Anacoats. I needed to see Mary Malone and give her some money for medicines.’
Brandon’s conscience pricked. His desire to catch The Cat in action had prevented her from doing a good deed. ‘Did she get them?’
‘Yes. When I went back in, I gave instructions to Jane.’
‘Outside the baker’s in Manchester, did you know I was there?’ Brandon broke his own rule and plunged ahead with another question.
‘That you’d been following me? Yes.’ Nora laughed so hard Brandon had to right her to keep her from falling off his lap. ‘I spotted you almost immediately. I confess I was quite mean to you, staying in the bakery longer than necessary. I hope you didn’t freeze too badly but you deserved it, sneaking around behind poor “Eleanor”.’
Nora reached for his cravat and tugged. ‘You were too canny from the start. The day you came to tea at the Grange it was as if you could see right through me. No one in town had caught on after four months of me living under their noses. But you were different. You were too alert and too handsome for your own good. I had to convince you utterly that “Eleanor” was what she appeared to be: a gentry-class spinster with a small amount of breeding, a smaller amount of funds and a ton of missish manners.’
‘You should have let me impress you with my manners and good looks, then,’ Brandon teased. ‘It was your resistance to my charm that put me on your scent.’
Nora pushed at him playfully. ‘You arrogant man! All women are dying of love for you, is that it?’
‘All but you, apparently. I even risked my neck going into the Manchester slums on Christmas Day with you. There were times while I waited for you that I thought I might lose my boots.’
Nora shook her head. ‘You are far too capable for any thug to risk his neck, as nice as your boots are.’
‘Capable, am I?’ Brandon felt himself growing warm. She smelled of rosewater and lavender as she fiddled with his cravat. The game was going to take a decidedly different turn within moments. ‘Is that why you kissed me that first night?’ He dipped his head and feathered a kiss along the column of her neck.
‘I kissed you because I thought it would be a successful distraction and assist my escape.’
‘Why did you think that would work?’ Brandon asked, desire mounting in his voice.
‘I could tell right away that you were a man used to having his commands obeyed.’ Nora traced his jaw with a finger. ‘Men who command sometimes like to be commanded.’
‘Is that why you tied me to the bed after the card party?’ He was completely hard now. He was sure she could feel the progress his member was making beneath her buttocks.
Nora grinned mischievously. ‘I tied you to the bed because you deserved it for torturing “Eleanor” on Mrs Dalloway’s balcony. That’s too many questions for you. We’re not very good at following the rules.’ She was the absolute coquette. She squirmed strategically on his lap. ‘This is harder than I thought.’
Brandon didn’t have to ask what she was referring to by ‘it’.
She breathed against his neck. ‘It’s your turn to pick and you choose consequence.’
‘Do I?’ Brandon asked in hoarse anticipation. ‘I forgot, men like me want to be commanded.’
‘There are no men like you.’ Her hands were in his hair, her mouth at his ear, sucking provocatively on his ear lobe. ‘Take me upstairs.’
‘Your command is my very wish.’ Brandon rose with Nora in his arms and headed for the door.
‘If your skill in bed matches your wit, this should prove to be very pleasurable,’ Nora rejoined, tossing back her head, enjoying the moment thoroughly.
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