“You aren’t planning any more experiments with Mrs. Rupert tonight, are you?” He asked ever so blandly, but his eyes glinted with humor.

“No need. We are done with that,” Chase said, just as blandly.

“Ah. Well, I trust you will have a good night.”

Chase took the stairs two at a time. He threw open the door to his apartment and strode into the dressing room. Hot water already waited. He cast off his coats and made use of it. Then he sent away the servant assigned to act as his valet, and checked his pocket watch. Fifty minutes past nine.

They were the longest ten minutes he had ever experienced. He kept seeing her standing by her door, flushed and bright-eyed from passion, still vaguely amazed. He heard her deep sighs and felt her tentative kisses. He was half mad by the time his watch showed ten o’clock.

Up the back stairs he walked, reining in the desire that wanted to break in him like a tempest.

* * *

Ten o’clock. Minerva braced herself.

It had been a hellish hour. One of introspection and relentless rationality. She so wanted to be some other woman right now. A woman with a different history or at least a different desire.

Was there anything more cruel than to want something after years of not wanting, and to know you cannot have it?

The deciding factor had been picturing it. Seeing him here, and imagining being in that bed with him. Only it had not been Chase whose face hovered over hers. It had been Algernon’s, and her whole spirit turned cold at the memory.

After that the madness of even considering this overwhelmed her.

She wiped her eyes. Stupid to have cried over this. Childish. Ridiculous to have allowed herself to let matters get this far. She had lost her mind.

The rap on her door came softly. The temptation not to open it almost won, but she rose and walked over. She would not be a coward now, when she had learned never to be in matters that really counted.

He stood there in the dimmest light, his shirt glowing and his face planes of shadows. Handsome. Strong, but in good ways. His strength never frightened her. He never used it the wrong way. She saw him take in that she still wore the gray ensemble. Then he looked in her eyes. His stance altered slightly. He knew.

She walked back into her chamber. She thought he might not follow, but he did. She looked out the window into the dark because she found she could not look at him. She felt him there, though. His presence filled the chamber, touching her invisibly.