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“My eagle wasn’t such a raceful arch of the bird’s neck “This is wonderful, but I daresay your singing pistol is even more fiendishly difficult to create on account of the miniature size”

“It has its own unique challenges,” he ness to let one’s iination run wild”

On impulse—the Devil’s oicked impulse—he took her hand and pulled her into a sallery Unlike the main room, it had two narros, inally lass A dribble of old of the candle

“Lord Dunbar keeps a few itened for public view” Devlin indicated a length of black velvet draped over a large object “Suffice it to say, they are rather provocative, so you ht not care to view them”

Her brows angled up “Is that a challenge?”

He shrugged in answer

Anna hesitated noa peek under the cloth A sound—a laugh? a squeak?—seee in her throat “Help lory”

Devlin folded back the heavy fabric and dropped it atop a pile of other draperies Lifting the lantern he let the light play over the exquisite detailing of carved ivory and precious metals The automaton showed a couple on a coverlet of scarlet silk, entwined in the throes of passion On toggling one of the lady’s upraised legs, the an to rise and fall

As she watched intently, he tried to gauge her reaction However her expression, that bland Mayfair ballroom mask of politeness that she could slip on in the blink of an eye, gave nothing away

“It’s Italian and was made by a Florentine an to turn frole of tresses to caressing the silk “Her hair is old threads, and her eyes are Chinese jade,” he added “Legend has it that Casanova once owned this piece”

“I can well believe it, given his appetite for the opposite sex” She crouched down for a closer look “Good heavens, the anato appears reain “Um, for the most part, that is”

“Oh? Is soht?” Devlin knelt down beside her

After observing another gyration, Anna answered, “Not that I have a great deal of expertise in judging such erated”

“Are you saying I have a shortco?” he drawled

Was it just the shadows or was she blushing?