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“And you shouldn’t say such outlandish things.”
    “Have I said anything that isn’t true?”
    She snorted and tried to tug her hands away.
    With firm gentleness he kept her hands prisoner. “Have I?”
    “Pretty words.” He couldn’t know, but his compliments jabbed at old wounds whose pain she didn’t want to remember. “Ridiculous words.”
    He merely smiled. “How so?”
    “They just are.” She tried to maintain eye contact, hoping he would back down, but she looked away first.
    “You’re quite remarkable.”
    His words surprised her into looking at him again. “What?”
    “Here we are in a hospital in hostile territory, and what do I find? A beautiful woman with courage and strength. What could be more remarkable than that?”
    “Stop,” she said, tears filling her eyes. Fear, exhaustion and confusion were conspiring to turn her into a watering pot. “Please…stop.”
    “I’ll say whatever it takes to convince you to stay here where you’re safe.”
    She swallowed hard. Experience had taught her many gentlemen of rank would say anything to get what they wanted and to hell with the truth.
    Was he one of those?
    “Your words are no more than a…a convenient lie? A charming fabrication so I’ll do as you demand?”
    “No, never.” He cupped her face. “You’ve risked everything to help me. The thought of you coming to harm as a result is unacceptable.”
    Caution and need fought a battle in her soul. Could she believe him? Should she believe him?
    “What will it take to convince you?”
    “Your name. Give me your name.” A gentleman’s name was everything—his reputation, station and standing in society.
    His answer was low and deep. “I’m John William Bennet, your servant from this day forward.”
    She gasped, astonished he would offer his honour so blithely to a woman of no means whatsoever. Heat crawled across her face. “Nurse Culver has ordered me to help you across the border, Lieutenant Bennet. She believes I’m no longer safe here. You claim to be at my service, so…”
    He sighed. “So, we must travel together?”
    She nodded.
    “I promise I will keep you safe.” He leaned forward and for a heart-pounding moment she thought he was going to kiss her. But he stepped back, releasing her.
    The door opened and Rose entered the room. For one full second she simply looked at John.
    “Dress quickly. We have a problem.”
    He tensed, but Maria laid a hand on his arm and he relaxed.
    “What’s wrong?” she asked.
    “The German officer is causing quite the ruckus. Lieutenant, you need to be in the isolation room and, Maria, you need to be with him—but out of sight before the hospital is inspected again.” She addressed John again. “Do you speak French?”
    “Oui.”
    “Good. German?”
    “No.”
    “If you’re questioned, feign a fever and mumble in French. We’ll say you’re a Belgian farmer. Hopefully they won’t bother you at all.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Quickly now, you only have a few minutes.” Rose inclined her head at Maria, then turned and left.
    John began removing the rest of his uniform, taking off his leather shoulder strap, belt and revolver holster and putting them on the floor. He struggled with the buttons on his jacket, finally tearing the cloth so he could shrug it off and remove his tie.
    Maria took them from him, adding the garments to the pile, but froze when she discovered his shirt hanging open. She stared at the skin beneath the cloth and licked her suddenly dry lips. His lean musculature fascinated her, and she was almost overcome with the urge to touch him, to see if he was as warm and solid as he looked.
    The room was silent except for the sound of her breathing, fast and shallow.
    John wasn’t breathing at all.
    He stared down at her with a set jaw and burning eyes, making her step back, but his hands captured hers.
    “Maria.” He only whispered her name, just the one word, but the sound of it made her blush.
    She darted