Wicked Seduction by Jade Lee

as his visions were nightmares. Last night, he saw Maddy beaten, whipped, and worse. Now he needed to see her again just to convince himself she was unharmed.
    “Anyway, she tells me that everything shall go smoothly, if only we apply ourselves. That is Maddy, more efficient than any servant and no burden at all to us, right, Papa?”
    Frank Pershing, the Earl of Millsford, grunted rather than answer. He didn’t even look up.
    “See? She’s wonderful, and I am ever so thrilled to have a sister. Do you know, her first months here, she even did the cooking! Said our cook was terrible and robbing us blind!”
    Where was she? Kit wondered. Everyone else was here, lingering over breakfast. Kit had finished his much earlier, but he had waited, anxious to see her. And then Rose had appeared, her hair all askew and her eyes wide with excitement. She’d been surprised that Maddy hadn’t risen yet, which only increased his alarm, illogical though it was. She was likely sleeping in after her long night of it. But still, where was she?
    Then Rose appeared a second time with the urgent news that his angel expressly wished to speak with him. Heat had speared through him at the words, but he quickly quashed his hunger. It was daylight, and he would be a man, damn it, not a beast. But then she still did not come down! Instead, it was the earl who had wandered in, farting as he walked.
    And now, hallelujah, Maddy appeared! Not from the stairs, as he expected, but from the servant’s entrance to the kitchen. She was wearing another god-awful white gown that only emphasized how sallow her skin was. His eyes went immediately to her neck, where he knew she sported bruises. Bruises that he had caused. But a fichu and some paste covered the evidence. And thankfully, she moved easily enough, so perhaps he had not done her permanent harm. She was carrying a plate of eggs while the cook trailed beside her holding a fresh pot of tea.
    “So there was nothing amiss this morning?” she asked, her brows narrowed in confusion.
    “Not a lick. Why would there be?”
    “No reason. I just thought . . .” Her eyes shifted to Kit’s and he smiled benignly. Obviously she thought he would leave the debris of his bath for others to clean up. Years ago, Kit would have. But the last seven years had changed him, and in some ways for the better. Meanwhile, she turned back to the cook. “I just thought I heard something last night. Must have been dreaming.”
    “Well, it’s no wonder what with strangers in the house and all,” the cook responded while shooting him a dire look. Kit raised his eyes in surprise. The cook obviously treated his angel with a motherly kind of affection and was warning him off. He liked that, and he gave the servant a nod of respect. To his amusement, the woman grew flustered and retreated quickly to the kitchen. Which finally gave him time to focus all his attention on her.
    “Good morning, Miss Wilson. How are you faring today?”
    She lifted her gaze and smiled brightly, but the expression didn’t reach her eyes. What he saw instead was worry as her gaze slid from him to Rose. The girl picked up on the attention immediately, launching into yet more meaningless prattle.
    “That was an excellent choice of gown, Maddy. I do think that’s my favorite of my old dresses.”
    Maddy gave her a pained smile. “Thank you, Rose. And thank you for detaining Mr. Frazier long enough for me to have a word with him.”
    “I’ve been talking to him about the tea and he believes it’s a capital idea.”
    Maddy raised her eyebrows in surprise, and he could not suppress his surge of heat when her gaze returned to him. “Indeed, sir? I had not thought you would agree.”
    Kit frowned, searching his memory. “Er, I’m sorry. I’m afraid I was daydreaming.”
    “My tea!” cried Rose with a laugh. “You love the idea!”
    Of tea? What was there to object to in tea?
    “Yes,” inserted Maddy softly. “A tea party where Lady Blackstone