“Not with you in the carriage,” Mark said gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest again.
Nicole exchanged a private look with Regina. Ever since Nicole had announced her pregnancy, her husband’s solicitousness had multiplied tenfold. The two women had jested about it, but Mark seemed even more serious tonight.
“The danger of living with a spy,” Nicole said with a sigh, pushing herself up from the sofa. Regina moved to assist her. “They’re always so quick to jump to suspicious conclusions.” She winked at Regina.
“Need I remind you that you’re a spy, too?” Mark replied. He was a handsome man with dark hair and eyes. He became even more handsome when gazing at his red-haired wife, whom he obviously adored.
“Thank heavens it hasn’t made me suspicious,” Nicole quipped, making her way to the door.
Regina followed her friend, thankful Nicole was leaving the room without any prompting on Regina’s part.
Nicole waved at her husband. “I’m going upstairs to dress for dinner. We’ll talk more when you’re being reasonable, darling.”
“I’m being perfectly reasonable,” Mark muttered, his voice still grumbly.
When Regina reached Nicole at the door, she whispered, “I need to speak to you.”
“I suspected as much. Come upstairs with me,” Nicole whispered back, twining her arm through Regina’s.
“What’s that?” Mark called after them.
“Nothing,” Nicole replied in a singsong voice. “I’ve merely asked Regina to escort me upstairs in case a brigand jumps out from behind the staircase and attempts to accost me.”
Mark scowled. “That is not humorous.”
“Oh, you must admit, it’s a bit humorous, Cousin Mark,” Regina replied, smiling and pulling Nicole into the corridor.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Nicole whispered, “Enough about the London coachmen who cannot drive straight. I want to hear all about your meeting with Daffin today.”
CHAPTER SIX
The two ladies climbed the stairs and made their way down the corridor to Nicole’s opulent lavender-and-silver bedchamber that adjoined her husband’s. Regina shut the door behind them and leaned against it. She couldn’t breathe. Her stays pressed into her chest, giving her the sensation that her lungs might collapse. It wasn’t from the exertion of climbing the stairs. No, this was brought on by nothing other than acute embarrassment mixed with a healthy dose of shame.
She eyed her cousin carefully, waiting as Nicole walked across the rug and took a seat on the settee near the window. Her cousin knew she fancied Daffin, but how did Nicole know she’d gone to visit him today?
Nicole kicked off her slippers and lifted her feet onto the cushion of the settee. “You were so flushed when you came in, I guessed you needed to talk. Are you all right?”
“I’m not certain.” Regina’s face heated anew. “I’ve made a complete fool of myself.”
“Oh, no.” Nicole patted the space next to her. “In front of Daffin?”
With a miserable nod, Regina made her way to the settee and dropped down next to her cousin. “Yes, and how did you know?”
“I’m a spy, dear.”
Regina had to smile at that. “I suppose I should have told you before I went, but you were napping and I thought perhaps you might try to talk me out of it.”
“Talk you out of it?” Nicole’s eyes widened. “Why?”
“Because of what I said to him.”
Nicole arched a brow. “What did you say?”
Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She might as well get this over with quickly. It would be less awful if she did it fast, like pulling a tangled pin from her hair. “I asked him to… to… take my virginity.”
A long silence ensued. Regina kept her eyes squeezed closed and tried to will the settee to swallow her whole. Then, there was a rustle of fabric as Nicole shifted beside her and cleared her throat. “Oh, my. Oh, well, I see. What did he say?”
Regina opened her eyes. “You don’t understand.” She groaned, staring across the room at the silver vase filled with fresh white roses that sat on a table near the door. “I didn’t just ask him to take my virginity. I asked him to make love to me and I… offered him money.” She collapsed against the back of the settee in a miserable heap, burying her face in her hands.
