“We should really turn back,” Robert muttered, stopping and turning away.

“I never saw you as a coward,” Lisa commented idly, glancing back to seeing the way he stiffened as he paused again. “But that’s what you are, isn’t it Robert? Afraid to marry, afraid to admit you want me, afraid to admit that that kiss wasn’t punishment at all, but just an excuse to unleash the passion you feel for me. And you do have passion for me.”

“We have to return to the others,” Robert growled, not turning back.

“So go back to the others. I’m safe enough out here on my own. It’s not like Pembroke can escape his mother or his other guests and come kidnap me. Besides, what would he do with me then? Bundle me into the hold of the ship with the servants for the return journey?”

Robert hesitated, but then nodded once grimly and headed away, leaving her on her own.

Lisa really hadn’t expected that. She’d expected an argument. Hoped for it even, and had hoped it would lead to another bout of his unleashed passion. Because after Robert’s kiss last night she was right back to where she’d been at the start, wanting him and no one else. Lord Findlay and the others were all very nice and sweet and complimentary, but Robert stirred her passion and she suspected none of them would ever be able to make her tremble, quiver and moan as Robert had. She didn’t even want them to. It had always been Robert for her. And she suspected he wanted her as well. She just didn’t know how to break down the walls he’d erected around himself so that he’d give in to what he wanted and claim her. She didn’t even know why he was hesitating to do so.

Sighing, Lisa turned back the way she’d been headed and then froze in surprise when she found herself facing a rather large man all in black with a hood. It was the same damned hood the man who had broken into her room and tried to take her away had been wearing.

“Ro—!” she began instinctively, but never finished shouting his name before one meaty fist slammed into the side of her head, knocking her senseless.

Robert almost didn’t turn back at Lisa’s shout. It was a broken sound, but he simply thought the wind had captured the rest of his name and taken it away. However, then he heaved a sigh and stopped again. Annoyed with her or not, irritated by her claims as he was, he couldn’t simply ignore her. He would have to face her eventually and counter her arguments somehow, because while she was right, he wasn’t ready to admit that he did want her. Because she was also right that he was afraid.