He was a few feet away from her when she turned around. They were suddenly facing each other, almost eye to eye.

Both of them seemed surprised, and they stared. Neither could look away. Their bodies were frozen, blue eyes locked on amber eyes.

Robert caught his breath, and there was a tightening in his chest. Unexpectedly, he felt as if he had been turned upside down. He couldn’t move, or speak. All he could do was gaze at the most stunning woman he had ever seen.

On her part, the young woman was truly dazzled by this tall, dark man whom she had glimpsed here from time to time, but she had never been close enough to speak to him. Although she had always wanted to meet him properly, talk with him. He had never noticed her.

Now he had. The startled expression on his face showed her that.

She took a step toward him, and then another.

He smiled at her, and said, “I’m Robert Lassiter,” and stretched out his hand.

She took it and felt heat running down her body. “I know who you are, Your Lordship. I’m Vanessa Stratton.”

Although he was momentarily taken aback, he kept a neutral look on his face, and said, “I’m very pleased to meet you, very pleased indeed.”

“I think you know my sister Caroline.”

“I do. It was she who invited me. Can we walk down to the French doors and get a little air, do you think?”

“Of course,” she answered, and realized he was still holding her hand. She decided not to disentangle herself since he hadn’t, and he led her to the end of the long drawing room without speaking.

Robert finally let go of her hand, and opened the French doors wider. “There, that’s better,” he said, turning back to her. A waiter was drawing closer, and Robert swiftly took two glasses of champagne from his tray, and thanked him.

Robert never took his eyes off her face as he handed her the flute. They touched glasses without saying a word, just gazed into each other’s eyes.

Finally, it was she who spoke. “I’m glad the crowd hasn’t migrated down here. We’re in a little bubble, lovely and quiet, aren’t we?”

He laughed. “That’s a nice way of putting it. I’d no idea it would be such a crowd, so many people, tonight.”

“Caroline doesn’t keep track of whom she invites. That’s why it’s always like this. Eloise says she does it on purpose.”

“Who is Eloise?” he added, filled with curiosity about Vanessa.

“My eldest sister, she is our eldest sister. She believes Caroline likes crowds.”

“Is Eloise here tonight?”

“Oh no, she lives in Paris. She’s married to a Frenchman, Jean-Claude. I go to see her quite often. She has a baby girl. And now she’s happy.”

“Was she unhappy before?” he wondered out loud.