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“His expression was perturbed, as if he’d been reminded of something he had wanted to forget. But as his gaze slid over her bewildered face, his mouth curved a little, and he settled into the cradle of her body with an insolent familiarity that temporarily robbed her of breath.
“Mr. Rohan � how � why � what are you doing here?�
He replied without moving, as if he were planning to lie there and converse all day. His infinitely polite tone was an unsettling contrast to the intimacy of their position. “Miss Hathaway. What a pleasant surprise. As it happens, I’m visiting friends. And you?�
“I live here.�
“I don’t think so. This is Lord Westcliff’s estate.�
Her heart thundered in her breast as her body absorbed the details of him. “I didn’t mean precisely here, I meant over there, on the other side of the woods. The Ramsay estate. We’ve just taken up residence.� She couldn’t seem to stop herself from chattering in the aftermath of nerves and fright. “What was that noise? What were you doing? Why do you have that tattoo on your arm? It’s a pooka—an Irish creature—isn’t it?�
That last question earned her an arrested stare. Before Rohan could reply, the other two men approached. From her prone position, Amelia had an upside-down view of them. Like Rohan, they were in their shirtsleeves, with waistcoats left unbuttoned.
One of them was a portly old gentleman with a shock of silver hair. He held a small wood-and-metal sextant, which had been strung around his neck on a lanyard. The other, black-haired man looked to be in his late thirties. He wasn’t as tall as Rohan, but he had an air of authority tempered with aristocratic arrogance.
Amelia made a helpless movement, and Rohan lifted away from her with fluid ease. He helped her stand, his arm steadying her. “How far did it go?� he asked the men.
“Devil take the rocket,� came a gravelly reply. “What is the woman’s condition?�
“U²Ô³ó²¹°ù³¾±ð»å.â€�
The silver-haired gentleman remarked, “Impressive, Rohan. You covered a distance of fifty yards in no more than five or six seconds.�
“I would hardly miss a chance to leap on a beautiful woman,â€� Rohan said, causing the older man to chuckle.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight

“Rohan returned, his breath quickened from exertion. A mist of sweat had accumulated on his skin until it gleamed like bronze. “Right on course,â€� he said to Westcliff and Swansea. “The stabilizing fins worked. It landed at a distance of approximately two thousand yards.â€�
“Excellent!� Swansea exclaimed. “But where is the rocket?�
Rohan’s white teeth flashed in a grin. “Buried in a deep, smoking hole. I’ll go back to dig it up later.�
“Yes, we’ll want to see the condition of the casing and the inner core.� Swansea was red-faced with satisfaction. He used a handkerchief to blot his steaming, wrinkled countenance. “It’s been an exciting morning, eh?�
“Perhaps it’s time to return to the manor, Captain,� Westcliff suggested.
“Yes, quite.� Swansea bowed to Amelia. “A pleasure, Miss Hathaway. And may I say, you took it rather well, being the target of a surprise attack.�
“The next time I visit, Captain,â€� she said, “I’ll remember to bring my white flag.”
― Lisa Kleypas, Mine Till Midnight