“It shan’t be long before we reach my townhouse,” he announced, desperate to change the subject. “I told the driver to use the back alley so that you wouldn’t be seen.”

“That was kind. I think,” she added with uncertainty. “Although I don’t see why I can not be seen entering your townhouse. Unless, of course, it’s because I’m a single lady. But everyone knows our families are friends and surely wouldn’t think anything of it. It is daytime, after all, and Bet will be there.”

“Lisa, Bet is already at the townhouse, so she wouldn’t be seen accompanying you,” he pointed out patiently, and then added with exasperation, “And frankly, it wouldn’t matter if it were morning, noon or night. Dressed as you are it would cause a scene should you be seen at all, let alone entering a man’s home.”

“What is wrong with the way I am dressed?” she asked with surprise.

“Your gown is see-through,” he pointed out, unable to believe she would even ask. Of course, pointing that out made his eyes wander over all that lovely revealed flesh again and he was hard pressed to stop devouring her with his eyes this time.

“Is it?” Lisa asked with what appeared to be real surprise, and then squinted down at herself rather owlishly.

Frowning, Robert asked, “Is there something wrong with your eyes?”

“Yes. No. Well, perhaps,” she said on a sigh and then admitted, “Everything has been a little blurry since the second drink Mrs. Morgan insisted I down. Things keep going in and out of focus. Mostly out of focus.” She sighed and then confessed, “The only way I recognized that it was you at the window was because your scent drifted in on the breeze when you opened it.” She heaved out a little breath and squirmed slightly on her bench seat. “You do have a very particularly lovely scent, Robert. It’s spicy and a little woodsy and really quite nice. It makes me all tingly.”

“Tingly,” Robert echoed faintly.

Lisa smiled at him beatifically and nodded. “Yes, tingly. All over. When I was sitting on your lap your smell seemed to envelop me. I liked that, Robert. Can I not sit there again?”

“No,” he growled, desperately battling the urge to say yes and pull her back there himself. “It’s not proper.”

“Oh, of course,” she said on a disappointed little sigh, and then leaned back and announced, “But Robert, I love you. Surely that makes it okay?”

“I love you too,” he muttered, struggling to keep his eyes above her neck. “You are like a little sister to me.”

Lisa scowled. “I am not your little sister.”

“You are to me,” Robert assured her, his gaze drifting downward and then quickly away. Forcing some firmness into his voice, he added, “You, Suzette and Christiana have always been like the sisters I never had.”