“It’s fine,” he said quickly. Dear God, he couldn’t listen to his name on her lips yet again. “You don’t need to explain. Everyone is curious now and again.”

Her frown deepened. “Curious?”

Alec tried to ignore the incredulous note in her voice with an encouraging nod even while he wondered what, exactly, she had done with this mysterious suitor of hers. He could practically see the questions hovering on her lips, and the longing in her eyes that betrayed a deep ache that could only be soothed by intense, physical pleasure. At some point during her silence, Alec’s hands had found their way to the edge of the chair and he dug in hard, waiting for her answer. If she pushed him right now, even a little, he wasn’t sure he had the will to deny her. And then there would be hell to pay for them both.

Then, finally, thankfully, Lottie blinked and nodded. “Yes. Right.” She rose to clear their dishes.

Alec released a long breath and relaxed his grip, but it would be another few seconds before he could stand. After Lottie had stacked their plates on the tray, she glanced toward him. “I think I’ll retire now. It’s been a long day.”

“Very good.” He remained seated and ran through the plans for tomorrow in his head, but all the while he listened to the sounds of her washing up and changing. It was soothing to hear someone go about their evening routine, and his heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

After a few minutes, she appeared from behind the screen, now wearing her nightgown and an ice-blue silk wrapper. It was a good deal plainer than her tea gown, but the lack of accoutrements meant there was little to distract the eye from her figure. He resumed his iron grip on the chair, but Lottie paid him no mind while she rummaged through her carpet bag and pulled out a book.

“What have you got there?” he asked in a strangled voice.

Lottie showed him the cover. “Hints to Lady Travellers: At Home and Abroad.”

He let out a snort. “I suppose they’ll print anything these days.”

“This book hasn’t gone out of print in nearly ten years. Women do travel, you know. And often alone.” Then Lottie raised an eyebrow. “I had no idea you had become so conservative.”

“I’m nothing of the sort,” Alec protested. “I didn’t realize there was a demand for such information.”

“Well, it may interest you to know that I’m hardly an outlier. Haven’t you heard of Gertrude Bell, or Isabella Bird?”

Alec shot her a sour look. “Yes.” Isabella Bird’s extensive world travels had made her a household name, not to mention the first woman allowed to join the Royal Geographical Society. Why, Sir Alfred knew the woman personally. And Alec had quite enjoyed Bell’s Persian Pictures. “I’ve no objection to adventuresses.”