well-calculated seduction. All that mattered was that she was at last in his arms, where she belonged.

Her mouth was sweet honey heat making his head swim and his thighs tighten. He sucked in the scent of roses, tasting deeply of her innocence. With gentle care he urged her lips apart, allowing him access to the tender warmth of her mouth. She gave a soft moan, then with gratifying reluctance, she pulled back to meet his smoldering gaze.

"Oh."

He chuckled at her startled expression, his hand gently rubbing her soft cheek.

"Tell me, my dear, what have I possibly done to deserve such a delectable treat?"

She offered him a pert smile, although her cheeks remained flushed and her eyes dark with bewildered pleasure.

"There are moments when you are quite wonderful, sir," she breathed.

He moved to pull her back close to his body, but with a swift movement she had twirled away and was hurrying toward the house.

A smile curved Anthony's lips as he watched the provocative sway of her hips. The kiss might have been unplanned but it had been utterly enticing. Enticing enough to ensure that he would have another long, restless night, he thought wryly.

Resisting the urge to hurry after her, Anthony forced himself to turn and walk toward the distant stables.

He had crossed past the front of the house and was leaving the courtyard when the sound of footsteps hurrying in his direction had him halting to turn back and discover Lady Broswell forging a determined path in his direction.

With a groan of displeasure he watched the plumes on her bonnet bounce and the skirts of her black bombazine gown flow about her like the sails of a battleship. She was clearly in full pursuit and he would rather hear what she had to say and dismiss her than have her trail him to the stables.

"Mr. Clarke." Lady Broswell smiled as she came to a halt before him, her large bosom heaving from her unaccustomed exertion.

He gave a half bow. "Lady Broswell."

"A lovely day, is it not?"

"Q-quite lovely."

"I had hoped to see you today." Her tone was offhanded, but Anthony did not doubt that she had laid in wait for him the entire morning. He was annoyingly accustomed to matchmaking mamas and their ruthless ploys. "I am planning a small gathering for Friday evening. Quite informal, of course. We should be very honored if you would attend."

"That is very kind, Lady Broswell, but I fear I am quite busy with personal matters."

The thick features tightened with irritation at his smooth dismissal.

"My daughters will be quite disappointed."

"Please offer my apologies. Now if you will excuse me?"

Fully prepared to walk, away Anthony was halted by the preemptory hand laid upon his arm.

"Mr. Clarke."

He glared coldly down his nose until she hastily withdrew her hand. "What is it?"

She hesitated a nervous moment before tilting her chin. "Perhaps it is not my place, but I do feel someone should warn you about Miss Cresswell."

"Indeed?" His silky tone would have warned anyone who knew him that they were traversing dangerous water. Lady Broswell, however, was far too intent on harming Miss Cresswell to take heed of the icy atmosphere.

"A lovely girl, of course, and quite bewitching, but she is unfortunately indiscriminate in her favors. It is rumored that Mr. Mondale is her current lover."

A sharp, fierce anger surged thorough Anthony. Regardless of the fact that gossip was all too often a pastime for women of Lady Broswell's stamp, to deliberately set out to ruin a young lady's reputation went beyond the pale.

"You are correct, she is a lovely girl," he said, his tone laced with ice. "And quite undeserving of such vile, clearly malicious lies. S-should I hear such rumors circulating in Surrey I assure you that I will be swift to enact my wrath. Do we understand one another, Lady Broswell?"

A shocked silence greeted his overt warning. Then a deep, ugly scarlet flooded the older woman's face.

"Perfectly, Mr. Clarke. Good day."

Turning on her heel, she marched away, every inch of her considerable form quivering with outrage.

Anthony watched her leave with a narrowed gaze.

Gads, but the woman was a harpy. It was little wonder that Rachel was determined to throttle her. At the moment he would gladly do so himself.

Clenching his hands, he turned and continued on his path to the stables. He still had a miracle to create.

Six.

Two mornings later Rachel was on the hunt.