Chapter Two
They occupied a pair of armchairs drawn up in front of the fire, angled slightly toward each other. Richard ushered her to one of the seats. After she’d settled herself in one, he went to a sideboard and brought over a tray with a cut-crystal decanter and two small glasses. He poured an inch and a half of amber liquid into each.
“This is an orange-flavored brandy,” he said, handing one of the glasses to her. “It’s quite powerful, so sip carefully.”
Elizabeth took a careful taste and gasped as it seemed to explode on her tongue. The dimples flashed too briefly as he watched her eyes widen in reaction. But then the sweetness hit and she licked her lips in pleasure at the taste. “How delightful,” she said after the first swallow. “It burns at first, but then it’s sweet, and the
