“Julia!” Markham exclaimed.
“Markham—I’m a married woman. I’ll speak how I like.”
Two thoughts coined together in his mind, twirling—his arousal, her deepest fear.
“What was your nightmare about?” he asked.
She paled. “I told you—daisies.”
“You had the nightmare?” Markham asked. “The one where you are frozen in the field?”
Frozen.Rayne closed his eyes. “Are you really afraid of carriages?”
“Not…precisely.”
“Then itisbeing confined.” He ran his hand through his hair again. “I just showed you who I am.” He opened his eyes. “Why don’t you believe?”
“I got in a carriage for you. The fear didn’t even occur to me. Because”—she threw up her hands—“love. Please, Rayne. Tell me you love me, too.”
His tongue grew heavy and thick in his mouth.
Of course he loved her. But if he told her, she would never leave. She’d bind herself to him, even if being with him would lead her straight into her own destruction.
Her shoulders fell. “You don’t, do you?”
“I do!” He couldn’t let her believe he didn’t. “I love you. That’s why I’m asking you to go.”
“If you can ask me to go, then you don’t love me at all.” She held her brow. “I need to sit.” She yanked out a chair, sat down, and immediately shot to her feet, cheeks burning as she rubbed her behind.
He fisted the hand that had spanked her, knowing exactly why she had leaped back to her feet.
Markham frowned at Julia, glanced down at her bare feet, and then to the stockings around the table legs, and then back to Rayne.
Rayne didn’t even brace for the punch.
The dull, thudding ache of impact spread across his jaw. Markham had hit him in the same exact place as Bromton.
Again. Horrible symmetry.
“Don’t.” Julia laid a hand on Markham’s arm. “He didn’t hurt me.”
“Didn’t he?” Markham asked.
She stared at Rayne, her eyes wide and accusing. “Not yet.”
“Let’s go, Julia,” Markham urged.
“Where?” Julia asked.
“I’ll take you to Katherine. She’s sick with worry.”
Julia winced, then turned back to Markham. “I’ll come with you…just give me a moment.”
Markham turned to his wife. “Are you coming with us, Clarissa?”
“If you don’t mind…” Clarissa glanced at her brother. “I think I’ll stay here awhile longer.”
Markham nodded. “I’ll return for you later. Julia—meet me downstairs.”
