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seeing a Robert on the lists.»

«That’s right, I’d forgotten. Robert wasn’t considered a true

member of the club because of his class. They didn’t use any of

our full names though, did they? Only our Christian names. It

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was supposed to protect our fathers’ identities, although we all

knew exactly who we were.» His mouth twisted. «We all went to

school together, for God’s sake, except Robert.»

«Then how did Robert become involved?» Jane had to ask the

question although she suspected she wouldn’t like the answer.

«He worked on the estate. Minshom’s father took a fancy to

him and made him fight as well.» A muscle flicked in Captain

Gray’s cheek. «Although more as a punching bag than as a true

opponent. It’s hard to fight back when you’re naked and

blindfolded.»

«And yet Robert became devoted to Blaize, the son of the

man who forced him into such a dangerous situation.»

«Robert’s devotion stems from an appalling incident when

Minshom saved his life. Or Robert thought he did. I’ve long

wondered at your husband’s reasons for his supposedly heroic

act.»

«You really don’t like him at all, do you, Captain Gray?»

«Call me David, my lady, and I wish it were that simple. I

don’t like Minshom, but I understand him, and that makes me

both a threat and a weakness in his eyes. He kept me in thrall for

years, pushed me into performing sexual acts I hated simply to

win his praise, to have his mouth over mine, his cock David

straightened abruptly. «I apologize. I’m sure you don’t want to

hear about my personal life.»

«I suspect you stayed for Robert’s sake as well, didn’t you?»

He sighed. «And much good that did. Robert refused to listen

to me and refused to leave. Eventually I had to break away from

them both before I destroyed myself.»

Jane contemplated him in silence until he returned his gaze to

her face. «If I can free Robert for you, I will.»

«But you shouldn’t have to do that.» His smile was bitter.

«Robert must make that decision for himself or he isn’t worth

having.» He took a deep breath. «I realized that last night after

we’d made love and he still had to rush back to Minshom.»

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Jane frowned. «I wonder why? He must’ve known Minshom

was with me.»

«That’s one of the things I’ve never been able to understand

either. Gratitude has its place, but why does Robert stay with a

man who treats him so abominably? It’s not as though Robert is

the kind of man who craves pain.»

Jane raised her head. «Perhaps their relationship has sides to it

that we don’t know about.»

Captain Gray laughed. «Here I am insisting I’ll not talk about

Robert and then spilling my guts to you about everything.» His

expression sobered. «If I can help you with Minshom I will, but

remember, my interests are not going to run completely parallel

with yours. You might want Minshom back, I simply want to end

his domination over me and other people that I love.»

Jane stood up and held out her hand. «I understand that and

I’d be glad of your help.»

He bowed and shook her hand. «I was the David in the

papers you found. I’m the fourth son in my family. For some

reason, my father wasn’t particularly fond of me. He enjoyed

seeing me beaten to a pulp and always bet against me, always

hated it when I won.»

He placed her hand on his sleeve and walked slowly across to

the other exit from the park that would lead them onto the street

containing Minshom House. The streets were quiet and only the

rumble of the occasional carriage or delivery cart marred their

journey.

«I’m sorry, David.»

«For what? None of this is exactly your fault, is it?»

«I know that, but it still seems wrong that you have suffered

and that no one acknowledges it.» She frowned into the sun. «If I

had a pistol, I’d find each one of those fathers and shoot them

myself.»

«Ah, but as I’m sure you noticed from the contents of the

box, Minshom and I weren’t the first generation of ‘little

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gentleman’—we were the third. Our fathers had survived and

their fathers before them.»

«But that doesn’t make it right, does it?»

«No, it doesn’t.» David sighed. «Do you want me to escort

you right to the door or leave you discreetly at the next corner?»

«Are you afraid Minshom might see you?»

He smiled. «No, I’m afraid of what he might do to you if he

sees you consorting with a ramshackle fellow like me.»

Jane stopped walking and stared up at her companion, her

brain racing along with her heart. «He wouldn’t like it, would

he?»

David’s smile widened. «He’s never been particularly good at

sharing.»

«Are you brave enough to face his wrath?»

«If you are.»

She smiled back at him in perfect accord. «Then let’s go and

wish him a very good afternoon.»

Minshom checked the clock in his office again. It was past

three o’clock and neither Robert nor Jane had yet returned to the

house. In truth, neither of them had told him exactly what they

were doing or pledged to return at a certain time, but he was still

on edge. He pictured Jane in her awful green dress drawing the

whispers and attention of the ton in some fashionable park or

gallery. She wouldn’t care if his reputation suffered as a result of

her martyrdom; in truth, she’d be delighted.

He frowned into the silence. Yet when had he ever cared

about his reputation? Was it possible that he was worrying about

hers?

He put down his pen when he heard the sound of the front

door being opened and rose to his feet as Jane’s laughter rang

out. Another voice laughed alongside hers and it definitely wasn’t

Emily’s.

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Minshom shoved his chair back and strode toward the door.

In the center of the hall, Jane stood talking to an all-too-familiar

figure. Minshom slowed down and stopped.

«Good afternoon, Captain Gray.»

«Good afternoon, my lord. I’m just returning Lady Minshom

safely home.»

«So I see.»

Gray had the audacity to smile at him and bow. Minshom

strolled farther into the hall until he was next to Jane and glared

down at her. Her dress looked even worse than he remembered

it, the skirts streaked with mud and covered with feathers. Her

hair was falling down as well, long tendrils escaping her bonnet.

Minshom raised his quizzing glass. «Are you sure this is my

wife? It looks rather like a street urchin.»

«Don’t be silly, my lord. Of course it is me.» Jane smiled at

him and took off her bonnet. Her hair cascaded over her

shoulders, sending pins everywhere. «Oh lord, I knew that would

happen.»

«Then one might wonder why you took the damned thing off.

You are embarrassing Captain Gray.»

Jane had the temerity to laugh up at him. «I suspect he doesn’t

embarrass easily, my lord. Shall I ask him?»

Minshom shot her a quelling look. «No. Now perhaps you

might go upstairs and make yourself respectable again while I bid

good-bye to Captain Gray in your stead.»

«But I was going to ask him to dinner.»

Captain Gray cleared his throat. «As I’ve already mentioned,

my lady, I do have a previous engagement.»

«Oh, no matter, then. You must come another night.» Jane

started for the stairs and then twirled around. «Perhaps we could

have supper together before you take me to the theater on

Friday?»

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Kate Pearce

Captain Gray bowed as if unaware of Minshom’s frosty gaze

on his face. «What an excellent idea. I’ll send you a note when I

have everything arranged.»

While they blithely smiled at each other, Minshom held his

tongue as unaccustomed emotions shook him. Jane was his wife.

How dare she arrange to go out with another man while he was

standing in the hall right beside her?

«Good day, Captain Gray.»

His voice came out more harshly than he had anticipated and

Jane stared at him.

«Are you all right, my lord?»

He ignored her and turned to Gray, who at least had the

brains to start for the door. Minshom waited until it was shut

behind him and then grabbed Jane’s wrist.

«Come with me.» She pulled away from him but he didn’t

relax his grip.

«I thought you told me to get changed.»

«I’ve changed my mind.» He nodded at Broadman. «Call me a

hackney cab at once.»

«What are you doing?»

He enjoyed the tremor in her voice, the fact that for once she

was the one off balance and not him. «I’m taking you out.»

«Why?»

He stepped outside, bringing her with him and manhandled

her into the cab, giving the driver his direction while Jane was

still trying to remonstrate with him. He sat opposite her in the

cramped dirty space, one hand clamped around her knee to stop

her escape.

«Are you going to throw me in the Thames?»

He smiled at her. «No, although that would certainly take care

of that appalling dress once and for all.»

«And possibly me.» She hunched a shoulder at him. «I’m not a

very good swimmer.»

«Ah, well, sometimes one has to suffer to be fashionable.»

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She glared at him, her tangled hair around her shoulders, her

cheeks flushed. «Then where are we going?»

«Patience, my dear, has never been your strong suit.»

«Or yours, my lord.»

«We’ll have to see about that, won’t we?» He tossed her a

handful of the pins his butler had returned to him from the hall

floor. «Perhaps you’d like to pin up your hair?» He settled back

into his seat. Oh, he liked her like this, with her feathers ruffled,

enjoyed being in control even if it was fleeting. The carriage

stopped and he opened the door. «Here we are.»

He tossed some coins to the driver, then hauled Jane out of

the carriage and into the shop and rang the bell. A young girl

appeared, gaped at them and ran straight back out again.

Minshom sighed as the pitch of excited female voices behind the

pink curtain started rising.

«What are we doing here, my lord?» Jane said.

«What I want.»

«You wanted to bring me to a dress shop? I thought I was an

extravagant minx who was trying to ruin you.»

«You are.»

A disturbance occurred at the rear of the shop and a thin

older woman with a face like curdled milk came toward them.

«Lord and Lady Minshom?»

Minshom nodded his head at her. «Indeed. I assume you are

Madame Wallace. I know my wife is hard to recognize dressed

in this abomination. She needs a new gown for tonight.»

Madame’s expression tightened. «And you expect me to

produce one from thin air? I am a genius, sir, not a magician.»

«And I am a busy man who is willing to pay whatever it takes

to get her something decent to wear.» He gestured at Jane’s green

dress. «Look at her.»

Madame shuddered and then stared at him hard and he held

her gaze.

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«I do have something for Lady Minshom that is almost

finished. I was intending to send it to Lady Millhaven early next

week. Perhaps that will suffice.»

«But...» Jane started to say something and then stopped when

Minshom squeezed her arm and talked over her.

«I’m sure it will be delightful.» He drew Jane closer and frog-

marched her across the floor. «Come along, wife, let’s not waste

any more of Madame’s valuable time than we have to.»

Jane found herself in the largest of the fitting rooms with

Minshom lounging on the chaise, his critical eyes on her as

Madame helped her out of the green dress.

«You will burn that, Madame, won’t you?»

«Of course, my lord.»

«But I like it.» Jane protested as the offending garment was

whisked over her head and taken away by one of the hovering

girls. «It has stood me in good stead for years.»

Madame patted her arm. «I’m glad to see that you are wearing

the new corset and petticoats I made for you. At least we have

something to work with.»

Without thinking, Jane’s gaze collided with Blaize’s and she

watched his eyes narrow. Perhaps he wouldn’t pay attention to

Madame at all and miss her pointed remarks. And perhaps a cow

might jump over the moon. Madame left the room and Jane

braced herself for her husband’s next question.

He rose from his seat and walked a slow circle around her and

paused right behind her, his breath warm on her neck. She

shivered as his finger traced the lace edging her corset.

«I’d already paid for my undergarments before you ordered

me to stop buying anything else.»

His derisive chuckle made her want to step away from him

and slap at the hand that played with the laces of her corset. «Did

you think that making a quick confession would absolve you of

plotting and planning with your friend, Emily, behind my back?»

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