Page 485 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Josephine felt as if she would collapse.

“Courage, Jo,” Nicholas said. “If you swoon now that will only feed the gossip.”

“Oh, Nick, the worst has happened. Lord Wylst has exposed me.”

“That is far from the worst that could have happened, Josephine.”

She startled and swung her gaze to his face.

“The worst that could have happened is that you could have disappeared from my life in that damn convent.”

Josephine was sure she would cry.

“Lady Josephine, if you cry, I swear, I will toss this champagne aside, take you over my knee, and paddle your pretty bottom right here in this ballroom.”

She blinked, and a sliver of the feminine anger she’d felt when he first returned was resurrected. “That is an outrageous threat, even for you, Nick.”

“I do not make idle threats, as you know. And don’t think for an instant you are not going to marry me,” he went on as if they were discussing the weather.

Josephine shifted her gaze to the crowd beyond them in search of Lady Evers. Who was the despicable creature telling her story to at this very moment? Jo shook her head. “This is only the beginning. I cannot marry you. Surely, you can see that. You will be ostracized from Society if you marry me.”

“I could care less what Society thinks. We would not be the first couple to marry under the cloud of scandal.”

“Not this sort of scandal.”

He grunted a laugh. “You forget Lord Philips, who married his mistress, a lady who happened to be an actress.”

“That is nothing compared to marrying a bastard.”

“Do not use that word,” he said sharply. “Remember, Jo, no one is alive who can verify Wylst’s story. Therefore, it is nothing more than an annoyance. Now, have some champagne.” He thrust a glass into her hand. “Then we will dance.”