His Wicked Lady by Ruth Ann Nordin Page A

not sure how they got in.
I assume they knew someone of influence or had significant
money.”
    “Sometimes it’s who you know that matters in
this society,” Regan mused. “Leonard, as you get older, you’ll come
to realize this truth.”
    Malcolm bristled. “Well, knowing the right
people does matter.”
    Turning her startled expression to him, Regan
said, “I wasn’t talking about you. I was speaking of the Ton.”
    He relaxed. “Oh. In that case, I
apologize.”
    “Not everything I say or think about has to
do with you, Mr. Jasper.” She took a sip of her milk then put the
glass back on the table. “I’ll tell you what, Leonard. Why don’t we
visit Danette today?”
    The boy’s shoulders slumped. “That will be
boring.”
    “No, it won’t. She has toys she brings out
whenever you’re there.”
    “But you talk and talk and talk. It’s
boring.”
    “I hate to spoil things for you,” Malcolm
began, directing his attention to Leonard, “but the gentlemen at
White’s do the same thing. They might play chess or engage in a
bet, but mostly, it’s talk.” The boy didn’t seem to like hearing
this, so he added, “When you grow up, you’ll enjoy it.”
    “After we go to Danette’s, we’ll go to the
park,” Regan offered.
    The boy’s eyes lit up, and he was much more
content to spend a couple of hours listening to ladies engage in
boring talk. Malcolm couldn’t blame the lad for dreading it. Ladies
hardly had anything of interest to say. Their talk was often on the
fashion, gossip, or babies. Malcolm was much happier dealing with
money, which reminded him…
    He wiped his mouth with the napkin then set
it on the plate. “I just remembered I have something important in
my bedchamber. I need it for White’s.” He glanced at Regan. It
would be rude to hop up and leave without her permission.
    As if she could read his mind, she nodded.
“You may go.”
    Surprised she didn’t protest or give him
another suggestive gesture, he thanked her and hurried to his
bedchamber. He searched through his trunk and was relieved to see
the butler had packed the modified plans he’d made after going to
Warren’s dinner party. Warren would love to see how well the new
plans turned out.
    He put them on the dresser then debated
whether or not he should change. No. It’d be unnecessary. When he’d
dressed that morning, he’d had his trip to White’s in mind.
Gripping the rolled-up parchment, he turned to leave his bedchamber
when the door opened and Regan walked in.
    He frowned. “I hope you won’t make it a habit
of coming into my bedchamber.”
    She rose her eyebrows in mock innocence as
she clasped her hands together, an action which made her breasts
press nicely together. “You didn’t seem to mind what happened after
I came in last night.”
    His gaze went to her cleavage, and a surge of
warmth flooded his loins. Irritated, he forced his gaze back to her
face. “I just remembered I have something very important to discuss
with you.”
    “You do?”
    “Yes. Your behavior downstairs this morning
was inappropriate.”
    “What behavior was that?”
    He debated whether or not he should come
right out and say it. She knew full well what he was referring to.
She was baiting him. He could see it in her eyes.
    “Do you enjoy playing games like a child,
Regan?” he asked.
    “I assure you, my dear husband, childish
games were not what I had in mind.”
    He didn’t know how to respond to that. If
this was a discussion about money, he’d know exactly what to say,
but these sexual insinuations were new territory.
    “Malcolm,” she walked over to him, “I’m not
trying to be difficult. I know that, to you, it seems like I am,
but really, I’m not. I want us to get along.”
    “If that’s true, don’t do disgusting things
like licking a strawberry.”
    “Did you really find it disgusting?”
    This time, he sensed her raised eyebrows
stemmed from genuine surprise. “Yes, it was. I doubt the