Tessa sat next to Garrett with a secret smile. Very few people knew Lady Byington was her godmother. When Tessa asked her to seat Garrett next to her, Lady Byington thought it was a splendid plan. If only Tessa knew what to do now that she was next to him.

While she had found flirting with Garrett easy years ago, now he was a different man. Harder. Far more in control of himself. She wondered if her efforts would be in vain. But remembering his reaction to her comment about wanting to be home and in bed, she believed she might have a chance.

She placed her hand on Garrett’s forearm and leaned in close. “Lord Haverhill, do tell me what you have been doing with yourself since your return from Belgium.”

He tightened his muscles under her hand and grimaced. “I have spent the past year attempting to sort through the mess my brother left me with the estate.”

“And before that?”

“Recovering.”

Tessa removed her hand and picked up her wine glass. It would not be easy to break through the wall he had around him. She brushed her leg against his, savouring his hard muscles. “Tell me about the estate.”

He clenched his fist around his own glass before drinking a long draught. “I believe I told you about it several years ago. Nothing else has changed.”

“Very well,” she whispered. After wiping her mouth with her napkin, she placed it back in her lap. Slowly, under the cover of the tablecloth, she skimmed her hand up his thigh.

Suddenly, a hard hand caught hers and abruptly stopped her caress. Garrett leaned in close to her and whispered, “Stop now or I shall make you look like a fool in front of everyone. Do you understand?”

Embarrassment heated her cheeks as she nodded. She understood perfectly. Garrett wanted no part of her flirtations. Once again, she had made an error in judgment.

Six

For a week, Tessa tried to ignore the feelings she had for Garrett. She had only seen him once since that dreadful miscalculation at the Byingtons’ dinner party. But he would be at the Seatons’ ball tonight. She inhaled deeply and entered the ballroom.

Tessa scanned the room for Garrett. Where was he? Grace had said he would be here, but as she searched the room, she could not find him. She casually strolled to the gaming room. And there he sat, playing faro with his friend Mr Harris. For a moment, she could only watch him. But her yearning to be close to him brought her nearer.

“Are you winning?” she asked softly.

Both men stood and bowed towards her. Mr Harris looked over at her with a slight frown. “Good evening, Lady Townson.”

She nodded at him. “Mr Harris.”

Garrett finally glanced at her. “I am winning a small amount.”

“Ahh,” she said, wishing she could have come up with a witty retort and not one that sounded completely simple-minded. “Perhaps I will see you later.”

“Perhaps,” he muttered.

Mr Harris smirked at Garrett’s mumbled reply.

Feeling rather dejected, she returned to the ballroom and the scornful looks from the ladies. There were days when she wondered if it would have been better to stay in the country. She might have found a nice man to marry there. But after seeing Garrett again, he was the only man she wanted.

After standing alone for a few moments outside the gaming room, Garrett finally approached with a wary look on his face. “Did you wish to speak with me?” he asked.

She did, but she had no idea what to say to him. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

He tightened his jaw but said nothing.

“Did you enjoy the play two nights ago?” she asked, hoping for some reply.

“Yes,” he admitted.

“I’m glad,” she said softly.

“Why?”

Why? “Why wouldn’t I be?” She pulled out her fan and swept it near her face a few times. “It is stifling in here.”

“I suppose we could take a turn in the garden.”

Her fan stilled in front of her face. Did he just offer to take her to the garden? Alone? While she knew she should rebuff his advance, she heard herself answer, “Yes, I would like that.”

He held out his arm, and she linked hers with his. They walked slowly, allowing him to keep up without limping too much.

“Are you ever going to tell me how you were shot?” she asked as they reached the terrace door.

“There was nothing terribly fascinating about it.” They walked towards a bench. “Napoleon’s forces were bearing down on us. My unit was trying to defend our position. I took a shot in my hip and fell off my horse. Dreadfully embarrassing to fall off your horse in front of your men.”

“But you had been shot!”

“True,” he said with a slight smile. “But I should have been able to hold on to my horse. I resigned my commission after that and returned home once the surgeon had patched me up.”

Tessa shook her head with disbelief as she sat on the bench. Were all men worried about embarrassing themselves? Her own brother had never seemed to care.

She looked up at him and patted the place next to her. “Please sit down so your hip doesn’t bother you.”

He looked away, but even in the dimly lit garden, she noticed the colour stain his cheeks. She would have to remember that any talk of his wound apparently shamed him.

“Very well,” he said, reluctantly taking the seat.

The scent of his sandalwood soap filled the air around her, overpowering the scent of spring flowers. His shoulder brushed against hers and tingles of desire crept through her body. She pressed her hand to her belly.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yes.” She smiled over at him. “I was just remembering the time we were at the Halsteads’ country party.”

He frowned for a moment before nodding his head. “I remember.”

“We played that game of chess and talked for almost two hours.” Tessa sighed, remembering what a wonderful night they had shared. That was the evening she realized she loved him. Hearing his excited tone as he spoke of leaving for the war had softened her heart. She understood his need to defend his country from the dreadful Napoleon.

“And you told me how you wished you’d been born a man so you could fight beside me.”

She laughed lightly. “Well, I was only twenty and my brother had just gone off to the war.”

“How is Mitchell?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, staring down at the tips of her shoes peeking out from her skirts. “He hasn’t written me or even called on me since …”

His large gloved hand covered hers. “I am so sorry, Tessa. If I had known what would happen, I never would have made love with you that night.”

“It was worth it,” she mumbled. She had wanted him so desperately back then.

“How can you say that? It cost you your reputation. Even now, after paying your penance by marrying that old bastard, you are still being cast out.”

She turned her head and stared into his light green eyes. “I was in love with you, Garrett. I wanted you to make love with me. I wanted to …”

“To?”

She turned her gaze away from his prying eyes. “To marry you,” she whispered.

“Oh, Tessa,” he said with a sigh.

She looked over at him as his head slowly inclined towards hers. Her lips parted instinctively as his lips brushed against hers. He deepened the kiss, shattering her senses, and his tongue swept across hers. She shifted and pulled him closer.

He drew away slightly. “I missed you, too,” he whispered before kissing her again. Only this kiss was more heated than the previous one.

She moaned. Desire flooded her body for the first time in five years. Heat seared her as his hand cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing her nipple. She wanted desperately to be closer to him, to feel his naked body against hers and erase the memories of her late husband’s pathetic attempts.

Kissing him brought back images of their one and only night together. She could still remember the sensation of his mouth on her breast. The fullness of him deep inside her.

Oh, God, how she wanted that again.

“My, my, one would think you would have learned your lesson five years ago,” a sharp feminine voice sounded.

Tessa pushed away and looked up to see Georgiana Chambers staring down at them both. Heat crossed Tessa’s cheeks. The woman continued to glare at them.

“Haverhill, I do hope once we marry your penchant for chasing this little slut will stop.” She turned and strode away, leaving Tessa gape mouthed.

Marry! He planned to marry Georgiana Chambers! The same woman who had ruined Tessa’s reputation by spreading her poisonous venom about finding them in the garden? She took one look at Garrett’s guilty face and raced from the garden … just like five years ago.

Seven

Guilt slammed into Garrett as he watched Tessa run from him. God, he was a fool to let her go. But he didn’t stop her. He knew this was for the best, so why did he feel so damned dreadful about it?

Because he loved her.

He’d loved her since the first time he saw her. She deserved better. She’d suffered enough with Townson; she didn’t need another burden.

Slowly, he stood and walked back towards the house. His heart ached with every step he took. The love he’d felt for her had never died. Even if he still didn’t completely understand why she’d married Townson, it didn’t matter. He loved her.

As he reached the small terrace a voice stopped him. “Did you accomplish what you’d hoped?”

When he’d seen Georgiana enter the ballroom earlier, he knew he had found his way to stop Tessa’s flirtations. He didn’t have the strength to resist her. She was and always had been his weakness. Georgiana had reluctantly agreed to help him.