Purity hoped she was reaching the woman’s innate common sense.
“Why would you wish to debase yourself by chasing a man who doesn’t want you? Or waste your energy hating him? Is he truly worth it?”
Again, Matthew made a small squawking sound of protest, but she elbowed him under the covers.
“You are an attractive woman, Lady Varley. You ought to be using your resources to build a good marriage. Don’t you want children? They are a better legacy than bitterness, I would warrant.”
While Purity half-feared Lady Varley would react badly, perhaps throw a fit of temper, instead, she remained silent. In the next instant, she stared again at Matthew, seemingly studying him.
Luckily, he didn’t utter a word.
Finally, Lady Varley shook her head and sighed.
“I wish you joy of him,” she said to Purity, “although I am hard pressed to believe he will change from being a buck dangler to a rum husband overnight. But that will be your problem, not mine.”
With that, she turned and swept from the room. Lady Saunders pulled the door closed before following her friend.
Matthew threw himself back onto the mattress. “My arse on a bandbox! I cannot believe what you just did.”
“Lady Varley’s friend had very nice manners, don’t you think?” Purity mused. “I’m impressed how she stayed quiet throughout, didn’t make eye contact to embarrass us, and courteously closed the door. What a gem!”
Matthew started to chuckle. Then he put his arm across his eyes and howled with laughter, his muscular body rocking.
“What is so amusing?” Purity began to feel the tug of annoyance.Was he laughing at her?She poked his shoulder.
Finally, he ceased braying like a donkey and reached for her. Wrapping his strong fingers around her arm, making her shiver at his touch, he pulled her down until she lay beside him again. Turning on his side, he rested on his elbow and looked down at her.
Foolishly, she felt a moment’s embarrassment at what had occurred. She hadn’t had even a second to contemplate having been caught in bed after swiving. Now, her cheeks bloomed with self-conscious warmth, and she made sure her breasts were covered — all under his mirthful gaze.
“Even at a time like this, you want everything done in a bread-and-butter fashion. You are priceless, my lady. Indeed, you are a—”
“Don’t say it,” she warned.
Matthew gasped. “You interrupted me,” he pointed out. “How unspeakably rude!”
“And I would again,” she said, “to stop you from calling me—”
“A Diamond of the first water,” he finished.
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. The trite term sounded rather complimentary, not to mention downright sensual when Matthew said the words in his husky tone and then stroked her bare shoulder.
“Since you cannot beuncompromised,” he pointed out, leaning closer. That same finger now lightly trailed a path down her chest as far as he could before she tightened the counterpane and stopped its progress.
“And since the genie cannot be stuffed back inside the lamp, so to speak, meaning we are naked and alone, we might as well make use of this bed at least once more. After all, I imagine Varley has stuck me with the bill for the room.”
Purity nearly denied him. Once could be forgiven as a passionate loss of one’s better sense. But twice was premeditated and deliberate flaunting of what was considered all square.
Therefore, she put her hands up to ward him off. As soon as she touched his chest, however, instead of pushing him away, her fingers glided up and over his shoulders so she could draw him down to her.
He was right. Pandora’s box was open. They had finally declared their love. They ran hotter than Hades for one another. There was no point in pretending otherwise.
Something had beenbothering Matthew from the moment he’d entered the room. And now, as his lovely wife tugged on her gloves after pinning her adorable hat, Matthew knew what it was.
“Why weren’t you wearing your gloves when I came in? I have never seen you in that state of undress in public unless dining.”
“I removed them just in case,” she said, giving the front of her skirts a last smoothing stroke.
“In case of what?” he asked.
