Loren found it alarming she didn’t nod her agreement.Shesimply dipped her chin in acknowledgement.
The physician took his leave and Loren took his feet.
“I believe you heard him say you should rest,” she noted.
He wasn’t facing this on his back.
He also wasn’t facing this with his chest bared.He knew theblows he took to his torso were already bruising, but even if he didn’t, hergaze falling to those areas would have told him.
He swiftly walked to the wardrobe in his dressing room,seized a fresh shirt, and pulled it over his head while returning to her.
She hadn’t moved from the spot he left her in.
He halted a few feet away.
Not knowing what to say, because he didn’t know her verywell, therefore, he didn’t know how to read the strangely void expression onher face, he simply whispered, “Sweeting.”
“Is it a lost hope this friend of yours was at his favoredbordello only to sip a whisky?”she asked.
Loren did not answer.
“I see,” she said, her voice again soft.
“It is not that he didn’t bring misfortune onto himself.Hedid.It is that the greater wrong was what they were doing.He wasn’t the onlyone they’d fleeced,Satrine.”
“I’m pleased you understand that the architect of his owndownfall was indeed your friend,” she replied.“Now, I’d like to know if therewere further nefarious shenanigans you were intent to see to at thisestablishment you were attending tonight.”
He had no response to that either.
At least, no good one.
“I was spending time with a friend,” he gritted.
He watched her swallow, something unbearably tragic movingthrough her expression, and then she said, “I’m not up on all thingsaristocracy, Loren, as you know.But one thing I do understand is that it’syour duty to produce an heir.”
This was not a good turn in the conversation.
He took a step toward her.
She took a hasty step back in a manner he stopped.
“I can’t begin to imagine you don’t know what a catch youare, sir,” she said.“You can have any woman you want.”
“I don’t want any woman.I want you.”
“You do?”
Shite.
With the way he’d been avoiding her, that was a pertinentquestion.
“Satrine, my dearest—”
“Were you with a woman?”she whispered.
“No, I was not.Nor was that my intent in being there thiseve.”
Her brows rose.“This eve?”
