“The truth?”

“That I’ve no intention of marrying her.”

Startled, she could only stare at him. Ever since the previous day when Lord Godwin and his family had come calling, she had been plagued by the memory of Hadrian bending his head to kiss Lady Ellen’s hand. A fierce knot of envy had twisted inside Natalie. “But … you said that you would be paying your addresses to her here in London.”

“I said nothing of the sort. Though I was guilty of allowing you to assume that—only because I didn’t think the time was right to speak of us.” He lowered his head to feather his lips over hers in a butterfly kiss. “For such an astute woman, you ought to have noticed that my interests have undergone a fundamental shift.”

Her heart leaped into her throat. Feeling breathless and befuddled, she tried to make sense of his words. Certainly, she knew he had a strong interest in her. But he wanted her only as his mistress … didn’t he?

My intentions toward you are honorable.

His declaration in the park had been firm, his gaze as unwavering as it was now. At the time, she had presumed his words to be flirtatious nonsense. Noblemen like him surely spoke all manner of drivel in order to charm a woman into bed.

Unless she was mistaken. Unless he had something else in mind.

Trembling, she took a step back. She shook her head, unable to believe the notion that had just dawned on her. “Hadrian, you can’t mean … are you intending to court me?”

Chapter 23

He watched her intently, his mouth curled into a slight smile. “I’ve already been doing so. It’s you who have deemed me to be up to no good.”

Her mind in a whirl, she crossed her arms. His dark gray eyes held a compelling sincerity that both gratified and unnerved her. Dear God, she’d been right to think he had a secret purpose in bringing her to London, yet so very wrong at the same time. She had never imagined that an English duke could have respectable intentions toward a woman not of his class.

She drew a breath before being able to speak. “You can’t honestly be thinking of me in terms of … marriage.”

“Yes, I most certainly can be.” Betraying a hint of anxiety, he combed his fingers through his hair. “Admittedly, I never meant to bring up the matter in so slapdash a fashion. My intention was to wait until after the ball, to give you a chance to see my world first. But lately I’ve felt it was wrong of me not to be truthful with you about my intentions.”

“I—I don’t know what to say.”

“Say that you’ll at least consider my suit.” When she didn’t answer, he continued in a softer tone, “I’ve admired you from the moment we met at that inn during the ice storm, Natalie. I was haughty and arrogant and sorely in need of being knocked off my pedestal. You inspired me to change, and that makes you quite the remarkable woman.”