“An encroacher?” A chiseled ebony brow slowly lifted. “You do not believe anyone would possess the audacity to boldly enter society without the proper bloodlines ?”

A near hysterical giggle rose to her throat before she sternly subdued it. What was the matter with her? She would give all away if she were not careful.

“Yes, I do.”

The dark eyes seemed to narrow. “An interesting notion.”

Realizing she was treading dangerous waters, Simone prepared to take a more direct approach. Clearly the gentleman could not be shamed by more subtle means.

“I believe, sir, you are being deliberately obtuse,” she charged in low tones.

The thick brow inched higher. “Deliberately? Could it not be that I am merely unintentionally obtuse? After all, the proper bloodlines have never ensured intelligence.”

Her teeth gritted. “How did you enter my home?”

“I assure you I did not materialize from thin air.” He appeared amused by her rising irritation. “I walked through the front door as any proper guest would do.”

“Impossible,” Simone retorted, thinking of the large, barrel-chested Bartson. No matter how dangerous this man might be he could not have bested her servant without a very noisy struggle. “My butler would never have allowed anyone in without an invitation.”

He offered an elegant shrug. “He was quite understanding when I revealed that I had only recently arrived in London. I assured him that had you known of my presence you most certainly would have desired me to attend your elegant gathering. We are, after all, destined to be quite intimately acquainted.”

Intimately?

A feather of fear whispered through her heart.

He sounded so utterly confident. So sure of himself.

She gave a sharp shake of her head. “Bartson would never have believed such nonsense.”

Those fingers stilled upon the diamond pin. “Why not? It is the simple truth.”

Once again she felt that compelling force of him reach out to wrap about her. It was almost tangible and Simone battled to clear her foggy mind.