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threats. Perhaps he should follow Wellington’s example, make a

strategic retreat and face her on the morrow.

«Are you sure I can’t convince you to leave?»

«I’m staying.» She walked toward him, and he tensed until she

presented him with her back. «Can you undo my buttons and

loosen my laces, please, Blaize?»

He recoiled from her as if she were a raddled old whore.

When was the last time someone had called him by his given

name? Dammit, he couldn’t remember, never allowed anyone to

get that close to him anymore, even Robert.

«I’m no serving maid. Do it yourself.»

«But I can’t reach.»

«I don’t care.» He set his jaw and snapped his fingers at

Robert. «Come here and help my wife, not that she deserves it.»

He walked around to face her, received the benefit of the

warm smile she meant for Robert, and headed for the door.

«I’ll bid you good night, then.»

She opened her eyes wide. «You’re leaving?»

«What did you expect? Did you imagine I’d be so delighted to

see you that I’d drag you straight into bed and fuck you?»

Her expression stilled. «No, hardly that. Good night, then.»

He inclined his head a glacial inch and walked out, heard her

start to chat with Robert and Robert’s warm laughter in return.

They’d always gotten along well and he’d been selfishly glad of it

in the early years of his marriage. It was only a few feet back to

his bedchamber, but it felt like a mile. He glanced back at Jane’s

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door and scowled. Robert had better be quick about unlacing

her, or he would feel the edge of his master’s temper. How dare

she turn up and act as if she had a right to be here?

He flung open his door, steadied himself against the frame

and stared at his large four-poster bod. But, devil take it, she did

have a right. She was, after all, his legally wedded wife.

«Are you all right, my lady?»

As her stays and gown were loosened, Jane gripped the front

of her bodice to stop it from falling down and turned to Robert.

«Yes, thank you for your help.»

His smile was warm, his slight Welsh accent as soft as butter.

Despite her knowing he was Blaize’s lover, they’d always had a

good relationship.

«You’re welcome.» He hesitated, one eye on the door her

husband had just slammed behind him. «Is there anything else I

can do for you?»

«Not tonight, although I would appreciate it if you could

arrange for one of the maids to help me get dressed in the

morning.» She brushed at her crumpled skirt. «I suppose the rest

of my baggage is still in the hall, so I’ll have to make do with this

gown until I can unpack properly. I wouldn’t want to face Lord

Minshom in my nightgown.»

«Neither would I.» Robert bowed. «If it helps, I’m glad you

are here. The master has gotten himself into a devilishly difficult

situation.»

«I gathered that from your letters.» She sighed. «I doubt he’ll

let me help him, though.»

«He probably won’t, my lady, but we can hope. Give me your

gown and I’ll have it pressed and freshened for you. I’ll also

arrange for a maid to attend you in the morning.» He hesitated by

the door. «Sleep well, and I pray I’ll see you tomorrow.»

«Why, are you worried I might not survive the night?»

12 /
Kate Pearce

Robert grinned. «I don’t think his lordship has quite sunk to

those depths, ma’am, but maybe you should lock the door into

his suite, just in case.»

Jane waited until he left and sank down into the nearest chair.

Her knees were still shaking, her breathing as ragged as her

thoughts. Blaize’s study had stunk of brandy, and glass had

littered the fireplace. Was that how he lived now? In a permanent

drunken stupor, not caring if anyone saw him use Robert to

satisfy his unnatural sexual appetite?

But perhaps having caught him at such a disadvantage had

worked in her favor. He’d backed down and allowed her to stay

at least for one night. When she’d first seen the cool detached

rage in his pale blue eyes, she’d wanted to run away, wanted to

forget her stupid notion of making peace with him.

But giving in was never the best way to deal with her husband.

He pounced on any show of weakness with the speed and

ferocity of a starving cat. It was her lack of fear that had first won

his interest and brought about their marriage ten years previously.

Jane bit her lip. Not that that had proved to be much of a

success...

On the long journey to London from Cheshire, she’d spent

many hours wondering how Blaize would look, if the depravities

of his lifestyle would be reflected on his countenance. To her

dismay, he was as fascinating as ever. His gaze colder, perhaps,

the pure line of his jaw and high cheekbones more sharply

defined, but hardly the debauched drunkard portrayed in the

satirical cartoons in the newspapers.

She got up and hurried to check that the door between the

two suites was indeed locked. The thought of waking up with

Blaize’s hands around her throat wasn’t pleasant. She returned to

the fire, made sure it wasn’t smoking and stepped out of her

gown and stays. Her suite of rooms didn’t look as neglected and

unused as she’d assumed. They’d even been redecorated in soft

shades of blue and lavender, her favorite colors. But then

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knowing Blaize’s sexual appetite, they probably hadn’t remained

empty for long...

Her nightgown felt cold against her skin, and she crouched

down beside the fire to warm her hands. There was no water to

wash in and nothing to slake her thirst. She certainly wasn’t

prepared to draw attention to her presence in the house by

requesting anything. She was here, and she was not going to leave

until she and Blaize had explored what needed to be said.

She shivered despite the building heat. Knowing her cynical,

malicious, enthralling husband, she didn’t expect her task to be

quick or easy at all.

14 /
Kate Pearce

2

«Thank you, Robert.»

«For what, my lord?»

«For this, of course.» Minshom gestured at the coffee pot and

dry toast Robert had set on his desk. His study had been cleaned

and there was no trace of the broken glass or the tang of spilled

brandy to mar its chilly perfection.

«As I’m expecting my dear wife to come and accost me, the

coffee will at least allow me to face her with some of my wits

about me.»

Robert snorted and Minshom scowled at him. «You find this

situation amusing?»

«Of course not, my lord. Why would I? It’s not as if you are

afraid of her ladyship or anything.»

«She doesn’t scare me.»

«No, my lord.» Robert slowly raised his eyebrows before

pouring Minshom a fresh cup of coffee. «That’s not why you are

desperate for her to quit your house. You’re just concerned about

her having to live amongst such sinful debauchery.»

«No, I simply want her gone.»

«Yet she is still here. Her ladyship was always very tenacious,

sir.»

«She was. Her family didn’t want her to marry me because she

was so young, and yet she wore them down.» He flashed a smile

at Robert. «She probably regrets that impulse now.»

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«Her ladyship has never struck me as impulsive. As far as I

remember it, sir, she married you because she was in love with

you.»

Minshom put down his coffee cup and met Robert’s gaze.

«You are impertinent.»

Robert shrugged. «Probably.» He bowed low and opened the

door into the hallway. «I believe her ladyship is just finishing her

breakfast. Shall I ask her to attend you here?»

«I suppose so.»

Minshom sat back in his chair and contemplated the pile of

documents awaiting his attention. He really didn’t have time to

bother with his wife. Despite his reputation as a lascivious rake,

he had significantly increased his family’s fortunes over the past

ten years. Apart from Robert, he employed no secretary. After

his father’s incompetent bumbling, he didn’t trust anyone to do

the job as well as he could, so the burden fell on him and him

alone.

He scowled at the inkwell. Jane should be grateful that he

never questioned the household accounts she dutifully sent him

via his land steward at Minshom Abbey. She should certainly be

grateful enough to leave him alone.

«Good morning, my lord.»

He looked up and found her in front of him. Her plain blue

traveling gown looked fresh as if she hadn’t sat in it for hours

during the previous day’s journey. She’d always been like that,

neat as a pin—except in his bed.

«Good morning, wife.»

She sat down, even though he hadn’t offered her a seat or

stood up to acknowledge her presence. He pretended to fix the

nib of his pen and ignored her completely.

She delicately cleared her throat. «Would you like me to come

back later?»

«I’d like you to leave. I told you that last night.»

«Why?»

16 /
Kate Pearce

He looked at her then. «I believe you know the answer. You

were the one who told me to get out of your sight and your life

forever.»

She sighed. «Blaize, that was seven years ago. Can we not

move on?»

«Really? Seven years? Is that all?»

«It feels like a lifetime to me.»

She held his gaze and he wanted to look away from the

memories that surged between them, their shared past, their

anguish...

«Why are you here, Jane?»

«To see you, to try to start again.»

«And if I don’t want to ‘start again’? What then? I am quite

happy with my current existence.»

«But I am not happy with mine.»

He got up, walked across to the window and presented her

with his back.

«You have more than most women in this country will ever

have—a beautiful home, enough money to waste on fripperies

and ample food in your belly.»

«And I am grateful for all those things, but...»

He swung around to face her. «Not grateful enough,

apparently, because here you are, annoying me.»

She didn’t flinch at his sarcastic tone, actually dared to raise

her chin at him.

«I only want what most women want: a husband, a family.»

His gut clenched. «You have a husband.»

«Whom I never see.»

«And whose fault is that? As I already said, you were the one

who wanted me gene.»

«I was distraught. I was not myself, I...»

«I don’t care, Jane.» He walked back over and stared down

into her eyes, hoped she recognized the complete indifference in

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his gaze. «I’m not interested in rehashing the past. I’m content

with my life as it is, without you in it.»

She stared at him for a long moment, as if searching for the

truth on his face.

«You’re very good at hiding what you feel, Blaize, you always

have been.»

«I’m not hiding anything. I am truly content.»

«Being portrayed as a drunken pervert in the scandal sheets?»

He almost smiled. «I don’t read that kind of filth, my dear.

Perhaps you shouldn’t either.»

She opened her reticule, drew out a bundle of letters. «Even if

I didn’t read about you in the newspapers, I have plenty of

correspondents to keep me informed of your latest scandal.»

He raised his eyebrows. «Spying on me, Jane? I’m surprised at

you.»

«I have no need to spy. Your peers are more than happy to

provide me with all the excruciating details of your private life

whether I want them or not.»

He circled her, trailed his fingertips along the gilded rim of the

chair and almost touched the soft downy hairs at the back of her

exposed neck. She shivered as his breath hissed out.

«So you rushed here to defend me?»

«Hardly.» She sighed. «I just wanted to talk to you.»

He left her side, returned to sit behind his desk.

«And now we’ve talked and I’ve told you to go away. Shall I

order your carriage for this afternoon?»

She sat up straight. «I’m not going until you talk to me

properly, Blaize.»

He gripped his pen so hard his fingers hurt. God, she was

infuriating, that calm voice, that complete disregard for his

wishes.

«I have nothing to say to you that hasn’t already been said.»

«I doubt that. People change. I’ve changed—why can’t you?»

18 /
Kate Pearce

He returned her smile with interest. «Because I don’t want to

and I don’t regret anything?»

«You’ve always been stubborn.» Jane got up and smoothed

out her skirts. «While I am here, I intend to visit my old friends

and get some new gowns made.» She started for the door, paused

before she opened it. «Which modiste would you recommend?»

«How the hell would I know? And you’re not staving, Jane.»

He realized he was talking to himself and an open doorway.

Damn her! Where had she learned such composure? In the early

days of their marriage he was certain she’d been far more