“Oh, you're here, Robert.” Victoria came bustling into the hall. “I didn't realize you had arrived.”

He smiled. “Eleanor opened the door with remarkable alacrity.”

“Yes, I suppose she did.” Victoria shot her sister a slightly waspish look. “She is always very prompt when you are calling.”

Ellie lifted her chin and allowed herself a half smile. “I like to look after my investments.”

Robert burst out laughing. He extended his arm to Victoria. “Shall we be off?”

“I just need to get a book,” Ellie said. “I have a feeling that I will have a great deal of time to read this afternoon.” She darted down the hallway and disappeared into her chamber.

Robert gazed at Victoria as she fastened her bonnet. “I love you,” he mouthed.

Her fingers fumbled over the bonnet's strings.

“Should I say it louder?” he whispered, a wicked grin crossing his face.

Victoria shook her head vehemently, her eyes darting over to the closed door of her father's study. He had said that Robert didn't love her, said that he couldn't love her. But her father was wrong. Of that Victoria was certain. One had only to look at Robert's twinkling blue eyes to know the truth.

“Romeo and Juliet!”

Victoria blinked and looked up at the sound of her sister's voice, thinking for a moment that Ellie had been referring to her and Robert as those ill-fated lovers. Then she saw the slim volume of Shakespeare in her sister's hand. “Rather depressing reading for such a sunny afternoon,” Victoria said.

“Oh, I disagree,” Ellie replied. “I find it most romantic. Except for the bit about everyone dying at the end, of course.”

“Yes,” Robert murmured. “I can see where one wouldn't find that bit romantic.”

Victoria grinned and nudged him in the side.

The threesome made their way outside, crossing the open field and heading into the forest. After about ten minutes Ellie sighed and said, “I suppose this is where I leave off.” She spread a blanket on the ground and looked up at Robert with a knowing smile.

He tossed her a coin and said, “Eleanor, you have the soul of a banker.”

“Yes, I do, don't I?” she murmured. Then she sat down and pretended not to notice when Robert grabbed Victoria's hand and dashed out of sight.

Ten minutes later they arrived at the grassy shore of the pond where they'd first met. Victoria barely had time to spread out a blanket before Robert had pulled her down to the ground.

“I love you,” he said, kissing the corner of her lips.

“I love you,” he said, kissing the other corner.

“I love you,” he said, yanking off her bonnet.

“I love—”

“I know, I know!” Victoria finally laughed, trying to stop him from pulling out all of her hairpins.

He shrugged. “Well, I do.”

But her father's words still echoed in her head. He will use you. “Do you truly?” she asked, staring intently into his eyes. “Do you truly love me?”

He grasped her chin with uncharacteristic force. “How can you even ask that?”

“I don't know,” Victoria whispered, reaching up to touch his hand, which immediately gentled its hold. “I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I know you love me. And I love you.”

“Show me,” he said, his voice barely audible.

Victoria licked her lips nervously, then moved her face across the inch that separated them.

The moment her lips touched his, Robert was on fire. He sank his hands in her hair, locking her against him. “God, Torie,” he rasped. “I love the feel of you, the smell of you…”

She responded by kissing him with renewed fervor, tracing his full lips with her tongue as he had taught her to do.

Robert shuddered, feeling white-hot need rock through him. He wanted to sink himself into her, wrap her legs around his waist, and never let go. His fingers found the buttons on her dress, and he began to undo them.

“Robert?” Victoria pulled away, startled by this new intimacy.

“Shhh, darling,” he said, passion making his voice rough. “I just want to touch you. I have been dreaming of nothing else for weeks.” He cupped her breast through the thin fabric of her summer dress and squeezed.

Victoria moaned with pleasure and relaxed, allowing him to complete his task.

Robert's fingers were shaking with anticipation, but somehow he managed to open enough buttons to let her bodice fall open. Victoria's hands immediately flew up to cover her nakedness, but he gently pushed them away. “No,” he whispered. “They're perfect. You're perfect.”

And then, as if to illustrate his point, he brought his hand forward and grazed the tip of her breast with his palm. Round and round he went, moving his hand in tiny circles, sucking in his breath as her nipple tightened into a hard bud. “Are you cold?” he whispered.

She nodded, then shook her head, then nodded again, saying, “I don't know.”

“I'll warm you.” He cupped his hand and wrapped it around her breast, branding her with the heat of his skin. “I want to kiss you,” he said hoarsely. “Will you let me kiss you?”

Victoria tried to moisten her throat, which had gone quite dry. He had kissed her a hundred times before. A thousand, possibly. Why was he suddenly asking her permission?

When his tongue drew a lazy circle around her nipple, she found out. “Oh, my God!” she burst out, barely able to believe what he was doing. “Oh, Robert!”

“I need you, Torie.” He buried his face between her breasts. “You don't understand how I need you.”