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to him and place his lips over the fluttering pulse.
    “Ian, I mean Lord Graenfrae, you are being absurd.” She waved the list before him.
    “The other ladies on this list have the same combination of insulting attributes you require.”
    He was tempted to smile, but it would only infuriate her.
    “In addition, these ladies have something I do not. They have a desire to be married regardless of finer feelings.”
    More wisps of her silky hair flew loose as she shook her head in agitation. Her militant stance and triumphant look convinced him that she believed her argument ironclad. He would not waste time debating it with her.
    “Come for a drive.”
    When she looked ready to argue further, he added, “You may go over your list.
    Mayhap we will see some of the ladies on it. You can make them known to me.” Annabelle appeared undecided so he inclined his head to indicate Finchley’s gaping mouth. The look must have decided her. “With your permission, Aunt, I’ll accompany Laird MacKay on a drive through Hyde Park.”
    The older woman gave an approving smile. “Yes, of course.” Annabelle had a distinctly hunted look when she left the room to don her pelisse and bonnet.

    * * *
    William watched his prey and smiled. She came out of the townhouse on the arm of a new arrival to Town. It was Finchley’s friend, Laird MacKay. Satisfied malice swept through William. A Scotsman would be no competition for the hand of a gently bred English lady.
    Lady Annabelle might be as ordinary as London fog, but she was definitely gently bred. Who would have thought the plain spinster was an heiress? She wore the dowdiest of frocks and never any jewels. Amazing. Not that he minded. Once they were married, she could continue her dowdy ways and molder in the country studying Roman history for all he cared. His only interest was in her fortune. A fortune that she and her family had successfully kept secret from the ton .
    He could not understand why. Surely she would have nabbed a husband by now if the truth had been made known. The lady’s family were all fools, but he would not complain. Her secret fortune was the answer to his current tribulations.
    The Scottish laird took Lady Annabelle by the waist and swung her into his curricle.
    Uncouth barbarian. William frowned. Why would even a barbaric Scotsman court the unimpressive spinster? Had William been betrayed? Had Spinks sold the information of her fortune to other gentlemen of the ton ? If Spinks had been foolish enough to do so, he would pay for his folly. Cursing, William stepped back into the shadows as the carriage came near.
    He tossed the small posy he held onto the cobblestone. He would not be thwarted now that his luck had turned. He would marry Lady Annabelle and save his hunters. He stepped on the flowers, crushing their fragile petals into the cobblestone. No one would stand in his way. No one.

    * * *
    Ian could not help smiling at Annabelle’s hurried breaths, pleased by the evidence that she was not immune to his touch. Sitting with her back ramrod straight and her gaze fixed in front of her, she admonished him, “That was not necessary, my lord. A simple hand up was all I required.”

    He shrugged, unwilling to admit that he could not help touching her. “I’ll remember that in the future.”
    “See that you do.”
    When he did not take the turn toward Hyde Park, she squirmed in the seat beside him. He continued past two more roads that would have led him to the park. He could feel her tension mounting.
    She said, “Perhaps you are not aware, but you must turn up one of these streets to the left in order to go to the park.”
    He smiled at her condescending tone. “Lass, what good would going to Hyde Park do my courting?”
    She turned her head so quickly, her bonnet nearly went sailing. Putting up a hasty hand to right it, she stared at him. “But you told my aunt we were going to the park.”
    “Nay, ’twas you who told your aunt that.”
    “What of