The Second Shot (The Dueling Pistols) by Katy Madison

teeth. "Mama says it is impolite for a gentleman to sit when there is a lady standing."
    Tony nodded solemnly at Charles. "I expect your mother shall have to forgive me."
    Felicity rubbed her forehead. What insanity had prompted her to think she could convince Tony to do anything he didn't want to do? He hadn't done the honorable thing when she'd written him about her pregnancy. Why did she expect him to do the right thing now? Or at least do something to help her? Yet, she almost believed him when he said he wouldn't harm her. Her heart believed, even after all he'd done.
    His kiss had shaken her, reminded her of the pleasure she'd found in his arms, awakened a part of her that had been dormant. She couldn't have an affair with him. She'd lose herself again. But his lips against hers were their own special torture and bliss.
    "We need to leave. Diana will be waiting," she said firmly.
    "I shall come with you."
    "Absolutely not necessary." She just wanted him to leave.
    "Not bloody likely to be helpful, either," he muttered.
    Felicity put her hands on her hips, ready to tear into him. What was he thinking? It wasn't like Tony to be rude. Forceful, arrogant, but not rude. "I agree."
    He massaged his thigh with both hands. "I shall go with you. It's the least I can do."
    She didn't need him to go along. What's more, she didn't want him along. And if she could just get the appropriate members of her family to come along, she would leave him and his confusing advances behind.
    "Come along, Charles. We cannot keep Diana waiting." Felicity adjusted her bonnet—when had it become askew? Oh, her step faltered. When he kissed her, when her world tilted upside-down.
    Thank heaven Charles had come in shortly after that. She blessed the stars that Charles had gotten past his fear of the carvings. Lord knows it wouldn't have taken much for Tony to have convinced her to sprawl on the chaise longue with him.
    "Pigs, pigs, pigs," muttered Felicity. She would not succumb to the idiocy, this insanity, this enchantment, ever again. But his touch, like before, had been so gentle and persuasive, and he made the thought of an affair far too easy to imagine. His kiss made her lips tingle, made everything tingle.
    "What did you say?" He looked at her, and for the first time she marked some humanness in his pale blue eyes. He looked as if he was in agony.
    Her burst of concern for his welfare irritated her, but she was helpless to avoid voicing her worry. "Are you all right? Shall I have my carriage set you down somewhere?"
    Tony stood. The pain blanked from his eyes, which once again grew stony, cold, and distant. "At the dock to retrieve your niece." He held out an arm toward the door. "Shall we?"
    "How badly were you hurt?"
    "Not so badly this time." His reply was maddeningly uninformative.
    "How bad was it the first time?"
    "Bad."
    "Tony," she said with exasperation. Had his injury interfered with his intention to return home in enough time to marry her? Had he thought he would die?
    She shook her head. Without some indication from him, just the curt letter telling her to stay home, she'd had to find someone to marry her before her predicament became obvious.
    He placed his palm against the small of her back and guided her through the door. She shouldn't have asked. She desperately wanted to give him a chance to explain, to tell her that if she had traveled to Spain he would have fulfilled his promise. She wanted to believe in his honor.
    But she had to face facts. The man had no nobility of character when it came to her. He had just insisted on an affair in response a very minor request to pretend an engagement in front of her parents. Just when she'd given up on his responding, he answered her.
    "Shot the first time. Stabbed with a bayonet the second time, but I'll spare you the details."
    "You were shot?" asked Charles, his eyes big.
    "I'm asking for details," Felicity pointed out.
    Tony nodded, and in a low aside that made her shiver, he