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already left.»

«Why would I want to do that, sir?»

Minshom pulled on his gloves and picked up his walking stick.

«Because she is going to see Lady Millhaven and I insist that you

accompany her.» He nodded cordially at Robert and walked

toward the door. «Get along with you, man.»

«Why would you let me do that?» Robert said slowly.

«Because I’m tired of looking at your miserable face?»

«Sometimes, I don’t understand you at all, my lord,» Robert

muttered as he joined Minshom in the hallway. «I doubt Captain

Gray will still be at the Millhavens anyway.»

184 /
Kate Pearce

Minshom turned to face Robert. «If he isn’t, you will go and

find him and settle this once and for all.»

«You are encouraging me to see your rival? Are you quite well,

sir?»

«Obviously not.» He met Robert’s gaze. «And he’s scarcely my

rival. I just want you to...» He hesitated and then froze when

Robert smiled. «I don’t see what is so amusing.»

Robert nodded. «I’m sure that you don’t, sir, and God forbid

that I should have to explain it to you.»

Before Minshom could retaliate, Robert retreated down the

hallway and knocked loudly on Jane’s door. Minshom stared after

him, hoped Robert could see his ferocious expression, and then

departed himself, for once bereft of speech.

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16

Jane stared out of the carriage window as the rain continued

to fall, obscuring the sun and lowering the clouds until it felt as if

the carriage were blundering through them. She contemplated

her upcoming evening with Blaize. He’d left her a note telling her

to be ready to leave at seven and that she should wear the new

gown he would leave on her bed. Other than that, she had no

idea what awaited her—apart from another night of sex.

She groaned at the thrill of anticipation that went through her

body. She was a fool for him. After two weeks of constant sex,

he had to only look at her and she was salivating like a bitch in

heat. All her carefully laid plans, all her resolve to make him

come back to Minshom Abbey with her, ruined because of her

inconvenient lust for his body.

Part of her knew she should be celebrating his return to her

bed, but in truth, she was ashamed of herself. She’d used her

knowledge of the pain inflicted on him as a youth to goad him

into action, into fucking her when he didn’t really want to. Was

there anything more humiliating for a woman to realize than

that?

The carriage drew to a halt outside the house and Jane

stepped down, nodded to the footman and ran into the hall

shielded by the umbrella he carried. She didn’t bother to seek

Blaize out, just carried on upstairs to her bedchamber where her

maid awaited her.

«Good evening, my lady.»

186 /
Kate Pearce

«Good evening, Lizzie. I am dreadfully late. Can you order me

something to eat while I bathe? I can have it up here on a tray

before I dress.»

«Of course, my lady.» Lizzie nodded at the dressing room

adjoining the bedroom. «Your bath is ready. I’ll just add a little

more hot water from the bucket warming by the fire.»

Jane shivered as Lizzie unlaced and unbuttoned her before she

stepped out of her damp clothes. She’d gone to visit Emily’s

orphans today, in Emily’s stead, her friend being much involved

with family matters. She’d stayed far longer than she had

intended. She kept her hair pinned in place, regretted that she

wouldn’t have time to wash and dry it before she had to leave.

«Thank you, Lizzie.» Jane stepped into the bath and sighed

with relief. She would have to be quick, but she was grateful for

the warmth of the water easing her tired muscles, washing away

the last of Blaize’s scent...

She opened her eyes as Lizzie reappeared at the doorway with

a large towel and beckoned her to stand up. The tantalizing smell

of leek soup and apple tart enticed her out of the bath as her

stomach grumbled.

It took but a moment for her to devour the soup and tart

while Lizzie redid her hair and efficiently laced her into a new

pale green satin dress embellished with cream lace. Jane frowned

at her elegant reflection in the mirror as Lizzie added two

peacock feathers to her hair.

«Where did this gown come from?»

«I believe it came from Madame Wallace’s shop, my lady.»

Lizzie waited, her expression confused. «Don’t you remember

ordering it?»

«I didn’t order this one. I suspect my husband must have done

so.»

Lizzie stood on tiptoe to pin the feathers more securely in

Jane’s hair. «What a nice thought, my lady. Not like his lordship

at all.»

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«Not at all.» Jane laughed as Lizzie blushed. «It’s all right,

Lizzie, you don’t have to apologize. I’m as surprised as you are.»

She smoothed down her skirt and held out her hand for her fan

and shawl. «I’d better be off or his lordship won’t be buying me

any more dresses, will he?»

«No, my lady, I mean...» Lizzie curtsied and escaped, leaving

the door wide open for Jane to follow her out. Jane had to smile.

On her arrival, Lizzie had been hastily promoted to lady’s maid

from the kitchens and sometimes it still showed.

The clock in the hall struck seven as she reached the landing

and she looked down over the banisters to see Blaize already

waiting for her, dressed in the palest gray coat with a blue

waistcoat beneath. She paused to look at him, aware of the

coldness of his features, his contained energy as he paced the

floor, the strength concealed beneath the elegance of his

clothing.

Could she capture him again? Could she manage to keep him

and his child? A foolish sense of hope stirred in her and refused

to die. Despite what he said, he had loved her once. Perhaps he

was wrong and she truly could have it all...

He looked up and caught her staring at him, but he didn’t

smile. He simply held out his hand and she obediently came

down the stairs.

«You’re late.»

«A lady’s prerogative, I believe.»

He muttered something and led her toward the door and the

waiting carriage, handed her in and sat opposite her, his gaze on

her gown. Jane patted the lace on her bodice. «Did you choose

this dress?»

He raised his eyebrows. «Of course.»

«And bullied Madame Wallace into making it for me as well?»

«Naturally.»

«It probably cost you twice as much as it would’ve done if

you’d just let me order the gowns in the usual way.»

188 /
Kate Pearce

«Jane.»

«Yes, my lord?»

«Are you going to argue with me all evening?»

«Surely that depends on how provoking you are?»

His lips twitched but he didn’t quite smile. «I was right about

keeping you quiet, wasn’t I?»

«I don’t remember, sir.» She pretended ignorance, even as her

body quickened and her breathing shortened.

He leaned forward and hooked an arm around her waist,

pulled her onto his lap. «I’m sure you do.» He stared at her

mouth. «But what shall I fill you with? My fingers, my tongue or

my cock?» His lips descended over hers and he kissed her hard

until she was kissing him back. She didn’t protest as he dumped

her back into her seat, simply stared at him as she struggled to

breathe normally.

His smile was infinitely superior and completely infuriating.

«Ah, we have arrived. Perhaps you should pick up your shawl.»

She bent to retrieve her paisley shawl and straightened to find

him waiting outside the carriage, his expression again cold and

detached. Had he always been like that? Careful to guard his face,

to prevent his father from seeing him react to anything? Suddenly

Jane hated that mask and hated his father all over again.

She got out of the carriage and found herself outside yet

another London mansion glowing with lights. This one was

distinctly smaller though, and the people going into it far fewer.

Uncertainly, she looked at Blaize.

«This isn’t Lord Anthony Sokorvsky’s house, is it?»

«No.» He kept moving up the stairs and bowed slightly to the

other guests, ignoring their surprised looks. They proceeded

along a dark oak-paneled hallway to the rear of the house, where

the space suddenly opened up into another black- and-white tiled

lobby. Beyond were double doors into a much larger set of

rooms.

Jane pinched Blaize’s arm. «Are you sure?»

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«The house belongs to a gentleman named Lord William

Feltsham. I went to school with him.»

«And why are we here? Are you expecting to meet

Sokorvsky?»

He looked down at her. «When you get that bit between your

teeth, you are difficult to stop aren’t you, Jane? I’m not here for

Sokorvsky. I’m here to listen to the great Angelica Catalani sing.»

Jane stopped walking and stared at Blaize, her hands clasped

to her chest. «Are you serious?»

«I’m rarely anything but.»

«I’ve always wanted to hear her sing.»

«Indeed.» He bowed slightly, reclaimed her hand and tucked it

into the crook of his arm. «I had no idea.» He squeezed her

fingers. «And here is our host, Lord William Feltsham. Thank

you for inviting us at such short notice, sir.»

«A pleasure to oblige you, Minshom, Lady Minshom.»

Lord William blushed and bowed so low his forehead almost

bumped into Jane’s bosom. He was a nondescript man dressed in

a conservative manner more suited to a clerk, his hair sparse on

his head and his mouth concealed by a luxurious mustache. Jane

couldn’t imagine how he and Blaize had ever become acquainted

at school.

Jane curtsied and held out her hand. «Thank you for inviting

us, sir. It has long been my ambition to hear Madame Catalani

sing.»

«A music lover like your husband, eh?» After a nervous glance

at Minshom, Lord William kissed her gloved hand and smiled, his

expression far more relaxed. «If you like, I’ll introduce you to

Madame Catalani afterward.» He coughed and lowered his voice.

«If she is in the right mood, of course—these Italians can be a

little temperamental.»

«That would be delightful, sir.» Jane smiled. «But please don’t

put yourself out.»

190 /
Kate Pearce

With another anxious glance at Minshom, Lord William let go

of her hand and moved to greet the new arrivals who crowded

the door behind them. Jane continued into the music room and

sat down in the gilt chair her husband pulled out for her.

«Feltsham got rid of the mews house and converted it into

this.» Blaize gestured at the gilded organ with its elaborate pipes

situated by the far wall. «I believe he used the Prince Regent’s

dragon-infested music room at the Pavilion as his guide.» His

mouth quirked up at the corner. «Perhaps not quite so

successfully.»

Jane ignored his attempt to divert her and gave him a blissful

smile.

«Thank you. I think this is the nicest thing you have ever done

for me.»

«For you?» He shrugged. «I did it for myself.»

Jane opened her fan with a flick of her wrist. «Why do you

find it so hard to accept a compliment?»

«I am a selfish man; I please myself. Why should I accept your

thanks when I do not deserve them?»

Jane continued to fan herself, for once at a loss for words.

What to say to a man who denied all her attempts to reach him?

Was he so unused to someone actually thanking him? Perhaps he

was. She sighed and returned her attention to the elegant

proportions of the room. It seemed the audience would be

relatively small, far less than a hundred people.

She shivered as she glanced up at the high white and gold

painted ceiling and covered her shoulders with her shawl. The

acoustics in the room were well suited to music of all kinds and

particularly to vocal music.

Blaize touched her hand. «I’ll fetch you a glass of ratafia.»

«But I don’t like ratafia...»

He ignored her. «I’ll be back in a moment.»

She watched him move through the small crowd with the

stealth of a big cat and with a similar effect on the people around

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him. He wasn’t liked, his presence at such an event obviously as

unusual and unwelcome as the wild animal he reminded her of.

When he disappeared from view into the next room, she turned

her attention to the piano where a man began to play scales to

warm up.

A footman dimmed some of the lights. An air of anticipation

filled the small space as the audience began to find their seats.

Jane looked around for Blaize but couldn’t see him. She kept the

chair to her left on the end of the row free for his return.

Lord William Feltsham stepped in front of the seats, his

round face beaming and his hands clasped in front of him.

«Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to my musical

evening and gracing me with your presence. We will begin with