The thrill of leaning forward into the half-dark and stealing a kiss when there were so many chances of getting caught felt almost as good as the kiss itself, Robert thought. Almost.

As he broke away from Morgan, he wondered for a moment if she was going to react poorly - maybe he had misread her - but she didn't. She stayed still for a second, and then they both moved away from one another as they heard someone moving inside, near the porch door.

No-one came through it, but the moment was effectively broken. Robert headed past Morgan, back through the house, and bade farewell to the Sullivans with an air of total innocence.

The rush that had accompanied his sudden move toward Morgan, and the feeling of dizziness that came when he had felt her kiss him back, followed Robert at least half-way home.

But no further.

Because as his heart started to slow once more, he found himself thinking that Morgan had better not assume he was going to hang about like a lovesick schoolboy - or worse, try to pursue her. He also hoped that she did not feel the need to confess their moment to her fiance, who would be able to make life very difficult for Robert.

Though if this was the way Morgan behaved around Robert, presumably this Geoff fellow was also taking a free and easy approach to his engagement. These high society types often did, Robert knew. Morgan had made it clear she wanted nothing from him besides what he had just given to her.

And why would she want anything from him? What was there to want that he could give?