Those Scandalous Ravenhursts Volume 3. Louise Allen

course. It was very pleasant, and instructive, if brief. I could have told you to stop, could I not? And,’ she added, risking a smile, ‘I did not limit what your treat could be.’

      ‘No, you didn’t.’ Eden’s smile was genuine, if fleeting. Then he was serious again. Maude wondered if she was imagining the look of bleakness in his eyes, then decided it must be a trick of the torchlight flickering from the flambeaux outside the houses on the corner.

      She was making progress with Eden, Maude decided, pouring the earl’s morning coffee as a dutiful daughter should, and closing her ears to his robust, if muttered, comments on the government’s taxation policy.

      Eden was obviously attracted to her, or he would not want to kiss her. And it must be something more than mere desire, because he was so gentle with her. And he had remembered what she had been wearing in the shop that day. And he had listened to her views at the audition. It was slower progress, though, than she had daydreamed of. Foolishly she had expected him to take one look and fall in love with her—or at least manage to do so after a short acquaintance.

      And just as obviously the fact that she had fallen in love at first sight did not mean it must be mutual. She sighed, remembering the gentleness of his kiss, the total control. He was very obviously not out of control with desire for her.

      ‘You are up very early, my dear.’ The sigh had obviously penetrated the barrier of the Morning