Part 23 (1/2)

”Since you are so boorish as to insist, I will tell you.” Madness to do so; impossible to resist. ”I have decided to test that each gentleman's touch does not repel me.” She lifted her chin from his fingers, her eyes locked challengingly on his. ”That is, after all, a most pertinent consideration.”

His face hardened, but she could read nothing in his eyes, blue on blue, oddly shadowed. He lowered his hand.

”Were-does his touch repel you?”

His tone had deepened; a lick of caution skittered up her spine. ”I have danced with him, walked with him-I feel nothing when he touches me.”

Satisfaction glimmered briefly in Sebastian's eyes; she deliberately added, ”So Lord Were, at present, is the only one who has attained my final list.”

He blinked; his focus remained on her as he thought, weighed, considered . . .

”You will not attempt to test Athlebright or Mortingdale.”

Those who knew him not might have a.s.sumed the comment to be a question; Helena recognized it as a decree, an order not to be disobeyed. Supremely a.s.sured-flown on temper-she lifted her head. ”But of course I shall test them. How else am I to decide?”

With that eminently rational response, she turned to the path leading back the way she'd come. ”And now, as I have told you all, you will hold by your word and allow me to return to the ballroom.”

Buoyed by even so mild a triumph, she stepped out.

”Helena!”

A growl-a clear warning. She didn't stop. ”Mme Thierry will be growing worried.”

”d.a.m.n it!” He broke from his stance by the pool and stalked after her. ”You can't be so witless-”

”I am not witless!”

”-as to imagine, after yoursuccess with Markham, that encouraging men to take you in their arms is a good idea!”

He was speaking through his teeth-a most wonderful sound. ”I did not encourage Markham to be so . . . outre. He engineered the incident and grabbed me. I did not know he was no true gentleman.”

”There are many things you don't know.” She only just caught Sebastian's mutter, although he was following close behind her. The next instant he said, ”I want you to promise me you won't plot to get Athlebright or Mortingdale alone-that anytesting you do will be done in the middle of a d.a.m.n ballroom in sight of the entire ton.”

She pretended to consider, then shook her head. The gla.s.s-paned doors lay before her. ”I do not think I can promise that. I am running out of time.” She shrugged. ”Who knows what I may need to-”

She had no chance to gasp, to scream. Sebastian's hand closed about hers; he swung her to face him, backed her toward the wall beside the door. A narrow ledge ringed the room, running around the base of the wall; she stumbled as, eyes wide, fixed on his, she backed into it.

He caught her other hand, lifted both, steadying her as, instinctively, she stepped up, back-her shoulders and hips. .h.i.t the wall.

She caught her breath, opened her lips-

He raised her hands on either side until they were level with her head, then pressed them to the wall-and deliberately stepped nearer.

Leaned nearer.

Caged her.

Trapped her.

She could barely breathe, didn't know if she dared. His strength surrounded her, held her-imprinted itself on her senses. No more than an inch separated their bodies; she could feel his heat the length of hers.