Beth realized with despair that she had somehow stirred hisinterest.
Still holding her, he said lightly, “Will I have to search our marriagebed for a stiletto?”
“If you handle me like this, my lord,” said Beth fiercely, resuming herstruggles and getting nowhere, “there will be no such thing. Let go of me!Being an admirer of Mary Wollstonecraft does not mean I give my favors toany man who grabs me!”
He froze. “Do you know what you are saying?” he asked softly, and Bethrealized how he had interpreted her words.
Beth swallowed and pasted a bold smile on her face. “Of course I do.”If she could make him believe this she’d be sent back to Miss Mallory’stomorrow. In one piece? she wondered.
One large hand gripped her chin as if to prevent her from turning away.His voice was hoarse. “How many have there been?”
Beth tossed her head saucily. “If you will give me a list of yourconquests, my lord, I’ll oblige you with a list of mine.”
He released her so suddenly she staggered. “God!”
Beth turned and leaned on the balustrade, feeling sick. Could she gothrough with this? But only a few moments more and she would be on her wayhome. What could the duke do if his son simply refused? And he wouldrefuse. No man would stand for this.
Her shoulders were caught and she was spun roughly to face himagain.
“I don’t believe you,” he said.
“Why not?” It was an honest question. Beth needed to know why hedoubted her if she was to act convincingly.
“You and Miss Mallory run a select ladies’ seminary. You could hardlysucceed in that with a smirched reputation.”
Beth schooled her features to project insolence. “I am discreet, mylord.”
It was hard to look bold. The man looked positively murderous. He wassearching her face as if reading a book. Beth tried to look as anunrepentant exponent of free-love would. Had not Mary Wollstonecraft’sdaughter, Mary, recently eloped with Percy Shelley ? and him a marriedman? The marquess need never know that this escapade had horrified bothMiss Mallory and Beth.
Suddenly he pushed her hands behind her, took her two slender wrists inone hand, and held them there. Terror shot through her at this bondage,and she twisted wildly. She was shocked to find she could not break thatgrip.
“Don’t struggle,” he said coldly, “or I’ll have to hurt you.”
He wasn’t going to hurt her? She’d thought he was going to beat her atthe very least. His words might reassure, but his expression did not. Herheart was racing, and it was all she could do not to beg for mercy.
If he wasn’t going to hurt her, what was he going to do? She supposed abolder woman would know. Could he see her pounding heart which seemed tobe somewhere up at the back of her throat? She longed to take her wordsback, but that would be to lose her chance of freedom. She could not stopthe trembling, however, which was shaking her whole body.
He pressed his hard body against her, against her legs, her hips, herbreasts. ... It was an intolerable invasion of privacy.
God in Heaven, was he going to rape her?
“Why are you so frightened?” he asked silkily. “You surely know I donot intend to hurt you, my dear.”
“I am outraged,” Beth forced out. “I am furious!”
His free hand came up and stroked her cheek. Beth flinched. “Why, Iwonder? In what way were your other lovers so superior to me?”
Beth saw a weapon and grasped it. “Does your pride smart, my lord? Theywere men of sensitivity and intelligence, and they weremy own choice.”
“I’m sorry,” he said with a lightness which did not hide the fury inhis eyes. “By my code it is not intelligent or sensitive to take thevirginity of a lady without marriage, yet one of those paragons must havedone that.”
“It wasgivenmy lord,” she spat back. “Given. It was not taken, nor wasit sold for a few guineas or even a wedding ring!”
He caught his breath in shock. His hand momentarily tightened on herwrists so that she could not stifle a cry of pain. The pressureimmediately lessened, but she could feel in the air around them theintensity of his control and the peril of its loss.
What now? Beth knew something else was going to happen. Somethingterrible.
His face was a stony mask, but his eyes burned. He watched her fixedlyas his hand slid down the side of her neck to her shoulder. She quivered.He moved his imprisoning body away and Beth took a deep breath of relief.Then his hand moved down to settle cupping her left breast.
