“I think it’s best if we adhere to my conditions from now on.”

“Of course. My apologies. I got carried away.” But this time she offered no forgiveness, only continued to smooth phantom wrinkles from her hat brim.

Alec gritted his teeth against her clipped tone as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “We need to leave as soon as the train stops. I met someone in the dining car earlier, and he can’t see us together. I would have mentioned it sooner if we had been alone.”

She gave him a curious look, but only nodded. There was no sign of tears now. The tension that had originally driven him from the compartment filled the small space once again and brought Alec to his feet.

Lottie paused in her fiddling. “Are you all right?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” he snapped. “Just hurry up, will you?”

She let out an irritated breath as she began to pin the hat onto her head. “The train hasn’t even stopped yet. What do you intend us to do, leap onto the platform?”

Alec pulled aside the compartment’s curtains ever so slightly and glanced into the hallway. “Something like that.” Hopefully the signore was still in the dining car finishing the rest of the bottle Alec had left behind.

Lottie rolled her eyes and stood. Alec followed the movement of her white-gloved hands as she smoothed the front and sides of her skirt. Cardinelli was right about the way she looked in that gown. She glanced up and caught him staring. Her eyes darkened, but her mouth remained hard. “Well, then. Lead the way, Professor.”

Alec tucked her arm into the curve of his elbow against her disapproving frown and drew her out into the hallway. “My pleasure, Mrs. Gresham.”

Lord, that felt far too good.

They waited by the exit so they could be first to depart. Alec focused on the growing crowd. Luckily there was no sign of Signore Cardinelli. As soon as the exit door was opened and the stairs brought over, Alec stepped out and handed her down. The exodus from the second- and third-class trains nipped at their heels, but Alec knew this station like the back of his hand. He pulled Lottie along through the pulsing crowd of vendors and visitors.

“Wait! What about our bags?” She shortened her steps to keep up with his long strides.

“I already took care of it. They’ll be delivered to my flat.” Alec couldn’t slow down. He wouldn’t feel better until they were safely in his home and she had changed out of that damned dress. Preferably into something as alluring as a nun’s habit.

As if that would matter.