“Cyphel knew exactly how he felt about her as well — it was there in her expression whenever they spoke that beguiling combination of amusement and haughtiness that she carried off so well. It was a look that expressed disdain at Campion’s guarded advances but also a kind of measured probationary respect as well. It was a look that said You dare to think that I will find you as interesting as you obviously find me Well perhaps in that very act of daring you become interesting to me if only fleetingly.”

“Claudia was either unaware of her expression, or didn't care that he knew of her interest in his nakedness. Once he had hoped to find a mistress who would look at him with such undisguised longing.He had never dared hope to find lust in a wife. The perfect woman sat before him, and she was his. Life was very good indeed. He propped his hands behind his head. "I am at your mercy, my lady. Do with me as you will.""You wish to be ravished, Baron?""‘Tis my fondest desire.”

“Dragon!” she said and moved ahead of her husband to greet her brother-in-law with a warm hug. “You look well. The leg is still not bothering you?”“It would not dare, after the terror you put it through.”

“And I need you, my love," he said. "I need you so much that I panic when I think that perhaps I will not be able to persuade you to come back with me to Enfield. I need you so much that I cannot quite contemplate the rest of my life if it must be lived without you. I need you so much that—Well, the words speak for themselves. I need you.""To look after Augusta?" she said. She dared not hear what he was surely saying. She dared not hope. "To look after Enfield? To provide you with an heir?""Yes," he said, and her heart sank like a stone to be squashed somewhere between her slippers and the parlor carpet."And to be my friend and my confidant and my comfort. And to be my lover.”

“You still with your floozy girlfriend?” Ah, there is was. The elephant in the car…He gave her an incredulous look. “Obviously not.”She smacked him on his arm. “Don’t look at me like I asked a stupid question. Because it not a stupid question at all, and you damn well know it.”“Fine.”“So you broke up with her?”“Yes,” he said sharply.“Way to find your balls, man,” Ada congratulated him and sat back in her seat.”

“Well, if you were perfect, then you wouldn't be real. Maybe those things about you that you think I hate are actually the ones I find most interesting...”