“You changed it for me,” she said steadily, her gaze neverwavering from his. “You insulted me, my lord.”
He traced her lower lip with his thumb, staring at herintently. “I’m sorry for insulting you.”
“Are you?” She wasn’t certain she believed him. Desire wasone thing. Self-respect was another entirely. Her husband treated her as if shewere nothing more important than a speck of lint on his coat and she’d bedamned if she’d allow another man to do the same.
He inclined his head. “I am. You affect me in ways I’venever known.”
She heard a rough thread of honesty in his voice. For somereason, she believed him. He seemed as lost in their maze of seduction as she.His thumb was still absently rubbing her lip. She wanted to kiss it but somehowstifled the urge. “That is not an excuse for abominable behavior,” she pointedout.
His jaw clenched. “I’m aware, but there are other factorsyou cannot know.”
But she wanted to know them. He simply didn’t wish to share.Was it that he didn’t trust her? Something was afoot, and she was determined toweed it out by its insidious root. Now, however, was not the time. She took abreath. “I accept your apology.”
He appeared to relax, his mouth tipping up into a smile.“Thank you.”
“But I don’t wish to play charades any longer at themoment,” she forced herself to say. “Naughty or otherwise. I think it best if Ireturn to my own chamber just now.”
His smile disappeared. “As you wish.”
She stepped away from him again, clutching her mangledbodice to her as if it were a shield. “I shall see you at dinner, my lord.”
With that, she all but fled from his chamber before she didsomething horridly foolish. Before she turned around and threw herself backinto his arms.
Chapter Three
Dinner that evening was a sumptuous affair servedà larusseand laden with oysters, trout, pheasant, aspics, hothouse fruits,fresh cream and endless stores of wine. In short, Nell had concocted yetanother indulgent delight featuring anything a man could possibly want in termsof food and drink. As the night wore on, the company grew steadily louder, thewomen laughing with increasing gaiety, the men chortling and winking as theysized up their next conquests. Simon wished he could enjoy the hedonisticdisplay, but his mind was too damn preoccupied by thoughts ofher.
He still didn’t want to think of her by her given name, andcertainly not by the diminutive she preferred, for that would render his follyfar more real. He took a gulp of his wine, then another. She was seatedopposite him. Yet another instance of Nell’s immoral machinations.
He glanced up from his plate, his gaze unerringly going tohis wife who was dressed to perfection in a completely black evening gown thatcomplemented the fieriness of her hair. She was doing her best to flirt withthe man seated to her right, who he was convinced was the lecherous Earl ofRavenscroft. He’d recognize the bastard anywhere. Damn the man, whosereputation as a lover-for-hire preceded him. Simon found himself scowling atthe pair as they laughed over some nonsense or other.
Ravenscroft was not suitable company for any lady at all,and certainly not for the Marchioness of Sandhurst. Why, she had a reputationto uphold, blast her. She’d better not take the man on as a lover. Anuncomfortable sensation pierced his gut, and it felt remarkably like jealousy.
Jealousy?
Absurd. He had bedded his wife and enjoyed it. Nothing more.What did he care if she took up with Ravenscroft next, as long as she did soquietly? He didn’t, he told himself firmly. He was relieved that she wasshowering the louse with such attention, truly he was, for that released himfrom his burden. He was free to find another woman and lose himself in her.
His wife laughed, the sound throaty and alluring, and hiscock was instantly hard. Damn, damn and damn again. He was lying to himself.His patience fled him. “Do share the reason for your levity,” he bit out ratherloudly. The pair turned matching shocked gazes to him. He fought down a flush,aware he was behaving boorishly.
“Pardon me?” His wife’s violet eyes were upon him, pinninghim to his seat as if he were a preserved insect on display.
He resisted the urge to fidget, feeling a bit like a ladbeing reprimanded by a dragon governess. “I merely inquired as to the source ofyour merriment.”
Her suitor raised his glass in a mock salute, seeminglylaughing at him. “You, old boy.”
The hell he had. Simon clenched the stem of his wine gobletwith so much force he wouldn’t be at all surprised if it snapped. “I’m sureI’ve mistaken you.”
“No.” The blackleg took a jovial sip of his wine, grinning.“I don’t think you have. I very clearly said just now that we were laughing atyou.”
Simon didn’t think twice. He stood. Yes, pistols at dawn waslong since outlawed, but fists certainly hadn’t been. He was going to bloodywell beat the blighter to a pulp. Break his hawkish nose. Split open hissneering lip.
“Meet me outside,” he demanded. “Now.”
His nemesis grinned even more, appearing to contemplate hisdemand. “No,” he drawled at last, sounding as if he hadn’t a care. “Don’t thinkI shall, old boy. Do sit back down and smooth your feathers.”
He shook his head slowly. By damn, this weekend had put himthrough the paces. All he had wanted was a bit of peace and companionship, away to distract himself from Eleanor’s defection. Instead, he had discoveredthe most beguiling passion of his life with a woman he had spent the last yearresenting. And now this scoundrel dared to laugh in his face before everyone,suggesting he had feathers as if he were some sort of old rooster strutting inthe barnyard. It was the outside of enough.
“I won’t,” he growled. “Be a gentleman and meet me outside.”
