‘True.’

‘It’s for the King to flirt with her.’

Her demure tone took him off guard, and he frowned, as though unsure that he’d heard her correctly. Then he smiled, cautiously.

‘And if the King didn’t flirt with her?’ he asked. ‘Might she not show a little enterprise in the matter?’

‘She wouldn’t dare,’ Lizzie informed him, straight-faced. ‘Lest he think her impertinent.’

‘I don’t think you fear the opinion of any man, Miss Boothe.’

‘But Your Majesty is a king, not a man.’

‘Is that what you think?’

She looked straight into his face, saying demurely, ‘I’m waiting for you to tell me what to think.’

‘By heaven, you’re a cool one!’ he exclaimed softly.

‘But of course. A woman would need to stay cool when entering the bear’s cave,’ she pointed out. ‘Unless she’s well protected.’

‘You, I think, are protected by your effrontery.’

‘Oh, dear! I have offended Your Majesty.’

His eyes gleamed. ‘Do not fish for compliments, Miss Boothe.’

‘Is that what I was doing?’ she murmured.

‘Yes. And it was quite unnecessary.’

There were a dozen ways to take that but, raising a questioning eyebrow to him, she sensed exactly what he was telling her and a swift excitement scurried through her veins.

She hadn’t meant this to happen. So far and no further. That had been the idea. Flirt with him, intrigue him until he was putty in her hands. It had worked before.

‘Use your charms to bring them to heel,’ Dame Elizabeth had always advised. ‘What else are charms for?’

But it had never been part of the plan for him to charm her. Now matters were getting out of hand. Beneath his stiff exterior this man had a devil in his eyes. Lizzie had an uneasy feeling that he’d sized her up and decided he could deal with her.

But how? That was the question that made her blood race. Whatever the answer she decided she was going to enjoy it, and if she could gain her professional goals as well, so much the better.