India wasn’t sure how it happened, but she found herself telling Derek’s mother things she had never told anyone. During one of her dress fittings, Lady Westvale was curious as to why India thought herself ordinary in appearance. Without thinking, India told her that during her school years, there was a young man who would come to escort his sister home for holidays. While India had thought it her secret, apparently some of the other girls noticed that India had a crush on the young gentleman, and she overheard them say the youthful Lord So-and-So would never give someone as ordinary as India Prendergast so much as a second look. Why, she’d be lucky ever to find a husband. Odd, that until Lady Westvale had asked, India would have said she didn’t remember the incident at all. The older lady had pointed out, whether India recognized it or not, she was no longer ordinary but rather striking in appearance with her green eyes and ripe figure and, of course, well-fitting, stylish clothing. Lady Westvale had also noted that, while she herself had been considered a beauty in her youth, when she was a young girl, she was more than a little plump. Some of us, she’d said to India, blossom at our own pace.

When they had stopped at a charming café—but then Lady Westvale had declared nearly all the cafés in Paris to be charming—for tea and she had again brought up her desire for her sons to find love, India had mentioned in an offhand manner that she was not especially enamored of love and considered romance a silly notion. She’d also confessed that her parents’ union had been considered a love match, a great romance that had ultimately led them to abandon home and family to wander the world together in search of adventure, in the guise of spreading the word of God. The older woman agreed that abandoning one’s responsibilities to a child was selfish and unforgivable but that could not be blamed on love. The fault she’d said, quoting Shakespeare—apparently it ran in the family—is not in our stars but in ourselves, and added that the very best thing about love was that it knows no bounds but is open and endless. Indeed, when one has opened one’s heart to one person it’s easy to love others, as well. Before India could respond, Lady Westvale had gone on to another topic, but her words lingered in India’s head.

“What were you wrong about this time, India?” Derek asked abruptly.

“You,” she said without thinking, then plunged ahead. “Or rather me. When I said I didn’t trust you—” she shook her head “—I shouldn’t have said it as it isn’t true.”

“It isn’t?” Caution sounded in his voice.

“I didn’t realize it at the time but...” She met his gaze directly. “If I believe that you, at heart, are a good, decent man, if I have faith that you can indeed reform, and be a better man, the man I think you want to be, then, whether I wish to acknowledge it or not, I do trust you.” She drew a steadying breath. “I am truly sorry that I did not say so when I should have.”

He stared at her. “I see.”

“And I am indeed a coward, not only because I refuse to face that I am—or have been of late—frequently wrong...” In for a penny, she supposed. She braced herself. “But because I like you, Derek Saunders. I like you a great deal, and I find it somewhat terrifying.”

“I—”

She held out her hand to stop him. “I didn’t expect to like you at all. Nor did I ever expect to trust you even the tiniest bit.” The words seemed to come of their own accord. “And I liked kissing you. But as much as I liked kissing you, I liked you kissing me more. While I would prefer to think that the enjoyment of it had more to do with who you were kissing than the fact that you no doubt have had a great deal of practice—”

“I can assure you—”

“I would not be averse to you kissing me again.” She raised her chin. “Frequently and with a great deal of enthusiasm.” She ignored the heat washing up her face. How could she have said that? What was she thinking?

“I see,” he said thoughtfully.

“Goodness, Derek.” She huffed. “You cannot continue to respond with ‘I see.’ That’s a most unsatisfactory answer. It says nothing at all. What exactly do you see?”

“I see that what you are trying to say is more or less in the way of an apology.”

“It is an apology, I thought that was apparent. And quite sincere, too, I might add.”

“As well as a confession.”

“Yes, well, perhaps,” she said weakly.

“There is no perhaps about it.” He stepped closer and stared down at her. “You said you liked kissing me, you liked my kissing you and you would not be disinclined to do so again. I’m fairly certain that’s a confession.”

“Very well then.” She raised a shoulder in a casual shrug. “It’s a confession.”

“I see.” He grinned. He was close enough to kiss her again if he was so inclined.

“And what do you see this time?” Her pulse pounded in her ears.

“I see a lovely woman who is clever and stubborn and perhaps the most annoying creature I have ever met.”

“Oh?”

“I have a confession to make, as well. I said kissing you was a mistake. The mistake was in the time and place.” He lowered his head, his lips close to hers. “Not in the kiss itself.”

“Then do you intend to kiss me again?” She held her breath.

“I do.”

“Now?” The word was little more than an odd sort of squeak.

“No.” He straightened.

Her heart plummeted. “I see.”

He laughed. “You’re right. ‘I see’ is not a good response.”

“Well, I don’t know how else to respond,” she said sharply, ignoring the overwhelming sense of disappointment and dismay that rushed through her. “I was quite clear about my feelings regarding our previous kissing and my willingness to do so again and you said—”

“Good God, India, shut up.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss hard and fast and utterly intoxicating. Far too quickly he released her and shook his head. “You drive me stark, raving mad.”

“Do I?” She struggled to catch her breath. “Good.”

“Furthermore, the next time I kiss you—” his eyes narrowed “—and make no mistake, I fully intend to kiss you again, it will be at a place and time of my choosing. It will not be in a public place, it will not be for luck and it will not be simply to stop your incessant arguing!”

“Excellent.” She glared at him, but it was extraordinarily difficult to maintain her indignation when all she wanted to do was throw herself back into his arms. “I shall expect nothing less.”

“Then we are agreed!” He blew a long breath. “You are unlike any woman I have ever met, India Prendergast. You are the most confusing, annoying—”

“You’ve already mentioned annoying.”

“It bears repeating.” He shook his head. “Nonetheless, I can think of nothing but you.”

She stared at him for a long moment, then cast him a brilliant smile. “How truly delightful.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“You should know I find you extremely annoying, as well.”

“Then we are well suited.” A slow smile spread across his face. “Now, I believe you were to meet my mother in the ballroom.”

“She wanted to arrange the urns I think.”

“Very well then.” He opened the ballroom doors and ushered her inside.

The doors were at the top of a short flight of eight or so steps allowing one to see the entire ballroom at a glance upon entering. Huge vases and urns were clustered around the perimeter awaiting the flowers that were to be delivered later today. The room itself was paneled in shades of white adorned with plaster swags and intricate molding. Crystal sconces matched a huge chandelier hanging from a ceiling painted with scenes of the heavens. White marble columns defined galleries along two walls. A balcony hung over the far end, above a series of glass-paned doors leading into the gardens. Every architectural detail was accented and highlighted with gilt. It was so decidedly French and every bit as grand as the very nicest Grand Hotels they’d seen.

“Ahem.”

India’s attention jerked toward the sound of a throat being cleared. Lord Westvale, Lord Brookings and Professor Greer stood at the bottom of the steps, off to one side. Derek’s mother was nowhere in sight.

India’s gaze shifted from the three gentlemen to Derek, who grinned in a satisfied manner.

“Dare I ask what this is about?” she said cautiously.

“My mother told me you had never been to a ball.”

“The opportunity has never presented itself.” Nor had she ever particularly wished to attend a ball.

“But you do know how to dance?”

“Of course. Miss Bicklesham’s has excellent instructors.” If she recalled correctly, she had excelled at dancing. Although, admittedly, she’d never danced with a male partner before.

“No doubt. However, as it has been some time, I thought you might wish for a bit of practice before tomorrow night,” he said in an offhand manner as if this was of no importance at all. But it was. “My stepfather, my brother and the professor have offered to provide you with partners.”

Lord Westvale stepped forward. “I believe the first dance is mine, Miss Prendergast.”

“Well?” An uncertain smile played on Derek’s lips.

“You arranged this,” she said slowly.

He nodded. “I did.”

Somehow the man knew she would be apprehensive about attending a ball, about being in a situation she’d never been in before. She would be ill at ease and out of place. And he did what he could to make it easier for her. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.

She leaned close to him and spoke softly into his ear. “You can be shockingly thoughtful, Mr. Saunders.”

“Do try to keep that in mind, Miss Prendergast,” he said quietly. She could hear the smile in his voice.

She straightened, then moved down the steps to greet Lord Westvale.

He offered his arm and escorted her toward the center of the floor. Derek waved in the direction of the balcony, and a moment later, the strains of a sedate waltz played on a violin drifted over the room.

Surprise caught her breath. “Derek arranged for music?”

“Derek arranged for everything, my dear.” The marquess took her right hand in his left and placed his other hand lightly on the small of her back. She rested her free hand on his arm below his shoulder. “Ready?”

“I am.” She forced a light laugh. “I do so love to waltz,” she lied.

God bless him, his lordship was as thoughtful as his stepson. He steered her around the floor with a gentle hand, guiding and directing her steps. He didn’t so much as wince when she stepped on his toes, and he smoothly saved her from falling when she stumbled over her own.

“Did you enjoy your shopping excursion with my wife?” his lordship asked pleasantly after she had begun to feel at ease enough to move with the music rather than against it.

“I’ve never experienced anything quite like it, my lord.”

He chuckled. “Celia considers shopping something of a cross between art and sport.”

“She may well be the nicest woman I have ever met.”

“She speaks highly of you, as well.” He steered her through a simple turn, and she followed with scarcely any effort at all. “She also said you are concerned about her expenditures. You needn’t be. My wife knows the value of the patronage of the Marchioness of Westvale to the merchants she deals with as do they. I am always rather astonished when her bills come in to find they are far less than I would have expected.”

“That is something of a relief.”

“It scarcely matters really. My fortune is more than sufficient. I inherited great wealth, and assorted business enterprises have enabled me to increase it. My father would be shocked, of course, to know that I have dabbled in business, but the world has changed since his day.” He paused. “Derek has been assisting his uncle in recent months with the earl’s business pursuits, management of his properties and that sort of thing. I hear he’s doing more than satisfactory. Derek’s inheritance will be quite significant.”

“So I have heard.”

“I understand from my wife that Derek’s financial future is of no particular concern to you.”

“Her ladyship is wrong, my lord.” Fortune aside, she was not right for Derek, and she did not wish to explain that yet again. Although perhaps in that, too, she was wrong. “I want nothing more than for Derek to receive exactly what he deserves.”

He studied her. “Are we still speaking of his inheritance?”

“I can’t imagine what else we would be talking about.” She shrugged and promptly tripped.

His lordship managed to keep her upright with barely noticeable effort. “I have always thought it beneficial to be able to talk while I dance but perhaps until you are more...”