And that was her position when the butler opened the door and looked down at her in an extremely quizzical manner.

“Oh, hello,” Emma chirped, smiling weakly as she straightened herself as quickly as she could. “Is his grace receiving?”

The butler did not reply immediately, preferring to look her up and down in silent judgment. She was Quality, that was sure, but it was unheard of for a wellborn lady to call unescorted at an unmarried gentleman’s home. He was wavering over the wisdom of allowing her to enter when Emma suddenly looked up at him with those huge violet eyes, and he was lost. Closing his eyes momentarily, he went against his better judgment and said, “Won’t you come in?” He ushered her into a small parlor just off the main hall. “I’ll see if his grace is available.”

The butler trudged up the stairs until he located Alex in his study on the second floor.

“What is it, Smithers?” Alex asked absently, barely looking up from the papers he was studying.

“There is an unescorted young lady to see you, your grace.”

Alex laid the papers down on his desk, gave his butler a sharp look, and then replied, “I do not know any young ladies who would call on me at home without an escort.” He picked up his papers again and leafed through them briskly.

“As you wish, your grace.” Smithers started to back out of the room but stopped just short of closing the door. “Are you certain, your grace?”

Alex put down the papers again and looked at his butler with an irritated expression. “Am I certain of what, Smithers?”

“Are you certain that you do not know this particular young lady? She seemed quite, er, earnest, your grace.”

Alex decided to humor his butler. “What did she look like, Smithers?”

“She is quite petite, and her hair is a rather bright color.”

“What?!” Alex burst out, standing up so sharply he banged his knee on his desk.

The crinkles around the butler’s eyes softened slightly. “And she has the biggest violet eyes I have seen since Mrs. Smithers passed on seven years ago.”

“Good Lord, Smithers, why didn’t you say so!” Alex dashed out of the room and nearly hurtled himself down the stairs.

Smithers followed at a somewhat more sedate pace. “I wasn’t aware you were interested in the color of my late wife’s eyes,” he said softly, smiling wider than he had in seven years.

“Emma!” Alex exclaimed as he bounded into the room. “What on earth are you doing here? Is something wrong? Does your family know you’re here?”

Emma licked her lips nervously before answering. “No, no they don’t. Except for Ned. He walked me over.”

“Your cousin allowed you to come here unescorted? Is he insane?”

“No, although he thinks I am,” Emma admitted, her voice a little mournful. Alex didn’t look overjoyed to see her. She stood up hastily. “I can leave if this isn’t a good time.”

“No!” Alex exclaimed loudly as he crossed the room and shut the door. “Please stay. I’m just rather surprised to see you here.”

“I know this is highly irregular,” Emma began, not having any idea how to broach the subject of marriage. “But I wanted to speak to you privately, and you know how difficult it is to get a few moments alone in London.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. He knew.

“Ned told me that you returned yesterday afternoon. He said he saw you last night at White’s.”

Alex wondered if Ned had also told her that he had spent the better part of an hour grilling him about Emma.

Emma stood up suddenly, too anxious to sit down. She began to pace, nervously catching her lower lip between her teeth.

“You do that a lot,” Alex pointed out with an indulgent smile.

She whirled around. “What?”

“Nibble on your lower lip. I find it rather endearing.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.”

Alex crossed the room and caught her upper arms in his hands. “Emma,” he said in a low voice, looking very deeply into her eyes. “Please tell me what is wrong. You’re obviously very upset about something.”

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared up into Alex’s intense green eyes. With her head tipped back in a vulnerable position, she felt as if he could see into the very depths of her soul. She swallowed convulsively, fighting the urge to press her body against his and simply melt into his arms. She could feel the heat emanating from his body and desperately longed to become a part of that warmth.

Alex could see her violet eyes begin to smolder with desire, and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to lean down and capture her lips with his own. He had no idea how to try to make her feel better, but he was fairly certain that what she didn’t need was another intimate encounter with him.

Emma didn’t know how long she remained in that position before she remembered to breathe, but she finally exhaled and said, “I need to talk to you about something, and I cannot think clearly when you are standing so close to me.”

Alex took that as a good sign. “Of course,” he said solicitously, releasing her arms and motioning to the sofa where she had been seated just moments earlier. Scratching his chin thoughtfully, he began to consider his situation. He’d been planning to propose to Emma on Friday, but this might be as good a time as any. She must have some tender feelings for him or she never would have dared to come by herself to his townhouse. And after all, he’d have more opportunity here to kiss her senseless after she said yes (which he was praying she would) than he would at her cousins’ home, where he’d been planning on proposing. He’d just wait until she told him whatever it was that was bothering her so much, and then he’d ask her. It would be a great moment.