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Contents:Prologue12345678910111213141516171819PrologueEngland,1842"
E
meralds."Sheblinked."Ibegyourpardon?"Hesmiledfaintly."Iwasjustthinking,MissHaislett,thatonthisballroomfloor,underthelightofa
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thousandcandles,youreyessparklelikepreciousemeralds."Sheswallowednervouslyandheldhisgazewithherown.Hisvoicewassoveryrichanddeep,almostcaressing,andsuddenlyshefeltquiteshy,afeelingMissNatalieHaislettofSherbornehadneverbeforeexperiencedinthepresenceofanyone."Thankyou,"shewhispered,loweringhereyestostareattheivorybuttonsofhisshirt.Hecontinuedtosmilebutsaidnothingmoreasheexpertlytwirledheraroundthedancefloorintimetothewaltz.Shecouldn'tunderstandwhyshefeltsoanxious,forthiswas,afterall,herfather'smaskedball,andhewasonlyaninvitedguestwhohadgraciouslyaskedhertodance.She'dseenhimbeforeonseveraloccasions,althoughthey'dneverspokentoeachother.Butthistimeheseemedtotakeparticulanoticeofher,watchingherclosely,almosttooclosely,andtheattentionfromsuchanattractivemanmadeherbreathless."I'dliketoseeyouwithoutyourmask."Hissmooth,huskywordsstartledherintoraisinghereyestohisonceagain.Hewasunbearablyhandsome,withthick,almostblackhair,atall,hardbodyandthemostmesmerizinggray-blueeyes.Shestaredathimforseveralseconds,thenquietlyreplied,"I'dliketoseeyouwithoutyours."Aftelookingaroundcautiouslysheleaneduptomurmurboldly,"Meetmeoutsideintheflowergarden,undethesouthbalcony,infifteenminutes."Hecockedhisheadfractionally,eyesnarrowingbehindblacksatin."Areyouserious,Natalie?"Hissuddenuseofhergivennamewithoutpermissionremindedher,inthepurestsense,ofherdelicate position."I-Ijustthoughtitwouldbeaprivateplacetotalk.""Isee."Hecontinuedtostaredownatherpartiallyconcealedfaceforamoment,andjustasshebegantofeelatrifleembarrassedbyherverybrazenbehavior,heleanedovertowhisper,"I'mlookingforwardtoou…talk."Sheshiveredfromhiswarmbreathonhercheek,thentooquicklythewaltzwasover.Hestoodupright,hiseyespiercinghersashebrushedhislipsagainstthebackofherhand.Thenheturnedandwalkedaway.Nataliewatchedhimforamomentashedisappearedintothecrowdoflaughing,minglingpeople,tryingtoshakeherselfofthestrangesensationsthemanevokedinher.Sheshouldn'thaveaskedhimtomeetherinthegardenunchaperoned,sheknewthat,butsomethinginsideofhercompelledhertodoso.Shewouldmeethim.Shewasdrawntohim.Slowlyshemadeherwaytowardthebackoftheballroom,stoppingeverysooftentochatnonchalantlywithvariousmembersofthegentry.Ittookheralmostfifteenminutesjusttoreachthebalcony,then,slippingawayunnoticed,shefairlyraceddownthestairsandintothegarden.Thechillnightairbrushedherskin,butthemoon'sfullglowandherownanxiousthoughtswarmedheinside.
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Glancingaroundcautiously,shetiptoedalongthepathinthehopesthatnobodywouldseeorhearher.Hermotherwouldnodoubtperishfromshockifsheknewwhereshewasandwhatshewasdoing,anditsaddenedhertoknowshewouldn'tbeabletostayinhispresencelongwithoutsomeoneinthe ballroomnoticingherabsence."Ireallydidn'tthinkyou'dcome."Sheturnedtowardthesoundofhisvoice,comingfromtheshadowsseveralfeetaway."Especially,"hecontinued,steppingtowardher,"sincenooneelseseemsatalldesirousofstrollingthroughthegardenonthisperfectautumnevening.Itappearswe'reallalone.""Yes,"sheagreedweakly.Herpulsebegantoracefromanticipation.Hehadremovedhismask,andallshecouldseeofhisfaceunderpalemoonglowwasavagueexpressionofcontemplation."Takeitoff.""Ibegyourpardon?""Yourmask,Natalie.Iwanttoseeyourface,remember?"Hehadmovedtostanddirectlyinfrontofher,butshenowfacedthemoonlightsoashadowonceagain blockedhisfeaturesfromherview.Shecouldfeelhiswarmth,couldfeelhispenetratinggaze,butshecouldn'tmoveaway.Timidlyshereachedbehindherheadanduntiedhermask,loweringittoholdatheside,growingincreasinglyshyandafraidtolookathim.Heforcedhertodoso,however,ashispalmcameuptolightlygraspherchin,raisingherheadintheprocess.Hewasquietforamoment,studyingherintently,andsecondbysecondthepoundingofherheartgrewtoathunder."Beautiful…"hewhispered.Heglidedhisthumbacrossherlips,andshelostherselftohistouch,closinghereyesandleaningheheadbackinresponse,hermaskslippingoutofherhandstofalltothegroundunnoticed.Foramomentshewasunsureofwhattodoorsay,andthenshefelthiswarmmouthonhersashepulledherintohisarms.Shehadn'treallyexpectedtobekissed.Orhadshe?Perhapsthiswaswhatshe'dlongedforsinceshe'dfirstseenhimmonthsago,todrownherselfinthesplendorofhishardbody,hisemanatingpower.Histongueteasedherlipsaparttoinvadeherwarmth,moving,flicking,searchingforhers.Oh,God,hefeltwonderful.Hewaswarm,inviting,soverymasculine.Muchmorethanshehadeverimagined.Natalieinstinctivelyleanedherbodyintohisasthekissgrewmoredemanding.Sheraisedherselfonhetoes,wrappingherarmsaroundhisnecksoherfingerscouldplaywiththehaironhisnape.Shewhimperedfrompure,rawpleasureassensationsshe'dneverbeforeexperiencedmeltedherinside.Groaningdeeply,heplacedhishandonherbottomandpulledherhipsboldlyagainsthis,holdinghesnuglytohim,hisfreehandglidingdownhercheek,thentohernecktocaressitwithhisfingers.Shewasquiteawareofthetension,thehardnessofeverypointofhim,therawpassionbuildingbetween
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