Read The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown (Lady W 1) for Free Online Page B

you, do you? And if it’s not money he’s after, why hasn’t he acceded to your wishes, dissolved your parents’ agreement, and married one of the other chits who’ve been throwing themselves at him since he returned to London?”
    Other women had been pursuing Maximilian? She’d had no idea. When they were together, all his attention seemed so…focused on her. “What do you suggest I do, then, Desmond?”
    He leaned closer, near enough that his cheek touched her hair. “Whatever Halfurst’s motives, Anne, we both know you don’t belong in Yorkshire. And he isn’t the only man who would welcome your affections.”
    With that, he brushed his lips against her cheek. When Anne looked at him, startled, he repeated the motion, this time against her lips.
    Other than stunned surprise, the first thought to cross her mind was that with Lord Howard she didn’t have to stop herself from flinging her arms around his neck. She didn’t crave a deepening of the embrace, or even a repeat of it. “Please stop that,” she said, pulling her hand free and standing.
    He stood at the same time. “I beg your pardon, Anne. I…allowed my feelings to dictate my actions.” The viscount seized her hand again. “Please forgive me.”
    “Of course,” she returned, relieved that this oddness was over. “We are friends.”
    He smiled again, relief in his sky blue eyes. “Yes, we are friends. And as your friend, please allow me to escort you to the Moreland party. Whatever you decide about Halfurst, there’s no reason you can’t spend one afternoon simply enjoying yourself.”
    Well, he was right about that. Intriguing and tantalizing as she was coming to find Maximilian’s company, she couldn’t forget that he meant to take her off to Yorkshire. And if he followed his previous pattern, it would be at least six years before she saw London again. How could she bear that?
    “Yes,” she stated. “I would be happy to attend the Moreland skating party with you.”
    “Thank you, Anne. I’ll come by for you at noon.”
    As he left, Anne turned to look at Daisy, seated in one corner and ostensibly sewing a stocking. “Do more gentlemen seem to be kissing me, lately?”
    “Yes, my lady. None so well as Lord Halfurst, though.”
    “What?”
    “You said yourself, my lady, that he kisses quite well.”
    She sighed. “Yes, I did, didn’t I?”
    Not ten minutes later, Lambert scratched at the open door again. “Lord Halfurst is here to see you, my lady.”
    Warmth swept beneath her skin. “Please show him in, Lambert.”
    Maximilian paused in the morning room doorway as the butler stepped back to allow him through. Soon he wouldn’t have to ask anyone’s damned permission to enter a room and see her. Soon he wouldn’t have to stop at a kiss, and he wouldn’t have to imagine what lay beneath the tantalizing curves of her gown.
    “Good morning,” he said, crossing the room as she stood.
    “Good morning.”
    Already her gaze was focused on his mouth. Maximilian wrapped an iron fist around the abrupt desire to lay her down on the couch and make her his in more than just an old agreement on paper. Stroking her cheek with the back of one finger, he leaned down and touched his mouth to hers. Keenly aware of the maid seated in the corner, he held back, ending the kiss far sooner than he wanted to.
    Her fingers had wrapped into his lapel, and she’d pulled herself close against his chest, so that he could feel the swell of her breasts as she took a deep breath. Sweet Lucifer, he should have come to London the moment she’d turned eighteen, whatever his personal feelings about the place and the people. He shouldn’t have stayed away, no matter how much he disliked it, because by doing so he’d missed nearly two years of knowing Anne Bishop.
    The maid cleared her throat. With a start, Anne released him and took a step backward. “Good morning.”
    He smiled. “You said that already.”
    “Did I? I forgot.”
    “Then perhaps you