“Because I enjoy – talking to you, my Lord, when you are not – blackmailing me,” Thalia said after a moment in a rather small voice, “I would like to – see you again, but I know it’s – wrong and too difficult for me so – please don’t ask me! It would be much easier if you would just – disappear out of my life.”

“That is something I have no intention of doing,” the Earl said. “Will you believe me, Thalia, if I tell you that I find you so fascinating that I shall, in fact, be counting the hours until I can see you again?”

He saw Thalia turn her head to look at him swiftly.

Then, as she was unable to see the expression on his face, she said,

“I think, my Lord, you have changed your tactics and are now – wooing me. I have said that I like talking to you, but it depends on what we talk about.”

“I want to talk about you.”

“That subject is barred and out of bounds.”

“Then I will talk about myself.”

“It depends in what connection.”

The Earl gave a little laugh.

“If you are going to make all the rules, I shall have to make some too. That would only be fair and let me add that every intelligent man and woman knows that rules are made to be broken.”

As he spoke, he lifted her hand and she felt his lips first on the back of it, then he turned it over and kissed the palm.

Thalia could not think what to do or say and, as she felt the warm pressure of his mouth, she quivered as something strange streaked through her whole body.

It was like lightning, and yet there was a pleasure and excitement about it that she could not describe.

She wanted to protest, she wanted to speak, but she could not find the words.

Then, as she tried to take her hand from his, the horses came to a standstill and she realised that they had reached the entrance to Shepherd’s Market.

The Earl set her free and, as the footman opened the door, he stepped out.

Thalia knew that he was waiting for her to give him her hand and help her alight, but she managed to do so without his touching her and walked quickly into the darkness of the arch leading into Shepherd’s Market.

The market was quiet. There were only a very few flickering gaslights and the stars overhead to help them find their way to Number 82, but, before they reached it, Thalia stopped.

“Don’t come any nearer, my Lord,” she said. “Hannah will be watching from the window to let me in so that Mama will not hear me.”

“Then we must say ‘goodnight’, Thalia,” the Earl smiled. “When shall I see you tomorrow?”

“I have told you that is impossible.”

“You know there is not such a word in my vocabulary.”