Page 127 of A Story of Love

“Promise me that you won’t sack any of the people who spoke to me—and gave me information.”

The corner of his mouth ticced, but he jerked out a nod. “I give you my word.”

“And also promise you won’t fight in any duels over what I tell you.”

His expression turned to one of comical confusion. “Why would you think I’d engage in a duel?”

“I’ve read about the things you used to do.”

“That was almost twenty years ago!”

“Then it shouldn’t be difficult to promise me now.”

The muscles in his jaw knotted. “You know something so—so heinous that you think I might engage in a duel?”

Lori couldn’t believe how hard it was to meet his gaze when he had that wall-of-ice expression on his face. “The subject is a…volatile one.”

He pushed up from the tub so suddenly that he sent water flooding over the side.

“Fine! I give you my word that I shan’t go out and get in a duel. Now tell me,” he demanded, towering over her.

She took a deep breath before for saying. “You are frightening me.”

The chagrin on his face was immediate. “I’m sorry,” he said tightly, lowering back into the tub, his posture no longer relaxed. “You must know that I would not hurt you. I’ve never laid a finger on any woman in anger in my entire life.”

“I know. But fear is not always rational. And…and I know this will be unpleasant.”

His jaws flexed—as if he were biting down on something—but he merely squeezed the water from the washcloth and draped it over the tub before saying, “Go on.”

“The woman who told me about your brother told me something else, too.” She swallowed. “She said that she’d also had sexual relations with Lord Moreland. She said he wasn’t an earl back then, just the son of an impoverished landowner.”

Lori didn’t think it was her imagination that he’d gone pale beneath his normally glowing tan. “Are you saying one of those children might be Moreland’s.”

Lori pulled her lips between her teeth, mentally girding herself for what she was about to say.

“Not just one of them. All five of them.”

Chapter 27

The fury that had blazed up inside him at her words died away almost as fast as it had flared, replaced by an icy calm. He had experienced the same phenomenon in the past, but only when his ship had engaged in a skirmish with another vessel.

Fast refused to capitulate to the primitive response. He had already frightened Lorelei, if he gave in to his berserker rage, she would be terrified.

And so Fast inhaled deeply, held it a moment, and then exhaled and said, “Go on,” his voice neither hot nor cold. Just… flat.

She regarded him through anxious eyes, like an animal preparing to flee.

“I’m not angry with you, Lorelei.”

“I know.”

“But I want to hear all you know about this. Including who told you.”

She licked her lips nervously.

“Don’t worry; I won’t punish the messenger.”

“The woman who told me is Martha Sheldon.”