She waited for Vexley to demand she drop the forgery at once, but no cocky or snide remarks came.
Perhaps the noise wasn’t from someone who had followed her into the room. Everyone had been drinking quite heavily—she didn’t think they’d be able to sneak up the stairs, let alone slip undetected into this chamber. Maybe it was just a creaky old house.
But Camilla knew that wasn’t the case; the heat traveling along her neck indicated that someone was indeed in the chamber with her. She steeled her nerves and slowly turned, ready to toss the canvas out the window or throttle Vexley with it if need be.
“Please. Don’t stop on my account.”
SYNTON CASUALLY LEANED against the wall, arms folded across his chest, an amused upward tilt to his lips. He had somehow managed to enter the room
A feat that should have been impossible for a man of his size.
“I’m rather interested to see what comes next, Miss Antonius.”
Instead of allowing him to have the upper hand, Camilla decided to turn this around. False bravado could work wonders.
She let the painting go long enough to place her hands on her hips and leveled her best haughty glare at Synton.
“What are you doing here?”
“We had an agreement. Remember?” Synton’s gaze left hers to take in the painting. “I came to intercept you before you disrobed for your tryst.”
“My tryst? With Vexley?” Her voice notched up an octave.
Synton cocked a brow, waiting.
“I assure you I would rather attend a Crown ball in the nude than become Vexley’s plaything.”
Synton’s gaze darkened. He nodded toward the painting. “Instead of undressing, imagine my surprise to find you stealing the famed
“I’m not stealing anything, my lord.”
Lying was not something Camilla normally condoned, but she needed to get rid of him before he ruined her best chance to destroy the forgery.
Silence stretched between them. He didn’t believe her.
Rightfully so, but still.
“Vexley asked me to have this cleaned earlier this week. I was simply fetching it before we left for the gallery.” Before she could stop herself, she added, “You seemed quite enchanted by Vexley’s mention of games. I figured you’d be occupied for a while.”
Amusement ghosted across his features.
“Is that why you ducked in and out of every chamber on this floor? You were coming to fetch the painting while also considerately ensuring that I had time to woo a lover? How utterly magnanimous.”
Camilla’s eyes narrowed.
“Do you make a habit of spying on ladies, my lord?”
“Only the ones who declare they’d never marry me without a proper hello, then get jealous over the idea of me having a tryst with someone else.”
“I am not jealous. And if you must know, I thought you were someone else that day,” she said. “Tonight, I’d been looking for the water closet. If you were a gentleman, you would have announced yourself and offered me assistance instead of lurking in the shadows.”
The wry amusement vanished from his face. He cocked his head to one side, his attention languidly sliding over every inch of her as if each dip and curve were for his viewing pleasure alone.
By the time he brought his gaze back up to hers, there was no mistaking the raw hunger that flashed in those emerald eyes. She wished she hated his heated stare, but it made her feel breathless, like a fire crackling to life.
“Do you believe I’m a gentleman, Miss Antonius? I’d wager your heart is beating so wildly because deep down you hope I’m not.”
Camilla wasn’t sure how he knew her heart was suddenly pounding, but she certainly wasn’t going to own up to the fact that he affected her.
“You’re mistaken. I don’t think of you at all, Lord Synton.”
The smile that had been teasing the edges of Synton’s mouth turned into a full grin, showing off a pair of dimples she hadn’t noticed before.
“Another bold and interesting lie.”
He moved closer to the bed, a hunter sighting his prey, and the thought of being caught by him caused her pulse to race harder in anticipation.
With one languid, effortless movement, Synton stepped up, pressed a hand to the wall to settle in, and now stood on the mattress beside her, leaning in close.
As he stared down at her, Camilla briefly forgot about the forgery.
No one had ever looked at her so boldly. So intensely. Like he could see through all her carefully erected walls to who she was at her very core.
Or maybe he simply looked at her like he knew the depth of her desire and it affected him in turn. More than either of them wanted it to.
She’d only wanted to keep up her normal life here. Had fought hard to become what people expected. But now, she could admit, for only a second, that maybe she’d wanted something else, too. Something that called to a secret part of her.
“You ought to know, if I had taken a lover, I would have needed hours, Miss Antonius.”
His gaze dropped to her neck a second before he reached out, slowly stroking along her quivering pulse.
