title: National Geographic Readers: Predator Face-Off
author:  Melissa Stewart 
description: Melissa Stewart has written more than 150 science books for young readers. While gathering information for her books, Melissa has hiked in tropical rain forests, gone on safari in Africa, and swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. She can't imagine any better job! Visit Melissa's website at www.melissa-stewart.com or track her at twitter.com/mstewartscience.
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  The very portrait of desire . . .
  
  Lord Carlisle had been so determined to walk with her! And not just talk to
  her, but flirt with her. Oh, she may be innocent by ton standards, but she
  knew when a gentleman was flirting with her, especially when he did it as
  audaciously as Lord Carlisle had. He’d asked her to comment on his parts, for
  heaven’s sake! He’d stared into her eyes as if he could drown in their depths.
  It was ridiculous.
  
  Delia clutched her pencil as she remembered. Ah, now she could see why the
  gazelle was so nervous. The poor thing. A fiendish predator was creeping up
  behind her. This hideous creature looked like a man, with a man’s body and a
  man’s face and distinctive wavy dark hair, but it had a tiger’s claws and very
  sharp-looking teeth in its gaping mouth.
  
  Delia stopped sketching and studied her page. A quiet laugh escaped her. Oh,
  it was a sketch worthy of Rowlandson himself! She’d have to burn it, of
  course, since the dreadful tiger bore far too r