LITMIR.BIZ

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is watching us.’ She swallowed hard and attempted to ignore the fluttering in her stomach.

      ‘Everyone will have read the papers. They want to see what happens. Abject devotion.’

      ‘From you or me?’ Sophie gave a pointed smile. She was on firmer ground here. ‘Abject devotion fails to agree with me, Lord Bingfield. Never has done and I have no plans to start. Remember, I am redoubtable.’

      ‘I never believe anything I read in the press.’

      ‘You should believe that. I have spent years ensuring I do not have pointless flirtations.’

      ‘What a pity.’ He clasped his hand over hers. ‘I shall take comfort in the fact that you are far from indifferent to me. Your body must remember what happened the last time I held you in my arms.’

      Sophie ground her teeth. ‘A gentleman would refrain from mentioning that kiss.’

      ‘It was utterly delightful.’ He gave an unrepentant smile. ‘That is better. Your cheeks have colour. Far better for giving the impression of being besotted.’

      Besotted indeed! The one thing this engagement was not going to become was a way for him to seduce her. She knew the boundaries. The kiss would not be repeated. She refused to slip slowly but inexorably along that path again towards an illicit room in a rundown inn.

      She cleared her throat. ‘The dance has begun.’

      He began to move and she discovered that he was an expert dancer. She had danced with some very good dancers before, but Richard moved differently. It was more like floating on a cloud or having her body move as one with his. It would be easy to forget everything and simply enjoy the sensation of being in his arms.

      ‘We need to come up with a story,’ she said and ignored how his hand had moved to fit her waist far more snugly. ‘Something to test Sir Vincent.’

      ‘I doubt that will be necessary.’

      ‘We need to prove that he is our mutual enemy.’

      ‘Proving is nothing. What we need to do is ensure that he will not continue with his scheme. And he needs to learn that he should not try that sort of behaviour with anyone else.’

      ‘I take it you have a plan.’

      ‘I promised to protect you.’ His hand moved around to her back. ‘Trust me to do so and not abandon you to the winds of fate. You are far from alone, Miss Ravel. Relax and enjoy the dance. Look me in the eyes as if you never want to look anywhere else.’

      ‘And if someone asks how we met? I can hardly tell them the truth.’

      He missed his step, but recovered. ‘I had not considered it. Have you been away from Newcastle recently?’

      ‘Carlisle,’ Sophie answered with a faint smile. ‘I trust you know where that is.’

      He cleared his throat. ‘I meant somewhere in the south.’

      ‘We went to Liverpool in late March as a new design of tea clipper was being launched and I wanted to see the hull. I know everyone says that steam will replace the sail, but there is something so glorious about the way the sails fill.’

      ‘I shall take your word for it. I had never considered the design of a hull before. All I want to know is that a ship will get me from one port to another, safely, if I am forced to take it.’

      ‘Much of my fortune comes from shipbuilding, Lord Bingfield.’ Sophie breathed easier. Speaking of shipbuilding kept her mind from the way he moved or the shape of his lips. Feigning being besotted was one thing, actually being so was another problem altogether. ‘I was brought up to have a keen interest. The board of directors may run the day-to-day business, but it is the lifeblood which brings all the good things in my life. It is important not to take such things for granted, but to understand and to be able to question.’

      His smile became genuine. ‘I knew you were more than a pretty face.’

      ‘Do you like ships?’ Sophie asked quickly.

      ‘I am invariably seasick. It doesn’t matter if it is a rowing boat or a tea clipper—once I am on the water, my stomach heaves. Always has done. I suspect it always will.’

      ‘You do get used to the sea in time. Lots of people get over it and are never troubled again. A long sea voyage would do the trick. It did with me when I was seven. We went to the West Indies and I was so sick to begin with, but then I recovered. My father told me even Admiral Lord Nelson was seasick on occasion. Somehow it made it easier to bear.’

      ‘I shall take your word for it since you argue so passionately. Some day maybe I will test your theory.’ His eyes crinkled at the corners. A bubbly sense of excitement filled her. ‘But for now Liverpool with its shipbuilding will have to do. The timing is reasonable and plausible. I do hope you did attend some sort of gala or a ball while you were there and your trip wasn’t entirely business.’

      ‘Do for what?’ Sophie frowned, trying to remember precisely what she had done. It was disappointing that Lord Bingfield wasn’t interested in ships and more than slightly disconcerting that she had hoped he would be. She shouldn’t want any connection with him, but she did. She trod down heavier than she should have and narrowly missed his foot. It was only Richard’s skill as a dancer which kept them upright. The heat in Sophie’s cheeks increased.

      ‘We went to the theatre. It was an amusing comedy that my stepmother was desperate to see. I cried off the launch ball because I had twisted my ankle at the shipyard. Is it important?’

      ‘For where we met? Yes.’ His eyes crinkled at the corners. Sophie hurriedly glanced away. ‘I’d have hardly liked to have met you in a shipyard or on a railway platform. The theatre is a splendid choice. Plenty of time to spy people from a box and arrange a meeting. I take it you are adept at fan language despite your pretensions towards formidability?’

      He was going to imply she had arranged a meeting with her fan. Typically arrogant. Sophie started to pull away, but his hand tightened on her waist, holding her against his body.

      ‘Why is this necessary?’ she asked.

      ‘I must have had a reason to come to Newcastle to see you and see if the spark we both felt was something more. And your stepmother most blatantly had not met me before.’ He gave her hand a squeeze. ‘Our meeting yesterday was hardly a chance one. You were enchanted by my persistence and overcome with desire. I had completely rearranged my life to be with you and you were utterly captivated. The press always do love a romance.’

      Sophie concentrated on taking the next few steps, rather than considering the desire part of his statement. She hated that a tiny part of her wanted to believe in the tale which he had spun. She wanted to believe that he would rearrange his life for her. ‘It does make sense. As a personal rule, I dislike being enchanted about anything. I have learnt, Lord Bingfield, that it is best to examine faults thoroughly.’

      He gave a bark of laughter. Several people turned to stare at them. ‘You might wish to pretend you are practical, but you possess the soul of a romantic, Miss Ravel. I see straight through you. You long to be swept off your feet. Otherwise why assist in an elopement?’

      ‘I much prefer being practical to starry-eyed. I gave up endangering my heart years ago.’

      ‘You are unlike any woman I have met.’

      ‘I hope that is a good thing. I like the idea of being an individual.’

      ‘Never doubt that! You, Sophie Ravel, are a one-off. You have even given me a hankering to test your theory about seasickness with a voyage to the West Indies, but only if you were with me.’

      ‘That won’t happen.’

      ‘A pity. A sea voyage with you could have been intriguing.’ A dimple played in the corner of his mouth. ‘You won’t even consider a trip across the Channel? You and I together? You could hold my hand.’

      Sophie

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