“Isn't he utterly divine? Beautiful?""Somehow,I think he'd disagree with that last one." And not enough with the first."All right," she waved her dismissively. "Handsome then. Do you think he noticed me?""We were sprawled in a heap of twitching limbs and lace at his feet. He would have had to have been unconscious not to notice us."She wrinkled her nose. "I meant,do you think he noticed I'm nearly on the Marriage Mart now?"I didn't know how to reply. I didn't want to hurt her feelings,but I wasn't sure Frederic noticed anything other than cards and port.He was twenty years old,after all,and quite wealthy. He was acting exactly as he was expected to.Her cheeks were red. "We should return before Mother wonders where we've gone off to.Heaven forbid we might be somewhere enjoying ourselves!”

“Me own mam saw things," he said, looking at the fire as if she might be there behind it. "And they always came true. She didn't say anything about spirits. She just called it the Second Sight. Said it was hereditary and dangerous sometimes,if you didn't take care.""Do you have it? Do you see things?"He shook his head."Colin." If he thought I was going to be fobbed off with a vague reply, the day's events had clearly addled his wits. He had to know I had no intention of letting this lie."She told me about a girl with violet eyes," he said quietly, rising to his feet.I looked up at him, startled. "She did?""Aye." He nodded. "I should go." He stalked toward the door, opening it slightly to make sure the hallway was deserted. His hair was still damp, tousled. I couldn't help but remember the weight of his body pressing me into the grass."Colin?" I said quietly."I have to go." He didn't turn around.The door closed behind him.”

“He shrugged one shouler, looked away. "It's not so bad,not really.""Why do you stay?" I asked quietly. "Is it because your mother mentioned me?""I knew I shouldn't have told you that," he muttered."What did she say, Colin?"He didn't answer right away. "Colin?"He sighed, raked a hand through his hair. "She spoke of a girl with violet eyes.That's all.""Do you still miss her?""Aye." He came closer."Is that why you stay? To honor her memory? Even though my mother is horrid?"His eyes locked onto mine. "I stay for you, Violet."I suddenly felt warm all over. "For me?”

“Traveling all alone,are you?" One of them asked with what could be described only as a leer worthy of any penny dreadful.Blast."Let me pass," I demanded. Where the devil was everyone?"There's a toll,love," he insisted. "Didn't you know?"We were well hidden by the luggage and a shroud of steam,thick as London fog. The third boy looked uncomfortable, as if he wanted to stop his companions but didn't know how. Fat lot of good his squirming would do me."Give us a kiss,then.”

“You were at the party on Friday night, weren't you?" I didn't mentioned I'd followed him into the woods.He leaned back in his chair, his legs sprawled out. His boots nudged the bottom ruffle of my skirt. "Aye."Aye? Seriously? Could he be any hotter?Unless he had been looking for his girlfriend at the party.Not hot."I was supposed to meet my cousin," he elaborated, "but I didn't find her,"Hot again.”

“It’s weird, isn’t it?”“What is?”“Treaties and all that. It’s like we woke up one morning and we weren’t supposed to be enemies anymore. It’ll take some getting used to.”“True,” I said. “I think it’s really cool though.”“Unfortunately, not everyone agrees.”I thought of my grandfather and what he would do if he could see me now. “I know. But it’s worth protecting.”“Yes,” he said, and something about the way he was looking at me made me think he was talking specifically about me. “It is.”

“He's not good enough for you.""What?" I stared at him incredulously. "I'd say you have that backwords. He's from a good family. Iam not" His fingers slid away from mine. A swallow darted past us. "So if you'll excuse me, I have to go convince his mother that I'm not a desperate fortune hunter with a liar for a mother an a disgusting talent for drugging old ladies.""No"I frowned. "What do you mean, no?Whats the matter with you?"He just stepped closer to me, right on my shadow, which had been the only thing between us. His eyes were angry and conflicted but his hands were gently on my face, wrapping around the back of my neck. He pilled slightly and i stumbled forward. His mouth closed over mine, the kiss sending warmth shooting all the way from my belly down into my knees. His tongue was bold, sliding over mine as if I were strawberry ice cream. I felt devoured, delicious, decadent. He stopped abruptly, pulling back, his breath ragged."I'm not good enough for you either.”