Beatrice willed herself not to blush.She hadn’t meant for him to hear her opinion, of course, but she wouldn’t act ashamed of it.Not when it was sensible.
“I am sure that the rooms are perfect for your usual ladies, my lord.But you forget I am from the country.”
“I can assure you no one can forget such a thing, Miss Salisbury.”
Ah, sothatwas how it was going to be then.She hoped her face showed no affront.
“I look forward to you lending me what city polish I need, my lord.In the bedchamber and out of it.”
A clapping noise and a squeak sounded.Sally had smacked her hand over her own mouth and emitted, it would seem, a note of true horror, as if she had said the scandalous words herself.
So much for her retinue appearing worldly.
“Sally, would you please ready my chamber?”
Her sister bobbed a quick curtsey and left the room.
She loved Sally but she had no place in this conversation.
Now that the very kind but misguided Lord Montaigne and his lovely but equally misguided wife were out of the way, she and Lord Leith needed to have arealconversation.
“I am glad to see you settling in,” he said, his voice nearly sneering, not acknowledging her jape about the bedchamber.Somehow, despite his well-known preference for courtesans, he seemed reluctant to discuss bedroom matters aloud.
“Thank you,” she said, trying to keep the frost from her own voice.She needed him to give her what she wanted.When it came to men, she knew that they could be won over most easily by beguiling softness, if done right.No need to bring out her habitually sharp tongue unless necessary.“May I speak with you for a moment?That is, if you aren’t about to depart again.I hope I did not scare you off with my commentary about your home.It is lovely.Only not what I am used to.”
“Please, sit.”He gestured to the sofa, and she obliged.He settled himself across from her.“I assure you I take no offense.”
The curl of his mouth said otherwise, she thought, but she would let that lie.
“What do you wish to discuss, Miss Salisbury?”
“I am sure you understand that the conditions under which we had our first…negotiation were rather…constraining.”
He regarded her with a careful attention—no, she corrected herself, with suspicion.
“Because of Monty, you mean?”
“Yes.And his wife.They obviously have scruples about our arrangement.”
“Indeed, such knowledge could not escape me.”
“Yes, I wondered if you might be affronted by their attitude.”
“No, not at all,” he said, quickly, his gaze flitting away to the window.
Ah, a sore spot, indeed.She hadn’t been mistaken.
“I was surprised because I understood you and Lord Montaigne to be such friends.”
He coughed.“Well, yes, he…we…since his marriage,” he managed, “he has been more concerned with propriety.Hardly a strange thing, really.Quite common amongst our set.A man marries and he sees matters in a different light.”
She smiled.“Of course.”
“And you can see it is not a savory business.Letting his cousin become a courtesan.”
“Lord Montaigne is notlettingme do anything, I assure you.It has been many years, Lord Leith, since I allowed a man to dictate what I do with my person or my time.”
He sighed.“As you say, Miss Salisbury.”
