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When he released her mouth, she knew the disappointment of having to settle for the potential of something grand, but not the reality.

She was beginning to wonder if he preferred a flirtation or if he truly was not interested in her as all had assumed.

They both expelled a heavy sigh. Emma attempted once more to tempt him, while realizing Lady Theodora might have misinterpreted his lordship’s interest in a relationship with Emma.

“You shan’t bring more harm upon me, my lord. ”

He studied her for several elongated seconds before a groan of what Emma assumed was desire escaped: His left hand cupped the nape of her neck to hold her in place, and his right tugged her into his chest. Then his mouth closed over hers.

Licking. Sucking. Tilting to the side to devour her lips.

Request. Demand. Retreat. Emma’s heart raced and her pulse tapped out a rhythm in her ears.

She had never thought a kiss could be so powerful.

She held no doubt that this was the first real moment of her life.

She pressed herself against him, wishing to crawl inside him and become one person.

A moan of desire could be heard between them, whether it came from Orson or her, Emma could not say with confidence.

She was plastered along the hardness of the door at her back, and his body, quite literally, holding her in place. His thighs aligned with hers.

The kiss had mesmerized her, wiping away every fear and any doubts she held.

Only this man and this moment mattered. If, in the future, she should again know danger, she would hold a sweet memory all her own, for no one could ever steal away this moment.

She could feel his hardness pressing against her, and, though she did not believe she personally knew anything regarding this phenomenon, her breasts assuredly did, for they tightened in response to Lord Orson’s all-consuming kiss.

When his lordship purposely eased his hips away from hers, Emma was thankful he did not also release her, for she thought her legs would no longer support her upright.

Slowly, Lord Orson’s mouth moved from hers, and, although she could now breathe on her own, Emma preferred their shared breaths instead.

Her eyes opened widely, as did her heart, which found a love she never knew could exist between two individuals.

He leaned in nose-to-nose for the briefest of seconds before raising his head again to look solemnly upon her.

“In your eyes,” he murmured, “I see the memories I have yet to make.” With a deep sigh and not waiting for her response, as if he thought he had said too much, when, in reality, Emma thought his words pure perfection, he said, “Please tell me I did not bring more harm upon your head.” His ragged breaths warmed her lips.

He had braced his hands on either side of her head, physically holding himself away from her, though only several inches removed.

“In truth, I cannot say with confidence; however, I do not believe I have ever felt so alive as I do at this moment,” she reassured him, though her breath still had not fully recovered from perfection.

His lips turned upward in a smile. “It is more than evident we fit well together.”

Emma caught his arms and tugged them down to wrap around her again. “Just hold me for a moment,” she whispered. “I know there is still much to do, but I require you here with me, before we begin again.”

When they joined his friends for supper, Beaufort announced that he and Graham would return to London in the morning.

“So soon?” Lady Emma asked, and Richard wondered if she feared to remain alone with him. He had, in truth, come close to tossing her into her bed and following her down.

“You will reach your majority tomorrow,” Lord Graham explained. “No one may force you into a marriage not of your choice. Such was our purpose for bringing you to the lodge—to foil Lord Davidson’s plans.”

Lady Emma glanced at him for confirmation, and Richard nodded his agreement.

“Mr. Hartley secured a copy of your birth registration. You were less than a year of age when your parents first traveled to the Continent at the beginning of the war with France. After tonight, you may choose who you wish to marry.” Richard studied her carefully, wondering if she was also considering what had passed between them only an hour prior.

“I appreciate all that each of you have executed in my name,” she told Graham and Beaufort, while reaching a hand to him, which Richard cupped with his palm.

“I pray my achieving my majority settles the matter with Lord Davidson, though I am not convinced his lordship is the one who beat me so severely.”

“Neither am I,” Richard stated. “I believe Davidson approached Lord Donoghue, taking advantage of the fact Lady Emma’s father was absent from England.

Davidson likely told Lord Donoghue of Lady Emma’s escapades, and Lord Donoghue may have initially considered Davidson as an appropriate choice to rein in Lady Emma’s more vocal choices.

Davidson comes from an esteemed family, better than any of us sitting at this table.

” Richard shrugged, knowing his own family’s history had been the fodder for the gossips for more than a decade.

“As Lord Davidson told Mrs. Dove-Lyon when he attempted to employ...”

“Wait, Mrs. Dove-Lyon is involved?” Beaufort asked.

“Yes, when Thompson, Hartley, and I called in upon the woman regarding Duncan’s shooting, she informed me of Lord Davidson’s hopes of arranging a marriage with Lady Emma,” Richard explained.

“That was on Wednesday. According to Mrs. Dove-Lyon, Lord Davidson approached her and wanted the Widow to arrange a match with you. The woman despises Davidson and refused, but she privately informed me to pass on word of the situation to you. The lady did not think Lord Davidson would give up so easily.”

“But you never told me of this warning,” Lady Emma said.

“As I said,” Richard said lamely, “it was Wednesday, and we already knew something of Lord Davidson’s urgency in convincing you to marry him. I just assumed such was a confirmation of our concern. It was not new business in that sense.”

“Davidson’s previous wives could not conceive, and he still requires an heir,” Beaufort explained.

“Likely the fault lies with his lordship,” Graham observed.

Richard agreed, but he would not speak of Davidson’s likely impotency, especially after what Mrs. Dove-Lyon said of Davidson’s manhood. “My concern lies more in those within Lady Emma’s household who informed Davidson of her ladyship’s whereabouts.”

“And we must not forget there could be someone in Duncan’s household who is performing likewise,” Beaufort added.

“What do you mean?” Richard asked.

Beaufort shrugged. “I thought either Duncan or Lady Theodora would have mentioned it to you. Duncan instructed Lady Emma to remove her things from her room to my quarters at Duncan Place.”

“Naturally, we had a discussion regarding Mrs. Braylon’s constant interference and the disappearance of the maid who we suspect has a connection to the coat worn by Duncan’s shooter, but I was not privy to the change of rooms before coming to Buckinghamshire.

Was it absolutely necessary?” Richard asked. “When did Duncan make that decision?”

“I cannot say with assurance,” Beaufort admitted. “My written orders stated Lady Emma would be in my quarters, not hers.”

“Someone searched for you?” Richard demanded.

Emma shrugged her confusion. “All I know is while you and Lady Theodora were at the pianoforte, Lord Duncan instructed me on how to proceed. I assumed you knew and had given your approval. All I know with assurance is someone came into Lord Beaufort’s quarters,” she confided.

“I could see the light from the candle the person carried, but little more. I could not tell whether the person was a man or a woman. The intruder looked in the wardrobe and behind the drapes. It sounded as if he even looked out on the small balcony.”

“How did this person not discover you in his search?” Richard asked in real concern.

For a second time, Lady Emma shrugged her response, but Beaufort explained, “Our Lady Emma was quite resourceful. She hid her trunk among my empty ones, stacked beside the wardrobe, and then she wedged herself under the bed.”

“A tight fit, my lady,” Graham remarked. “Yet, very creative. No one would think to look there because the bed sits low. Well done.”

“My nose could touch the mattress,” she admitted.

Graham grinned. “Fortunately, Beaufort has not slept there for many months. I am confident Mrs. Chester has aired the room out properly before now.”

“I was asleep when Lord Beaufort came for me. Not much to do when one can barely move,” she told them.

“Then we do not know who searched the room for you,” Graham summarized.

“My money is on the maid who brought Lady Emma her nightgown that first evening. She snuck back in to learn more of Lady Emma. Perhaps she is in cahoots with the men Davidson had watching the house. I understand she has an ill relation and likely required money for the person’s treatment,” Beaufort explained.

“She would have a motive for selling the information to Davidson on Lady Emma’s presence in Duncan’s house. ”

“Marksman seems to think Mrs. Braylon could be the one,” Graham shared.

“She does take too many liberties,” Richard shared. “I caught her listening in on Duncan’s conversation with Mr. Rheem.”

“Caught her where?” Graham asked in concern.

“The servants’ passage leading to Duncan’s quarters. I wanted to hear what Rheem truly thought of both Duncan’s and Lady Emma’s prognosis.”

“What did Duncan say of this? You did tell him, did you not, Orson?” Graham demanded. “Marksman says he thinks the woman wishes to be the next Lady Duncan.”

“That is also Theodora’s opinion,” Beaufort shared.

Richard added, “Duncan said he meant to release Mrs. Braylon once Lady Emma was safe, first from Davidson, and then from her attacker.”

Beaufort frowned deeply. “The woman will likely claim Duncan compromised her to force his lordship’s hand.” He apologized immediately. “I did not consider my words, Lady Emma. Forgive me.”

Lady Emma nodded her understanding. “I did not take well to the woman, but I thought my reactions had more to do with my confusion than her nature.”

“If Marksman’s supposition proves true,” Richard said in an attempt to lighten the mood, “Duncan may take up Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s offer of a contract with another woman who wishes to marry our Lord Duncan.”

“You jest!” Graham declared.

“No jest,” Richard swore. “Do you remember how Mrs. Dove-Lyon asked to speak to Duncan when we were all leaving the Lyon’s Den on the night Duncan was shot?”

“Yes, but I forgot that part after someone shot him so boldly,” Beaufort admitted. “It still bothers me how easily the person slipped through our fingers.”

“Mrs. Dove-Lyon wished to arrange an appointment with Duncan, for some woman named Mrs. Mads Sorenson had requested that Bessie Dove-Lyon prove to be a matchmaker between her and Duncan.”

“I have never heard of such a woman as part of society,” Graham admitted. “Perhaps we should do a bit of investigating. Do you think there is any connection between the shooting and this woman?”

“Perhaps she might decide to shoot him this week,” Richard said with a grin, “but I doubt this Mrs. Sorenson would have shot Duncan before his lordship presented Mrs. Dove-Lyon his refusal. That would be counterproductive to marital felicity.”

“I still believe we should locate this woman and learn more of her,” Graham said. “It is too much of a coincidence for all these events to overlap.”

“I agree,” Beaufort added.

Richard paused only long enough to reclaim Lady Emma’s hand. “You may count on me. We all owe our continued allegiance to Lord Macdonald Duncan.”