The king instantly laughed. “You wish to wed your mistress? A known harlot’s daughter?”
Hunter clenched his jaw, and yet he stood his ground. “Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
The merriment subsided as the monarch abruptly stood. “No.”
He started to walk away, but Hunter wouldn’t be dissuaded. Only one other time had he dared to use their personal connection as influence. Even then, he’d been refused for Lord Gregory still walked free. “Consider it a gift for your son.”
The king spun back around, his expression notmerelyhaughty, but closely condemning. “The gift We have bestowed upon you is making you a highly regarded peer of the realm and that was out of my fondness for your mother. But I shall deny your request. Men of our station wed for duty and the good of England. If you are looking for a bride, I will send’round a list of preferable candidates. Good day, Falcourt.”
Hunter sighed heavilyas the king departed. That certainly hadn’t gone as he’d hoped, but it wasn’t a surprise that the conversation had ended as it had. With thirteen other legitimate children alive to cater to, Hunter was lucky that he’d been granted a private audience with his sire at all.Notonlythat, but it hadn’t been so many years ago that his eldest half-brother had dared to trytoelope with his mistress without his father’s consent.It hadn’t gone well then either.
As he left the royal chambers and began to walk down the hall to depart, he had to chuckle, for Prince George IV was heading toward him from the other direction. As they drew closer to one another he saw the man’s eyes narrow suspiciously. Then again, Hunter was a constant reminder of his father’s perfidy with a woman he’d lovedwhowas not the queen. In spite of this, they had always been at odds.
He bowed in reverence, but he couldn’t help goading him just a little. “I was just thinking of you, brother.”
Instantly, the elder man’s nose wrinkled in distaste. “I shudder to imagine why.”
“The king declined my request to marry my mistress.” He smiled. “So you see, we aren’t so different after all, you and I.”
The Regent stepped closer to him. “Weare nothing alike.” With that, he brushed past Hunter and stalked down the hall, his heeled boots clicking noisily on the marble floor.
With a sigh, Hunter left the Old Palace and started the journey back home. After such a tedious morning, he was eager to return and see Persephone’s familiar face.
***
“I was just about to send’round a note this morning, but you’ve beaten me to it.” The Countess of Virsage greeted Sephy with a kiss on each of her cheeks. Today,Charlottewore a rather extravagant gown of white with embroidered red roses along the bodice and hem. But then,she wasn’t knownto spareanyexpense, forCharlotte was inclined to continue to enjoy the finer things in life.“I daresay these impromptu visits of yours are starting to become rather predictable.”
“I do hope I’m not being an imposition, my lady,” Sephy murmured. If the eccentric lady decided she didn’t wish to be bothered any longer, she would have no choice but to turn to her mother for the advice she desperately needed. The prospect was not appealingin this case.
“Nonsense.”Charlottewaved a hand and smiled, the heart shaped patch near her eye crinkling slightly.“You know you are always welcome here.” She patted the settee next to her and Sephy sat down obediently. “Now, before I tell you what I wanted to say, first I demand you speak what’s on your mind.”
Sephy took a deep breath. She’d made it this far. “It’s about Falcourt.”
Abruptly, the lady’s face shifted. “Has he been unkind to you?”
“Oh, no. In truth, he’s been rather…attentive.” Sephy waited to see if the lady might take her meaning.
“Indeed?” she nearly purred. “And how was the dukebetweenyour legs, my dear?”
Sephy was quite sure she turned twenty shades of red, her face heated so, but she forced herself to say, “More than adequate I believe.”
The countess shrugged. “Then what is the problem? It seems to me things are finally taking the direction they should.Unless, of course, you have further questions about pleasing a man?”
The memory of Hunter’s cock in her mouth instantly came to mind,and she shook her head. “I believe I have that covered,” she said rather confidently. “I’m actually more concerned about reaching his…heart.”
“Why would you want to do that?” the countess asked curiously. “Surely you haven’t developed feelings for him? He’s been gone for years and only recently returned. Even though you let society believe he returned to England for a tryst now and then, I know the truth.” She reached out and touched Sephy’s hand. “I fear that you’re confusing lust with something more. You’re still very inexperienced—”
She shook her head. “No. It’s not about how I feel about Falcourt, although I think he is incomparable. I fear he wants to keep me at a distance because he feels that he shouldn’t feel lust after whatever happened to his sister, although I fear if I ask him about it, the memory might break this tenable bond we currently have.” She sighed heavily. “Last night he was ready to send me back to my mother’s house, and he was gone before I went downstairs this morning, so I honestly don’t know if I will even be his mistress for much longer, although nothing would please me more.”
Charlotte tapped a thoughtful finger against her red lips. “Hmm. This is concerning. As a mistress you’ve been taught the art of seduction. If he doesn’t always respond to your advances, then you must play the coquette, so long as you don’t rebuff him when his defenses weaken. Frustration in a man can provoke his anger and we certainly don’t want to lead him in that direction.” She slid her glance back to her. “Do you have any honey in the house, per chance?”
“I’m…not sure.”Sephy asked. “Why?”
As she explained, Persephone’s eyes widened. “How positively wicked.”
“Isn’t it?” the countess agreed, and then she changed the subject. “Now that we’ve found a solution to one problem, I have some news for you that might actually help your current plight.”
“What is that?” Sephy asked.
