“Oh, Armand!" Agnes whirled away to embrace him now. "I do like her. You were ever so clever to find her."Armand actually chuckled as he hugged her back. "I'm glad, Agnes. I like her too.""Oh you!" Agnes pulled back to slap his chest playfully at the reprimand. "Ever the man of understatement. You don't just like her, Armand. I can read your thoughts. You love her."Eshe stilled at the words, a little startled by them, though she didn't know why. They were life mates; love came naturally and easily between life mates. However, she'd been preoccupied by other matters such as the case and the great sex life mates enjoyed and hadn't given a thought to love developing between them.Her gaze slid to Armand to find his expression solemn as he met her gaze and said, "Yes, I do love her.”

“She nodded, but Tiny was still holding her arm, and he asked uncertainly, "Are you sure you want to do this, Beau? It sounds painful.""Not as painful as the turn," she said solemnly."And I'd go through this and a lot more to keep you as my life mate.”

“I don't love him," Suzette muttered.Lisa looked at her with patent disbelief. "Suzette, you have been following the man around like a puppy for days now. And if you do not love him, you are certainly doing a very good impression of heartbreak.”

“However,I suspect you aren't a proper lady so we should do well enough."Suzette suddenly came to an abrupt halt and this time even his firm grip couldn't keep her moving,at least not gracefully. If he didn't stop he'd be dragging her along behind him like an old robe.Pausing,Daniel raised an eyebrow in question."Would you care to repeat that?" she asked coldly.Daniel hesitated and then pointed out mildly, "I simply meant that I suspect you can be a little less than proper at times. Surely a proper young lady wouldn't say what you did back there to Richard?"Her eyes became daggers, her mouth turning down with dislike. "Dicky deserved it. The man is a bounder.”

“I suppose it means that I will be free to travel with my maid, or to live in the country while you are in town, or I may live in town while you are in the country if I wish. I mean if I find your company...er...unpleasant.""I see," Daniel said dryly. "And if we are always apart, how exactly are we to gain heirs?""Oh." Suzette flushed. "Well, I suppose we could arrange for occasional visits for...er...procreative purposes.""Occasional visits for procreative purposes?" he achoed with disbelief, and then muttered dryly, "My, how scintillating that sounds."Suzette frowned, for really it did sound rather cold, nothing like the passionate delirium she had read about in one of Lisa's novels. But then, truthfully,she simply couldn't fathom the ecstasies described in that book. She'd never even been kissed and what if she didn't enjoy his kisses? Just because he didn't have bad breath didn't mean she would enjoy these visits she spoke of so boldly. Coming to a decision, she straightened abruptly, and said, "We must kiss."That caught his attention and he asked with amazement, "What?""Well, we should see if we would deal well together in...er...that regard," she muttered, blushing hotly. Swallowing, she forced herself to add firmly, "You should kiss me. Then we will know.""My dear young lady," Daniel began seeming half amused and half horrified, "I really do not think-""Oh,for pity's sake," Suzette interuppted impatiently, and then leaned forward again,this time pressing her lips to his. In her rush to get it over with, she lost her balance a bit and had to catch a hold of his jacket to steady herself as she smooshed her mouth against his. She then waited for the warm and wonderful commotion she'd read about to assault her. Unfortunately, there wasn't any commotion. Really this was no more exciting than pressing her mouth to a cup, Suzette thought with dismay, and released him to sit back again with a most disappointed sigh. "Oh dear, I fear you're no good at this.""Excuse me? I am no good at this?" Daniel asked with amazed disbelief. "My dear girl, if you think that was a kiss-""Do stop calling me a girl," Suzette snapped a bit impatiently and got to her feet, too agitated now to sit. "You sound like you're old enough to be my father and you aren't quite that old.""Not quite that old? For pity's sake! What a charmer you are," he said with irritation, and then stood up as well and informed her with some dignity, "That was not a proper kiss.""Well if you are such an expert, why do you not show me how to do it right?" she suggested, glowering with frustration at this turn of events.”

“It was your first time?"Her head snapped up, eyes stabbing her sister."Of course it was," Lisa backtracked at once, and then said, "Well, Fanny must have been wrong then. Or perhaps it is different for everyone."Suzette shook her head with disgust. "If you, who have known me all my life and know I have not been keeping company with men before this, doubts me, why would he not? He probably thinks I have been with half the royal navy.""Why would he think that? We live nowhere near the near the coast," Lisa said with confusion.Suzette glared at her and then shifted to get off the bed,crawling around her to do so."Where are you going?" Lisa asked, standing up."For a walk.""But I was going to read to you to cheer you up," Lisa protested."I don't want to be read to," Suzette said grimly as she slipped her shoes on."I could tell you a story," Lisa offered."No.""I could sing,or-""I want to be alone.”

“Can’t you do something for her?” his nephew finally asked, when several moments passed and her screaming anddidn’t stop. “I already have. I didn’t kill her,” Lucian said dryly, then added, “Slow down. You’re as bad as taxi drivers.” “And you’re a backseat driver,” Thomas muttered, then cursed under his breath. “Surely there are some drugs or something we could give her to settle her down?” Lucian glanced at him with interest. “Do you have any?” Thomas blinked. “No.” “Hmm.” He sat back in his seat. “Neither do I.” Thomas stared for a moment, glanced back at the woman in the back of the car, then said, “Her screaming is rather loud, don’t you think? Just a bit distracting for those of us trying to concentrate.” “Yes, it is,” Lucian agreed, and reached into his pocket for his earplugs. He popped them into his ears and closed his eyes, the shrieking in the car considerably muffled. He’d have killed the woman before the plane had landed without the earplugs. They were a blessing.”