He shrugged. “What was the point? There was nothing to be done about it, and frankly, I do not much care about gossip. I thought it would upset you. From what you have told me, Charlotte did not immediately tell you the truth for the very same reason. I’m sure you can understand her reasoning, too. Nobody wished to hide it from you.”
“I am not upset about that,” Madeline admitted. “I was alittlestung, but it paled into insignificance beside the ridiculous idea that you and I had conducted an affair. It would have been while you were consorting with that fabulously elegant opera singer, no less. How can people believe that you would grow tired ofherand turn tome? What nonsense.”
Tristan pursed his lips. “I cannot take that as a compliment, as it seems that you are more complimentary about Miss Bolt than about me.”
“She is an exceptionally beautiful woman. Talented, too. And so very interesting. She’s determined to dislike me on principle, and I must admit that…”
“Yes, yes, I’m sure you two would be the best of friends were it not for my coming tiresomely between you,” Tristan sighed. “I refer you to my original point. There was nothing to be done about this, so we ought to let the matter lie.”
“It is uncomfortable and offensive. This rumor claims that I gave up my virtue, destroyed my reputation, and then salvaged it again by marrying. What is more, it paints Adam as a bastard, and I willnothave that vile title hanging over him.”
Tristan went still. “A vile title? Harsh words to bestow upon a baby that has no control over its birth.”
Madeline reddened at that. “That was unfair to say,” she mumbled, avoiding his gaze. “I only mean that it could cause him a great deal of trouble in the future. I don’t want this to happen to Adam.”
“I agree,” he responded. “Society hates children in such a situation. Or, to be precise, it hates the mothers who give birth to babies out of wedlock, and then it hates the babies. The father generally seems to avoid censure.”
Madeline snorted. “That, Ihavenoticed.”
“Tell me something, my dear,” Tristan murmured, taking a step closer. The room seemed to retract around her, closing up until it was only the two of them in the whole building, the entireworld. She could almost feel the heat of his skin radiating toward her. She wanted to reach out and touch him, feeling the warmth of his skin against her fingertips.
To avoid this, she tucked her hands behind her back, lacing her fingers together.
“What?” she queried, her voice tremulous. “I… I should go.”
“In a moment. But first, why can’t you tell me why it is so shockingly insulting for a wife to have been accused of lying with her own husband, hmm? Do you hate the idea that people might think we have shared a bed? Or perhaps you are angry because you have only just begunthinkingabout it. What do you think? Perhaps a little honesty would be appropriate here.”
Madeline was fairly sure that her cheeks were as hot as a furnace. She was tempted to lift her hand to her face and press the back of it against her cheek, just to test its heat.
She did not allow herself to do any such thing, of course.
“What is more,” Tristan continued, almost as if he were talking to himself, “you came herealone. What a tremendous shock! Very inappropriate. Almost like a hint, one might imagine.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Madeline shot back, with not nearly as much venom in her voice as he deserved. “I am a married woman. I can go about unchaperoned if I like.”
“Such spirit,” Tristan murmured. He reached out, and for one tantalizing moment, she was sure that he was going to touch her cheek. Perhaps he would draw the curve of his forefinger’s knuckle down the side of her face. Perhaps he would let his hand dip lower, fingers stroking over the soft skin of her throat. Perhaps…
He tucked a stray lock behind her ear and withdrew, his hands retreating to a safe distance. Madeline let out a shaky breath and realized with a panicked jolt that she had beenholdingher breath.
What a fool I am. I don’t care if he touches me or not. I shouldn’t hold my breath like a mooning schoolgirl. How ridiculous.
“I am offended because they have said something that is not true,” Madeline forced herself to say. She met his eyes squarely so that he could see that she was serious.
Her words and her glare did not have the intended effect. He chuckled, shaking his head.
“I agree with you,” he said at last. “Itisoffensive.”
Why did that give her a twinge of hurt? Madeline angrily put that sensation aside.
“I’m glad we agree,” she responded brusquely. “As for the dressmaker’s trip, I…”
“Oh, fear not. I shall come along, I promise you.”
“You don’t have to.”
He chuckled again, turning his back and striding off toward the counter. She saw his shirt there, wadded up into a careless pile.An embroidered waistcoat and a blue velvet jacket hung beside it, and he roughly pulled the shirt over his head.
She had hoped to be able to breathe a little better with his bare chest covered, but apparently not.
