They stopped in front of a large portrait of a man wearing a uniform. At least Jane thought it was a man wearing a uniform. Blobs that looked like epaulets rested on what appeared to be giant red shoulders. The painting was so large, even Jane could make out a bit of it, but she was standing far too close.

“You may have a better feel for it from this vantage point.” She turned at the sound of Lord Green’s voice, to see him standing next to a blob she decided must be the settee in the middle of the room. He was looking toward her and the huge portrait.

“If I didn’t know better, my lord, I’d say you were trying to lure me over to the settee.”

“You don’t know better,” he said in a voice that sounded entirely too charming.

She slowly crossed the wide carpet toward him, her mouth going dry. Would she really do this? Allow this stranger to kiss her if he tried? Was she that daring? That Lady Blue?

She sat, spreading her skirts on the settee, but he smoothed them aside and leaned close. His warm breath smelled of alcohol, but his own scent, a mixture of soap and something that smelled like autumn leaves, left her breathless.

“What if I admitted that I was?” he asked.

Jane’s brain was blurry. “Was what?”

“Luring you to the settee.”

“I’d say you succeeded.” She hated the sound of her shaking voice. Bluestocking spinsters never had occasion for their voices to shake. Bluestocking spinsters never had occasion to trade witty jibes with handsome gentlemen—unless her wordplay with Upton counted and that was entirely— Oh, God, there she went thinking of Upton again at a time like this.

She clasped her hands in her lap and concentrated on not breathing too heavily. Was her breath pleasant? Or did the lilacs override that? Oh, the lilacs. She’d forgotten all about the lilacs. The lilacs were working. For heaven’s sake. Of all amazing things, a handsome young gentleman was actually flirting with her. Flirting! With her! A thrill shot through her. She’d read about these sorts of things, of course. She took another deep breath and made her decision. This was it. If she handled this correctly, she just might experience her first kiss and get her scandal in one fell swoop. The kiss would be strictly for educational purposes, of course. Nothing more. First she must flirt with him. Flirt. Flirt! She couldn’t believe it, even as she had the thought.

She leaned closer. “I should warn you, I don’t kiss gentlemen whom I’ve just met and certainly not alone in drawing rooms.”

“I should warn you, I’m quite persuasive … and a very good kisser.”

“Really…?” Her voice was breathy, a mere whisper. “Persuade me, then.”

His lips met hers, dry but firm. What was next? Was this all there was?

Then his mouth opened and slanted across hers, and Jane forgot to breathe. For heaven’s sake, what was the man doing? His tongue plummeted between her lips and a shudder racked her body. He tasted like some sort of spicy alcohol. Her fingers went up to tangle in his dark hair. His mask and hers briefly rubbed against each other.