She flinched, and he knew an instant of gratification,however small it was of him. “I know I hurt you, and I’m sorry for it. In time,you shall see that I had no recourse. I did what I had to, and at the firstpossible moment I came back to you.”
“Much has changed,” he warned her. She couldn’t expect heractions to be without consequence, nor would they be. “You may stay here for afew days whilst you find another refuge from Billingsley, but that must be all,Eleanor.”
She gasped. “You cannot turn me out.”
“I’m not turning you out,” he countered, forcing himself toremain firm in his decision. “I am merely warning you. Your stay will betemporary. You do not belong here.”
Her grip on him tightened, her expression becoming one ofdesperation. “I belong with you.”
“No.” He shook off her hand, hardening his heart to her.“You don’t, and I’m beginning to think you never have.”
“You will change your mind,” she said, her voice trembling.“I love you. Please don’t act with haste.”
“I’ll give you a few days,” he repeated, voice curt, beforeturning on his heel. “That is all.”
For it had to be. He didn’t dare trust her again. The riskswere too great, for he now had a wife who was more than a name and an unwantedpresence in his life. The hard truth of it was that he didn’t even want toconsider just how much Maggie had become to him in the last fortnight, for thatscared the hell out of him. All he knew now was that he had to find her. Hewanted her still, perhaps even more than he’d ever desired Eleanor. And thatsurely had to count for something.
* * * * *
Maggie’s hands shook as she awaited Simon in the luxuriouslyappointed salon that adjoined her bedchamber. She’d sent word for him to meether directly following whatever he needed to settle Lady Billingsley, and forher own sake, she’d deemed it best not to meet him anywhere a bed could befound. His deadly good looks and wicked caresses had a way of disarming herevery time. She couldn’t afford to be so foolish this time.
She sighed. Although she had decorated the salon herself,the aesthetically pleasing confines did not bring her cheer at the moment. Shehad not been prepared to face the woman she had detested from afar, to see howlovely she was, how tiny her waist, how golden her hair. She had a penchant foroverdressing, that much Maggie could see, but it appeared to be LadyBillingsley’s only flaw. Damn her. What right did she think she had to simplyappear in the drawing room and throw herself into Sandhurst’s arms?
Every right, she supposed. Maggie frowned and paced thelength of the room, worry a gnawing ache in her breast. Though she wasreasonably certain she had exhibited confidence when confronting LadyBillingsley, the disheartening truth of it was that when it came to herhusband, she had no confidence whatsoever.
Indeed, she very much feared he would return to hismistress. After all, he had admitted to loving her. She had been his paramourfor five years. She still had a hold on him. That much had been apparent by theway he’d been leaning into her, his hands upon her waist when Maggie hadintervened. The sight had nearly been unbearable.
In just over a fortnight, he had already become veryimportant to Maggie. Necessary. She fidgeted with her skirts, her nervousnessincreasing the longer it took for her husband to arrive.
At last, the door clicked open and he stepped inside. For amoment, she simply stared at him, their eyes interlocked. He was impossiblyhandsome, she thought again, wishing absurdly that he had a wart or perhaps alarge nose, anything to mar his outward perfection. But he was debonair as everdespite the distressed expression he wore.
“I’m sorry,” he said at last, lingering at the door when shewanted him to close the distance between them.
Maggie pressed her palms to her skirt, hoping she didn’tlook a fright. “Why?”
He sighed, the sound one of intense weariness. “I didn’tknow she would come here.”
She wanted to trust him, but she didn’t know if she could.“Did you invite her here?”
“Christ.” He passed his fingers through his hair, leavingthe too-long locks askew. “Of course I didn’t. What do you take me for?”
The man who had ignored his wife while living openly withhis mistress for the last year. She wisely refrained from saying as much. “Ineeded to ask. I can’t think of why she would simply appear here unless you hadasked her to come.”
“She left her husband and claims she had nowhere else togo,” he said tightly.
And he believed her? Maggie frowned. “Has she no friends orfamily?”
“I believe she does.”
She wanted to shake him by his lapels. His sudden distancewas horribly frustrating. “She cannot go to them instead?”
“I expect she can, but I’ve told her she may remain here fora few days while she gathers herself.”
“A few days.” Her dismay could not be hidden.
He raised a brow, looking every bit the arrogant noblemanshe’d married. “Would you have me toss her out on her ear?”
“Yes,” she admitted without a hint of shame. “I would preferthat to having to see the woman you love sitting at my breakfast table.”
