as Jack fastened his trousers, wiped his bloodied nose, and moved to sit next to Meredith.
"Respectability. Land, position, servants, wealth. A mansion in London. I wanted a way out of Everleigh and a ticket into the cream of London society.
And now I have it. I have what I've wanted all my life. Everything you took for granted. I'm the countess of Lawrence and one day, I'll be the marchioness of Everleigh. Nothing can change that."
"Except an annulment. Your tenure as countess will be the shortest in Lawrence history," Blake sneered. "I'll start proceedings in the morning."
"Too late," Meredith purred, placing a hand on Jack's crotch. "If all goes well, I should present you with the Lawrence heir nine months from today." She looked up at Blake. "As all good and faithful wives should do."
"Well, well." Jack smiled approvingly at Meredith. "And I thought you wanted to give me a farewell tumble. I should have known. You are a clever puss."
"Goddamn you!" Blake took a step forward, his fingers itched to curl themselves around her throat. "Any abomination--"
"Abomination! I take exception to that, Blake," Jack interrupted. "You're talking about a cousin fathered by me and I happen to make beautiful babies."
Blake ignored him. "Any abomination you deliver nine months from today won't be the Lawrence heir."
"Prove it. Prove it, Blake. Prove it in a court of law. Tell the world that I betrayed you. Deny your loving wife, deny your heir."
"I haven't touched you," Blake said.
"Can you prove that?" Jack echoed his lover.
Blake focused his attention on Meredith. "If you value his life, you'll keep him quiet." Then, he looked at Jack. "One more comment out of you and you'll be swallowing your teeth and holding your groin."
"I'm not a virgin. Any decent doctor can tell that. How will you explain my condition? Will you admit to being cuckolded in court?"
"That shouldn't be too hard to do," Blake retorted cynically. "Half the men in the village will probably admit to being your lover."
"But you're my husband. It will be your word against mine and I'll swear it's yours. I'll even swear you seduced me before the wedding."
"You'd be lying. No one would believe you."
"Oh yes, they would. I can be very convincing when I want to be and it's common knowledge around the village that you could hardly keep your hands off me whenever we were together. Then there is this hurried marriage. People are already whispering that I'm with child. I'll tell everyone I am. I'll confess to my parents and name you the father. I married you for your money and your position and I intend to keep both. You aren't going to cheat me out of what's rightfully mine without a huge scandal, the likes of which you've never seen.
And think what a scandal like that would do to your diplomatic career and to your family name. Not to mention your mother's weak heart."
"You plan to blackmail me." Blake said. "What makes you think I'll allow it?"
"It's in your best interest." Meredith told him triumphantly. "You have pride, Blake. Too much pride. You're arrogant and ambitious. You would never do anything to bring scandal to your family or to hurt your promising career."
"An annulment of my brief marriage would not cause scandal," Blake reminded her.
"Maybe not," Meredith agreed. "But a divorce would and I'll make certain you're denied an annulment."
Blake had been neatly trapped by his own weakness and he knew it. He was tempted to throw everything away to be free again, but he knew deep down inside he would never be happy if he gave up the career he loved and had worked so hard to attain. A career that could be over before it had really begun. And he couldn't allow Meredith to hurt the people he cared about. He no longer gave a damn about Jack, but that didn't mean he was willing to stand by and allow Meredith and Jack to ruin the lives of Jack's wife and children.
They were innocent. Blake shook his head. He'd been the fool. A blind, impulsive, stubborn,
"Respectability. Land, position, servants, wealth. A mansion in London. I wanted a way out of Everleigh and a ticket into the cream of London society.
And now I have it. I have what I've wanted all my life. Everything you took for granted. I'm the countess of Lawrence and one day, I'll be the marchioness of Everleigh. Nothing can change that."
"Except an annulment. Your tenure as countess will be the shortest in Lawrence history," Blake sneered. "I'll start proceedings in the morning."
"Too late," Meredith purred, placing a hand on Jack's crotch. "If all goes well, I should present you with the Lawrence heir nine months from today." She looked up at Blake. "As all good and faithful wives should do."
"Well, well." Jack smiled approvingly at Meredith. "And I thought you wanted to give me a farewell tumble. I should have known. You are a clever puss."
"Goddamn you!" Blake took a step forward, his fingers itched to curl themselves around her throat. "Any abomination--"
"Abomination! I take exception to that, Blake," Jack interrupted. "You're talking about a cousin fathered by me and I happen to make beautiful babies."
Blake ignored him. "Any abomination you deliver nine months from today won't be the Lawrence heir."
"Prove it. Prove it, Blake. Prove it in a court of law. Tell the world that I betrayed you. Deny your loving wife, deny your heir."
"I haven't touched you," Blake said.
"Can you prove that?" Jack echoed his lover.
Blake focused his attention on Meredith. "If you value his life, you'll keep him quiet." Then, he looked at Jack. "One more comment out of you and you'll be swallowing your teeth and holding your groin."
"I'm not a virgin. Any decent doctor can tell that. How will you explain my condition? Will you admit to being cuckolded in court?"
"That shouldn't be too hard to do," Blake retorted cynically. "Half the men in the village will probably admit to being your lover."
"But you're my husband. It will be your word against mine and I'll swear it's yours. I'll even swear you seduced me before the wedding."
"You'd be lying. No one would believe you."
"Oh yes, they would. I can be very convincing when I want to be and it's common knowledge around the village that you could hardly keep your hands off me whenever we were together. Then there is this hurried marriage. People are already whispering that I'm with child. I'll tell everyone I am. I'll confess to my parents and name you the father. I married you for your money and your position and I intend to keep both. You aren't going to cheat me out of what's rightfully mine without a huge scandal, the likes of which you've never seen.
And think what a scandal like that would do to your diplomatic career and to your family name. Not to mention your mother's weak heart."
"You plan to blackmail me." Blake said. "What makes you think I'll allow it?"
"It's in your best interest." Meredith told him triumphantly. "You have pride, Blake. Too much pride. You're arrogant and ambitious. You would never do anything to bring scandal to your family or to hurt your promising career."
"An annulment of my brief marriage would not cause scandal," Blake reminded her.
"Maybe not," Meredith agreed. "But a divorce would and I'll make certain you're denied an annulment."
Blake had been neatly trapped by his own weakness and he knew it. He was tempted to throw everything away to be free again, but he knew deep down inside he would never be happy if he gave up the career he loved and had worked so hard to attain. A career that could be over before it had really begun. And he couldn't allow Meredith to hurt the people he cared about. He no longer gave a damn about Jack, but that didn't mean he was willing to stand by and allow Meredith and Jack to ruin the lives of Jack's wife and children.
They were innocent. Blake shook his head. He'd been the fool. A blind, impulsive, stubborn,
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