behind her ear and drew her shoulders closer to her ears, trying to make herself smaller. Wanting to disappear.
“He did hurt you that much,” Stephen said, firmly.
“He didn’t intend to.” It shocked her, how small her voice sounded. She had never spoken of this to anyone before.
“He didn’t deserve you.”
“Oh Stephen, it is not like that. You don’t—”
“Forget him.” His tone was firm, hard.
She pressed her lips together. Hadn’t she done just that, for years now? Yet, if that were true, why was she still allowing the memory of Jon, and all the heartache loving him had caused, to dictate her decisions?
Well, maybe it was time she stopped. Ending her long celibacy would certainly be a good beginning.
She glanced up at Stephen. “I can only promise one night. So, what’s your pleasure?” She tossed her head again, and gave him a teasing look. “Would like for me to be your harlot?”
“No.” His expression went cold. Hard.
“No?” She heard the hurt, the surprise in her voice.
“No, not just tonight. A fortnight.”
“A fortnight? Why?”
“Because it will take me that long to take care of Maria Seymour and to secure your safety.”
“You’re going to take care of Maria Seymour and secure my safety?”
“Aye, I shall.”
“By using your—” She couldn’t keep the disbelief out of her voice. “Your secret power?”
His features drew taut, an expression of displeasure. “Yes.”
A little curl of alarm wound through her belly and put a sudden chill over her arousal. She began to sense herself in some kind of real danger here.
All this nonsense about his power over the powerful—could there possibly be anything to it?
I don’t know him.
How many times would she have to remind herself of this? Why was she allowing herself to be seduced into forgetting it? Unsure of her feelings or knowing exactly what she ought to do next, she schooled her expression to be careless and shrugged. “It sounds like you’ll be very busy, too busy for entertaining a new lover.”
His jaw hardened and the intensity of his stare made her feel pinned to the spot. “Rebecca, no more playing at games.”
His steely tone put a chill down her spine. She felt her mouth drop open. “You seemed to enjoy playing.”
“This is serious.”
“What is it you want from me?”
“I want your promise that you’ll obey me. That you’ll follow my directions expressly.”
Another chill raced down her spine, further dampening her arousal. She became all too aware of herself, out at night, in the company of a strange man. Vulnerable.
Had she been feeling safer for being with him? Now she just wanted to be alone. To be able to sort her thoughts out without his beguiling presence.
With the chilling of her arousal, some of her good sense returned. No matter her temptation, she needed to emotionally distance herself from this man and then extricate herself from this situation. She’d simply been celibate too long and drunk far too much this night. Alone once more, she would be able to think more clearly. Her uncle lived in Norfolk, maybe she should pay him a visit and then she’d decide what to do.
But how would Stephen react? She couldn’t be sure and she wasn’t yet ready to test him.
Placate him for now. Don’t make any sudden movements. Not yet. But I am getting myself out of here. Alone.
She gave a soft laugh, putting all the coquetry and sensuality she had once possessed into it and trying hard to cover her rapidly escalating panic. “Well, what do you intend to do with me during that time?”
“I am going to take you to Cornwall and leave you with my brother and his wife.”
“You have a brother?” Again, she couldn’t keep the shock…and yes, the hurt, out of her voice.
“Yes, he’s the younger, better son.” The briefest curving of his lips softened the words.
She felt herself warming to him again and she stiffened her spine and lifted her chin, steeling herself against
“He did hurt you that much,” Stephen said, firmly.
“He didn’t intend to.” It shocked her, how small her voice sounded. She had never spoken of this to anyone before.
“He didn’t deserve you.”
“Oh Stephen, it is not like that. You don’t—”
“Forget him.” His tone was firm, hard.
She pressed her lips together. Hadn’t she done just that, for years now? Yet, if that were true, why was she still allowing the memory of Jon, and all the heartache loving him had caused, to dictate her decisions?
Well, maybe it was time she stopped. Ending her long celibacy would certainly be a good beginning.
She glanced up at Stephen. “I can only promise one night. So, what’s your pleasure?” She tossed her head again, and gave him a teasing look. “Would like for me to be your harlot?”
“No.” His expression went cold. Hard.
“No?” She heard the hurt, the surprise in her voice.
“No, not just tonight. A fortnight.”
“A fortnight? Why?”
“Because it will take me that long to take care of Maria Seymour and to secure your safety.”
“You’re going to take care of Maria Seymour and secure my safety?”
“Aye, I shall.”
“By using your—” She couldn’t keep the disbelief out of her voice. “Your secret power?”
His features drew taut, an expression of displeasure. “Yes.”
A little curl of alarm wound through her belly and put a sudden chill over her arousal. She began to sense herself in some kind of real danger here.
All this nonsense about his power over the powerful—could there possibly be anything to it?
I don’t know him.
How many times would she have to remind herself of this? Why was she allowing herself to be seduced into forgetting it? Unsure of her feelings or knowing exactly what she ought to do next, she schooled her expression to be careless and shrugged. “It sounds like you’ll be very busy, too busy for entertaining a new lover.”
His jaw hardened and the intensity of his stare made her feel pinned to the spot. “Rebecca, no more playing at games.”
His steely tone put a chill down her spine. She felt her mouth drop open. “You seemed to enjoy playing.”
“This is serious.”
“What is it you want from me?”
“I want your promise that you’ll obey me. That you’ll follow my directions expressly.”
Another chill raced down her spine, further dampening her arousal. She became all too aware of herself, out at night, in the company of a strange man. Vulnerable.
Had she been feeling safer for being with him? Now she just wanted to be alone. To be able to sort her thoughts out without his beguiling presence.
With the chilling of her arousal, some of her good sense returned. No matter her temptation, she needed to emotionally distance herself from this man and then extricate herself from this situation. She’d simply been celibate too long and drunk far too much this night. Alone once more, she would be able to think more clearly. Her uncle lived in Norfolk, maybe she should pay him a visit and then she’d decide what to do.
But how would Stephen react? She couldn’t be sure and she wasn’t yet ready to test him.
Placate him for now. Don’t make any sudden movements. Not yet. But I am getting myself out of here. Alone.
She gave a soft laugh, putting all the coquetry and sensuality she had once possessed into it and trying hard to cover her rapidly escalating panic. “Well, what do you intend to do with me during that time?”
“I am going to take you to Cornwall and leave you with my brother and his wife.”
“You have a brother?” Again, she couldn’t keep the shock…and yes, the hurt, out of her voice.
“Yes, he’s the younger, better son.” The briefest curving of his lips softened the words.
She felt herself warming to him again and she stiffened her spine and lifted her chin, steeling herself against
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