“Because you wish to marry the prince?”

She hesitated for no more than a fraction of a second, but it was enough. She nodded. “Yes, of course, that’s exactly what I want.”

“Then I shall do everything I can to assist you,” he said in as gallant a manner as he could muster.

She studied him for a moment. “You do realize that I still don’t trust you?”

“It’s completely understandable.” He nodded. “But I shall endeavor to earn your trust.”

“Thank you.” She paused. “I fear I owe you something of an apology as well.”

“Oh?”

“I have, perhaps, not been as gracious to you as I should have been. Your arrival took me by surprise. Well, it was a shock really.” She twisted her hands together in a nervous fashion. “I must confess you were the last person I expected. . . .”

“To be in your parlor?”

“To ever see again. There were things I had planned to say, and, well, I had thought . . . It scarcely matters now what I had thought.” She shrugged. “But we were friends once and I should have at least been polite.”

“No apology is necessary.” He smiled and took her hand. “I hope we still are . . . friends, that is.”

She met his gaze directly, but didn’t pull her hand from his. “Shall I be perfectly honest?”

“Aren’t you always?”

She grimaced. “Apparently not, as I am trying to pass off a house filled with less than accomplished actors as my family.” She drew a deep breath. “I don’t know if we can be friends again, but perhaps we could try. I have, on rare occasions, missed being your friend.”

“Excellent.” It was a beginning and he couldn’t ask for more than that. Could he? “I have a confession to make as well.”

“Go on, then.”

“This afternoon, when you asked if I intended to kiss you . . .”

She started to pull her hand away, but he held firm.

“And I said no, it was the truth.”

“That’s scarcely much of a confession.”

“Now, however”—he stared into her blue eyes—“I do.”

“You do what?” Caution rang in her voice.

“Intend to kiss you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Now?”

He nodded. “Now would be a good time, yes.”

“Why?”

“Because everyone is abed and we are alone.”

“No.” She huffed. “Why do you intend to kiss me?”

“Do I need a reason?”

“Yes.”

“What man wouldn’t want to kiss you? You are more desirable and lovelier now than you were eleven years ago.”

“Flattery, Grayson, will not get you what you want.”

He smiled slowly. “What will?”

“Honesty, perhaps.” She studied him. “If I recall, we always had honesty between us. Or almost always.”