“I appreciated his help and his introduction to you.Especially since I know you have your choice of many women and are only making me your mistress as a favor to him.”
The man made a noise that could only be described as a grunt.
“But now that we are alone, we can talk as equals.You are a man of the world, and I am a woman of the world.I have had my share of lovers, so you needn’t worry about debauching an innocent.My concern, however, is that my newly proper cousin may have put some stipulations on our agreement to which I am not privy.”
He looked at her then, his amber gaze flashing.“I do not know what you mean.”
“Come, Lord Leith.I know he has told you that you are not to bed me.Even though I was very clear about my expectations.But the matter—what we do in the bedchamber—does not concern him and I expect you to disregard it.”
His face turned a shade paler.
“I…he did no such thing—I assure you.It is only that I would prefer not—”
“Yes,” she cut in.“You are supposed to tell me I am not to your tastes.That you would prefer not to bed me.”
“How do you—how on earth do you—”
She sighed.Really, aristocrats were not as clever or powerful as she had been led to believe.
“I paid a stable boy from the house next door to listen outside the door of the drawing room.As you can see, Lord Leith, I am not ignorant in the ways of the world.”
He picked an invisible piece of lint off his breeches.“I see.Well, I commend your efforts.Nevertheless, I cannot bed you.If Monty finds out that I have, he will be furious.”
Beatrice had expected this resistance.And it was here that she had to make a gamble.If she truly wanted to have the skills of a courtesan, she needed training in the bedchamber, and she needed Lord Leith to give it to her.Much rested on whether she had calculated rightly—if the tension she had noticed in that room between Lord Leith and Lord Montaigne was real.
“He will not need to find out.I certainly will not tell him.But if you donotbed me, Lord Leith, I will tell him that you have mistreated me dreadfully.”
He shifted in his armchair.“You are blackmailing me?Extorting me?”
“I believe extortion and blackmail involve real evidence of wrongdoing.This, instead, is just good old-fashioned lying.I am a simple woman at heart, Lord Leith.I grew up in the countryside and I now run my family’s estate.I have spent the past six years negotiating with men who think they can take advantage of any woman they see.Especially in business.Do you know how many of those men I have proved wrong?”
“Doubtlessly many.”His tone still managed to sound bored, but the set of his jaw told her that he was agitated.“But I will not be such a one, Miss Salisbury.”
“Oh, yes, you will be.Because if you do not bed me and teach me what I need to know, I will tell Lord Montaigne that not only have you tried to tup me, but that you have asked me to perform perverse acts in the bedchamber.Of a variety so disgusting to my country simplicity that I could not stay your mistress for even these two weeks.”
“I will not capitulate to threats, Miss Salisbury.I would obviously deny such accusations.”
“Who do you think Lord Montaigne will believe?You or me?”
He looked down at the carpet, away from her.This moment was where she would find out if she had guessed right.
Her stomach turned.The men were supposed to be best friends.Her word should be worthless beside his.
“Me, of course.”
Her stomach fell into her boots.
“I am his closest friend.And you are a cousin that he didn’t know about until a few days ago.As I am sure you know, the Carringtons have an endless array of cousins.His sister, Petunia, in fact, is fond of saying that ‘cousin’ is Carrington for ‘stranger.’In short, me.He would believe me, of course.”
For a moment, Beatrice did not know what to do.If Lord Leith wouldn’t teach her what she needed to know, then she would be at a severe disadvantage when she went into an arrangement with another man.Aristocratic men must expect certain things in the bedchamber—why else would they pay such exorbitant sums to these women?
With two weeks as Lord Leith’s mistress in name only, she could likely find another protector.But what would happen when he discovered her to be completely unfit to be a courtesan?
And then Beatrice saw his hand clenched around the armrest.She registered the anger in his tone.
Perhaps all was not lost.
She stood.“Very well, Lord Leith.You give me no choice but to reveal the truth of your behavior to my cousin.”
