“Then why come here for a husband?”

“My father wanted me to have this coming out because it’s what my mother would have arranged for me had she lived. But why do you find it unusual? I am English, after all.”

“What sort of man are you looking for? Give me a few clues and I’ll keep an eye out for candidates.” Hehelp her to find a husband? She almost laughed. He was probably teasing, so she replied in a light tone, “I probably want what most girls want. I’d like a husband who is tall, and handsome, and witty.

Oh, and it would be nice if he enjoys traveling.”

She’d just described him. She wondered if he’d noticed. It didn’t sound like it when he chuckled.

“I think that has to be the first time I’ve ever heard that as criteria for a husband,” he said. “Why traveling?”

“Because I enjoy it.”

He raised a brow. “Do you really?”

“Why does that surprise you?”

“Because most women I know don’t like going to sea. They either find it frightening, or just don’t want to go far from the comforts of home.”

“Then they’ve never manned the wheel!”

His look said he was sure she was teasing now. “Well, you’ll have to strike old Wilbur as a contender for your hand, then. He seems a man who’ll never set foot aboard a ship.”

“Nonsense. What makes you say so?”

“I’ve seen him dance with you,” he replied. “He’s got two left feet. Can’t maintain a good balance aboard a ship with two left feet, now, can you?”

She did laugh at his teasing this time. He just grinned and tossed a pebble into the water. Hyde Park was still in glorious full bloom and the lake was beautiful at this time of the year, but she noticed only vaguely, since her eyes barely moved off of Drew. She still found the breeze off the water a little chilling whenever he stepped away from her, but she wasn’t about to mention that she was cold and risk ending their outing, or, actually…No, she wasn’t going to make him think about keeping her warm. She couldn’t be that bold; well, she could, but they were in a public place.

“What about you?” she asked. “Do you often come to England?”

“My brothers and I try to get here at least once a year, ever since my sister took up residence here. We opened a Skylark office in London after Georgie married, so England is once again one of our regular trade routes.”

“Where do your normal routes take you?”

“The Caribbean. I’ll be returning there when I leave England. I was going home to Bridgeport, but only because I was going to meet Boyd there. Since he showed up here instead, I’ll be returning to business as usual.”

She grinned. “You favor the Caribbean, too?”

He grinned as well and admitted, “Yes, but then it’s not such a long trip from there to our home in Bridgeport, Connecticut.”

“Your ship is docked in London, I take it?” At his nod, she asked, “What’s her name?”

“The Triton. She’s a beauty, sleek, and fast for her size,” he said with obvious pride.

“How long have you captained her?”

“I was twenty when I first took command of her,” he replied.

“Isn’t that a name from Greek mythology?”

“Indeed. Most of our ships carry similar names. Our father named all the ones my brothers and I command, so you might guess, he loved Greek mythology.”

“Rather prestigious names, though,” she said, then chuckled. “I’m hesitant to mention the name of my father’s ship. There’s simply no comparison.”

“Oh, come now. You’ve sparked my curiosity, so you have to confess.”

“The Crusty Jewel.”

“Ah, symbolic of nothing?”

“On the contrary. Chasing down treasure is his passion, and if, no,when he finally finds that pot of gold, as it were, he expects the chest to be full of old coins and jewels, all quite crusty from being buried for centuries.”

She was pleased to note his smile was understanding. He could have gotten nasty there about her father, but remarkably, he’d been on his best behavior all day. Teasing, charming, and not a single mention of pirates.

He noticed one of the rowboats heading back toward the dock where they could be rented and mentioned that boat ride again, so they turned to head back. But he’d no sooner said it than the first raindrops hit them.

“So much for that,” he mumbled. “Hurry, it’s going to be pouring in a minute.”

It was less than a minute. The deluge came almost immediately after he mentioned it. Everyone in the park was racing in one direction or another to get out of the rain. But there was simply no way she could run in the constraints of her outing dress and new petticoats, not without hiking up the skirt. She tried, though, to keep up with him, since he’d grabbed her hand to run, but he soon noticed her problem.

Rather than just give up and accept the fact that they were going to be drenched before they reached the coach, he surprised her by sweeping her into his arms. He was able to run much faster then, even carrying her.

They were still drenched. As soon as they were inside the coach, they both began to laugh at their sorry state.

“That was quite chivalrous of you, but we’re still soaked!” she said.

He paused in removing his jacket to brush a lock of wet hair off her cheek, making her realize that her coiffure was completely undone, wet locks scattered down her back and chest. Putting a hand to the top of her head, she exclaimed, “Oh, no, I seem to have lost my hat, too! What rotten luck, it was my favorite.”

“Hold on,” Drew said, and ran back outside.

She tried to stop him, but he seemed not to hear her. He wasn’t gone long, though, and he shouted at the driver, “Back to Berkeley Square!” before he reentered the coach and dropped a very bedraggled hat on the seat beside her. “See what I’m willing to do for you!” That was rather unexpected. “Thank you,” she said as she gave the ruined hat a forlorn look. “I might be able to salvage the feathers, after they dry.”

“I’d buy a new one, but that’s just me.”

She chuckled and glanced up at him, then drew in her breath. He’d finished removing his jacket. His white lawn shirt was plastered to his skin, revealing every sinewy muscle across his wide chest and powerful arms. Her eyes met his and the laughter died abruptly. She barely had time to notice the heat in his gaze before his arms were around her and he was kissing her.

Oh, God, she’d known instinctively that a kiss from him would be more exciting than she could imagine.

Again and again, his lips moved softly across hers, drawing her carefully into his sensual web. She couldn’t think, didn’t want to. And then his tongue gently nudged her mouth open and suddenly the kiss was much more intense, infinitely more tantalizing. There was so much passion in his kiss now that she felt a moment’s alarm…

“Drew, I don’t think—”

“Don’t think,” he cut in. “Just let me warm you. You’re freezing.” Was she? She hadn’t noticed! But his mouth returned to hers and the passion was immediately there again. She wrapped her arms about his neck. He cradled her head with one hand while the other was rubbing up and down her back, but also pushing her toward him so that her br**sts were pressed against his chest. If she could have gotten any closer to him, she would have.

When they finally separated, the air felt like steam between them. It’s possible it was, they’d generated so much heat while kissing each other. She didn’t even realize they’d reached the Malory townhouse until

Drew took her hand, helped her down from the coach, and led her to the door. He could have done anything he’d wanted with her there in that coach, she’d been so inflamed by what he’d made her feel, but all he’d done was kiss her—and warm her in such an exciting, delightful way. Later, she would be grateful that’s all he’d done. But right then, she was just disappointed that the ride had ended.

“See, I’ve brought you home safe and sound,” he said with a tender smile.

She didn’t get a chance to reply. Someone suddenly hailed her and she turned to find the Honorable Wilbur Carlisle stepping out of his carriage.

What rotten timing for Wilbur to discover he had the courage to enter the lion’s den after all. “Good grief,” she said, glancing down at her bedraggled state. “I need to change first. I don’t want him to see me drenched like this. Can you explain to him what happened, Drew?”

“Deal with one of your suitors?” he said. “Not a chance, sweetheart—unless you’d like me to tell him you’ve taken yourself off the marriage mart?”

“No, I haven’t—unless you’re asking me to marry you?” He merely laughed and opened the door for her. “Go dry off. I’ll have Artie inform your young swain that you’ll be keeping him waiting for a while.”

Chapter 17

WILBUR DIDN’T MIND WAITING FOR HER AT ALL,or so he claimed when she joined him later.

Still annoyed that Drew had laughed when she’d mentioned marriage to him, she wasn’t removing any names from her list just yet. So she was glad to see that Wilbur had come to call. His confession last night, of why he hadn’t come around sooner, had smacked of cowardice which had disturbed her. But that he’d shown up despite his fears indicated he had a good deal of courage after all.

That night Georgina took her to a dinner party, a rather large one. She met a young earl for the first time who would have made a fine addition to her list, but she was quickly warned by several ladies that while he’d been a prime catch, he’d gotten engaged early in the Season. A shame. Arriving at the end of the Season really did have its disadvantages.

There were quite a few bachelors who were still available and they flocked to her as usual to vie for her attention. She caught Drew glowering at her at one point. Jealous? She’d like to think so, but she couldn’t get it out of her mind, how he’d laughed at the subject of marriage. She wasn’t giving up on him.

After those heated moments with him in the coach today, she was more determined than ever to move him to the top of her list. She just guessed it was going to take much more than their brief acquaintance to get him to seriously consider marriage. But today had certainly been a good start.

“Whatever became of your father? I’d heard he was lost at sea.” Lady Dunstan, one of the pillars of London society whom she’d met earlier that week, had whisked her away from her many admirers and out to the terrace for a quick stroll. She’d been telling Gabrielle about the upcoming ball that she was giving. Lady Dunstan had wanted to personally make sure she would be attending it, since she was such an unexpected success, so late in the Season.

But that question took her by surprise, unrelated as it was to their discussion of the ball. “No indeed,”

Gabrielle answered. “I’ve been living with him in the Caribbean ever since my mother died. He has no reason to return to England now that she’s gone.”

“Of course. I hadn’t considered that. I’m glad to know he’s still alive. Why, I’d never met him! Wanted to, though, since I knew your mother. But he always seemed to be off sailing here or there. What was it that kept him a—”

“Ah, so here you are!” Georgina interrupted, and put her arm through Gabrielle’s. “Come inside, m’dear. There’s a new arrival you simply must meet. If you’ll excuse us, Lady Dunstan? So looking forward to your upcoming ball!”

Georgina quickly pulled her away, whispering, “From what I just heard, I’d say I rescued you in the nick of time. That lady is a notorious gossip. I should have mentioned it sooner. You didn’t tell her anything about your father that we’d rather not be known, did you?”

“No.”

“Good. Try to avoid her if you can, and if you can’t, simply prevaricate! Be as scatterbrained as you have to, but do not tell her anything that she can sink her teeth into.” Gabrielle understood and avoided the lady for the rest of the evening. Later that night, as Margery helped her out of her evening gown, she debated discussing the situation with her and trying to come up with a suitable occupation for her father. Carla had married him thinking he was in trade, but most of the ton would frown on that nearly as much as if they learned he was a pirate. Obviously, her mother had avoided the subject with her friends. She supposed she could simply do the same.

She assumed the soft rap on the door was Georgina. The two previous nights she’d come by after they got home, to find out if she’d enjoyed the evening, and if any of the young men she’d met had appealed to her. She hadn’t met any new men tonight other than that young earl who was already taken. But she’d mentioned Wilbur to Georgina just last night. The lady had probably heard that he’d come by today and wanted to know if her interest had grown as a result of his visit.

So it was quite a nice surprise to find Drew on the other side of the door, rather than his sister. She certainly wasn’t prepared to see him, though, and was literally holding her gown up with a hand over her breasts. And Margery practically slammed the door in his face until she was presentable again, quickly fastening her gown back up.

Gabrielle called out for him to wait. He did. When she opened the door again, he asked, “Care for a nightcap?”

She raised a brow. After the way he’d glowered at her tonight and hadn’t said a single word to her on the ride home, this was certainly unexpected. But it was another golden opportunity she simply couldn’t pass up. She still wanted to explore the possibility of becoming more “friendly” with him, to find out if it was even possible after his reaction today to her mention of marriage.