entirely too provocative.

"Would you?" Bloody hell, he wanted her. Again. Here. Now. In the road, on the grass, in the cottage.

And why not? It was part of their agreement, one of his conditions. And if he knew nothing else, he

knew she certainly wanted him.

Still, it would have to wait. Besides, if he could not get a grip on his unbridled lust, he would never find

out what she was really up to. The only way to solve the puzzle of the Princess Tatiana Marguerite Nadia Pruzinsky of the Kingdom of Greater Avalonia was to play along with her so-called adventure. "The question is, my lord, what do you intend to do about it?" Her voice was challenging and... inviting. "The answer, Princess," he said slowly, "is nothing." Surprise flashed in her eyes, and possibly disappointment. "Nothing at all?" "Not a thing." He grinned wickedly. "For the moment." It was exceedingly good to realize how easy it was to keep the upper hand with her. As long as he kept his wits about him, and his desire in check, he could maintain control of the situation. It was satisfying as well to note he could no doubt have her whenever he wanted her. And this choice, along with every other choice, this time, would be his.

Matt stepped away-regardless of his resolve, distance between them was an excellent idea-and nodded at the curricle. "Your captain seems to have forgotten his carriage." "Not at all," she said quickly. "Before you say anything, I think I should point out that, even as I have agreed to your conditions, regardless of your financial state, Lord and Lady Matthew would never travel in a wagon. It would be most unusual and attract any number of unwanted questions as to our validity."

"Do you think so?" he said mildly.

"I do." She nodded. "I firmly feel our ruse can only benefit if we travel in a suitable fashion and are

properly attired. To that end, I have brought along appropriate clothing and various personal items for you as well as for myself. You may not have noticed, but your appearance is, well, somewhat-"

"Disreputable?"

"I was going to say threadbare. I do not wish to offend you-"

"I am not offended."

"No?"

"Well?" Caution sounded in her voice.

The pair of horses hitched to the carriage were well matched but not impressive.

Simply good, decent beasts and precisely what a gentleman of his position might well own.

"My lord, I really feel, under the circumstances-"

"I see no need for debate."

"Really?" She studied him cautiously. "Why not?"

"Because, Your Highness, for one thing, you're right."

"I am?"

"Indeed you are." He folded his arms over his chest and leaned idly against the carriage. "Insofar as you

agree with my earlier position that if we are to be convincing, we must look the part we wish to play."

She stared at him in obvious annoyance. "Do I understand you to say that I am only right when I agree with you?"

"That's it exactly."

"I see," she said carefully. "Then I think we should be off. Do you think we should be off?"

"I do indeed." He strolled to the cottage door, took the journal Ephraim had given him and a small

writing case from his bag-a bag he no longer had need of, thanks to Tatiana, and tucked them both in an inside pocket of his coat. He shoved the bag deeper into the house, closed and locked the door, then returned to the carriage.

"You have no bag of your own?" she asked.

"As you have seen fit to provide all I should need, I see no need for extra baggage." He helped her into

the carriage, then rounded the vehicle, climbed in and picked up the reins.

"And what of your horse and... cart?" She glanced around. "Where are they?"

"Actually, I never intended for us to travel in a cart."

Her eyes widened in indignation. "But you said-"

"My dear princess, I never really trusted your complete agreement to my conditions. Due, no doubt, to

that tendency of yours to li-"

"Misstate," she said firmly.

"Regardless, I fully expected you to arrive in a suitable vehicle." He chuckled. "One far grander than

this. I also expected you to be accompanied by at least a driver and a maid."

"I would have been if I had had the least suspicion you would accept them," she snapped. "And did you also expect that I would bring you an acceptable wardrobe as well?"

"Admittedly, that was a surprise. Frankly, I did not realize I had become quite so-"

"Plebeian?" she said in an overly sweet manner. "Common? Ordinary? Your appearance little better than that of a peasant?"

"A peasant." He laughed and clucked to the horses. The carriage started down the road. "I rather like that. Lord and Lady Matthew, the peasant and the princess. Ephraim would love it."

She muttered something he didn't quite catch.

He slanted her an amused glance. For once, she didn't look completely confident. "I do have to admit,

however, the clothing was no more unexpected than your acquiescing to my demands to the extent that

you have."

"You gave me no choice." Her brows drew together in irritation. "I needed your help and you refused to assist me without your childish conditions designed to do nothing more than put me in my place."

"Perhaps they were a bit childish. But fun nonetheless."

"Fun?"

"Great fun." He chuckled. "The most fun I've had in a long time."

"I would scarcely call it fun."

"You would if you could have seen the look on your face when I talked about my shack."

"The look on my face?" The corners of her lips quivered as if she were struggling not to smile. "Why, my

lord, it could not have compared to the look on your face when I wept at having to be your wife in the fullest sense of the word." She grinned. "Surpassed only your shocked expression when I agreed. Perhapsfun is the correct word after all."

He laughed. "It seems we are well matched. At least in a battle of wits."

"In other ways, too."

"Oh, that you remember?" he teased. "When you forget how charming I can be."

"I remember very well." Her voice was soft, and for a moment he thought she was going to say more.

After a long silence, she sighed. "Where are we going, then?"

"I had the opportunity yesterday to make a few inquiries about the names you gave me. The first-"

"Lady Hutchins?"

He nodded. Matthew already knew, of course, where to find his grandmother, last on the list. The second lady was familiar to him as well, although he had never actually made her acquaintance. And Ephraim had managed to provide information as to where the remaining woman-Lady Hutchins-might be found. "It's believed she lives near Canterbury, or did live there. She would be rather old, and her memory will probably be questionable, but we shall see."

"Why did you decide to start with her?" Tatiana said in a decidedly offhand manner. Was she as unconcerned as she seemed? "Is she the closest, or simply first on the list?"

"Both." His tone was as deceptively casual as hers. "From what I have been able to ascertain, the other two ladies in question live in the opposite direction from Lady Hutchins. It only makes sense to seek her out first."

"That does make sense." She fell silent for a moment. "Is it a far distance?"

"I expect it will take us most of the day."

"I see. Well, then, it is a good thing I thought to bring along provisions." She reached beneath the seat and slid out a large cloth-covered basket. "I think we should begin our trip with a toast to our success." She rummaged in the basket and pulled out a silver flask and two matching cups. "Will you join me in a brandy, my lord?"

"Brandy?" He frowned. "Isn't it a bit early in the day to be drinking brandy?"

"Not at all," she said blithely, carefully filling her cup. "It is an Avalonian tradition therefore the major obstacle to overcome, inherent in..."

He rambled on, warming to his subject, pausing only for an occasional murmur of acknowledgment. At last it dawned on him that she had said nothing for quite some time. He leaned over to peer beneath the shadows cast by her hat and grinned.

The blasted women wasn't awed to silence by his astounding grasp of the subject nearest to his heart.

She was asleep.

Chapter 6.

Tatiana shaded her eyes against the sharp slant of the setting sun and watched Matthew stride toward the doorway of the inn.

Watching him move, taut with energy and confidence, listening to him talk, losing herself in the sea blue of his eyes were the best parts of this endless day. Indeed they were the only pleasures to be found thus far. The rest of their so-called adventure had been long and hot and exhausting. Even if she had spent most of the day either dozing or sound asleep.