“Does it scare you still?”
He pulled her closer, placing his lips against her hairline.I love you, he thought.
But he couldn’t say that.So instead he settled for a lesser truth.
“Yes,” he admitted.
“I think I now understand why you agreed to keep me as your mistress.I knew Lord Montaigne had something over you, but I didn’t know what.I knew you wanted his good opinion.I wasn’t sure how deep the quarrel went.”
“Ah, yes, when you threatened me.”
“You didn’t want him to think you a degenerate.”
“Well, in that, I’ve failed.Monty would be furious if he knew what I have done.”
“Do you really believe it?”
He turned so that he could see her face.
“Of course.He made it very clear I wasn’t to touch you.”
“I wonder if he might be more forgiving on that score than you think.”
Leith shook his head.“I am sure he thinks I’m completely without feeling.And he has every right to think so.I wanted to win back his trust—and I’ve just violated it once more.”
“Is that all that I am?”Beatrice said, looking up at him, a teasing expression on her face.“A broken promise?”
“No,” he said, kissing her.“I mourn what Monty would think of me, if he knew.But being with you, Beatrice, like this, is worth the consequences a thousandfold.”
“Why, Lord Leith,” she said, “that is a most ardent declaration.”
He kissed her again at that, deeply.
“Well, my affections are very sincere indeed,” he said, keeping his tone light and ironic, even as he could feel his heart thudding in his chest.
Then another knock sounded.This time, it did not emanate from him.
Someone was rapping on the door, breaking the perfect privacy of their room.
He raised up his head and realized it was coming from the one that adjoined his room to Beatrice’s.
She quickly stood and put on her robe.“It must be Sally,” she whispered, moving to the door.
Beatrice opened it.
“Oh, Bea, I’ve just gotten the most dreadful letter from Parkhorne.”
“Give it to me.”
He watched as she took the letter from her sister.Her eyes moved over it at pace.
“Very well,” she said.“We leave tomorrow.At first light.I will come and help you ready our things.”
“Wait,” Leith said, grabbing his nightshirt from the floor and pulling it over his head.Usually, the prospect of being unclothed in front of a near stranger would horrify him, but Leith couldn’t care when Beatrice was talking about leaving London.“You cannot leave, Beatrice.”
Beatrice looked up at him with a pensive, intense expression.
“I will be in soon, Sally.Just give me a moment.”
