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"Do not say it!" he interrupted harshly, begi

"But you do not even know what I was going to say!" Prudence protested.

"I do not care. Do not say anything. Anything at all," he snapped.

"Oh, now surely-" Her words ended on a startled gasp when he suddenly whirled and strode forward with an expression that did not bode well.

Alarm coursing through her, Prudence lurched back, only to come up against the chair before his desk. She opened her mouth desperately, ready to babble that she was sorry and would remain silent, only to have his mouth close down over hers as he paused before her. Eyes wide open, she stood completely still as his mouth moved over hers, her heart seemingly dead from shock in her chest. Then she felt the first smoky tendrils of passion stir to life within her and she softened under the kiss, only to be left gasping when he suddenly tore his lips away.

She started to lift one hand to her lips, but he had grabbed her by the upper arms and still held her.

"You kissed me," she said in a gasp. His mouth twitched at her startled a

"To silence you," he answered abruptly.

"Oh." She heard the disappointment in her voice and nearly winced at the softening it caused on Stockton 's face, positive he would now feel pity for her. Prudence wasn't left to worry over the possibility long. Despite his claim that he had kissed her to silence her, and the fact that she had finally fallen silent, he suddenly covered her lips again, his mouth moving warm and firm over hers. Pru tried to resist the feelings the kiss stirred in her. Well, all right, perhaps she didn't try very hard. It wasn't more than a moment before she gave in on a soft sigh and let her hands slide up around his neck as she kissed him back.

He had opened his mouth over hers, prodding gently at her lips with his tongue to urge them apart, turning the kiss into a terribly interesting experience for Prudence, when a knock at the door interrupted them. Breaking away, Lord Stockton moved a couple of steps away and turned to call out for the person to enter.

Pru sucked her lower lip into her mouth, tasting him on it as she watched the door open to reveal Plunkett.

"I put an end to the fighting, my lord, and-" The large man's words died as his gaze slid to Prudence. Seeing the shock on his face, Pru grimaced, knowing that the large man no doubt now recognized her and understood why she had seemed so familiar. But then Stephen frowned and followed the man's gaze, his expression changing to one of consternation. When he quickly stepped in front of her, sheltering her from view, she had the most horrendous idea that-

Glancing down, she cried out in horror. Her father's breeches were lying in a pool around her feet. She had given up her hold on them to put her arms around his neck, and apparently the kiss had been sufficiently distracting that she hadn't noticed when they glided down her legs. Only her father's overly large shirt was left to cover her where the cape was open, and that reached only partway down her thighs.

Her face burning with embarrassment, Prudence bent quickly to pull the trousers back up, not even hearing Stephen's babbling excuse. She pushed past both men and fled as fast as her feet would carry her.

Stephen took a step forward, intending to chase after Prudence, then caught himself with a sigh. The poor girl had been thoroughly humiliated. His chasing after her would achieve nothing more than to embarrass her further. Besides, he had already proven that he couldn't be trusted around her. He had been enraged when he had spotted her there in his gaming room, shocked that she would dare enter-dressed as a man no less-and furious that she would risk her reputation so. But all that shock and fury had quickly turned to a different sort of fire the moment he had gotten her alone. And hadn't that been a brilliant idea? He took a moment to berate himself for treating her so cavalierly. At the time, kissing her had seemed an acceptable alternative to the throttling she deserved. Obviously he hadn't been thinking very clearly. No lady deserved to be treated as thoughtlessly as he had just done.

Not that she had fought him off, he thought, enjoying the memory, then gave himself a shake. The girl was obviously as i

A quiet shuffling drew his attention. Plunkett still stood just inside the door, but his stu

"I had nothing to do with her trousers falling down." The words came blurting out without his volition. He really had no need to explain himself to his staff. Still, the words came out, and when Plunkett looked doubtful-as anyone would after seeing the red, swollen, obviously just-kissed state of

Prudence's lips-Stephen felt compelled to explain further, "Well, I did kiss her, but… it is not as if we have not been introduced. We have met at various balls."

That wasn't strictly true. Stephen had attended several of the same balls as the Prescotts and always noted their daughter's presence. Prudence was a lovely woman. Her beauty was the sort that shone through like a collection of snow white daisies in a mixed arrangement, not screaming for first attention like a red rose with its hidden thorns, but subtly drawing the eye with its soft loveliness. Of course, with his precarious situation in the ton, he hadn't ever approached the woman until just recently. It was only when the rumors and gossip had begun to circulate about the state of the Prescott finances, when the rest of the ton had begun to draw away, that he had dared ask for a dance or two. He had not wanted to sully her with his reputation.

But with the ton acting as they were, it had given him the perfect opportunity. He had approached under the guise of saving her from being a wallflower, something he had done in the past with other shy young ladies. That had been the ruse under which he had made his polite request, and he had found himself drawn to the girl with her soft voice and quick wit. The only reason he hadn't recognized her right away that first night outside his club was because of the darkness, the unexpectedness of her presence there, that silly hat she had been wearing, and the way she had been bundled against the cold.

Aware that Plunkett was still glaring at him like a father who had caught him mauling his daughter, Stephen shifted impatiently. "You say the fighting has ended?"

Plunkett spent another moment looking down his stub of a nose at Stephen, then nodded slowly. "Had to clear out the club to do it, though. The place is empty and the doors locked. Should I open 'em up again?"

Moving behind his desk, Stephen made a face and shook his head. He dropped wearily into his chair. "No. That was enough excitement for one night. Is there much damage?"

"A couple tables broke and a couple of the serving girls got roughed up. Sally took a nasty poke to the eye. It's swollen shut and blackening bad, and I think Belle's got a cracked rib or two."

Stephen scowled. For all that he had been in this business for years, it still startled him to see how a little drink and a game of cards could bring out the worst in these supposed "men of nobility." Some nights he was ashamed to be counted a member of them, and those nights were coming more and more frequently. Stephen had always loathed the weakness that shone through as he watched desperate men gamble away what little they had left in the hopes of making a fortune. But more and more often of late, he was also bearing witness to a cruelty hidden beneath some of those men's suave exteriors. It wearied his soul and made him think that perhaps it was time to get out of this business. He had even looked into several alternative ventures, but had not struck on anything as lucrative yet. Once he did…