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“Theo, who was that man in the hallway earlier? The one you spoke so sharply to?”

He only looked at her, his expression unreadable as always. There was something intense in his eyes, something that tugged on her insides, like there was a hook in there, all tangled up, and it was attached to the wretched man she’d married.

Abruptly, he leaned forward. “Meet me in the carriage in ten minutes.”

She blinked, frowning. “What do you mean? What for?”

A slow, wolfish smile spread across his face. “Goodness, my dear, what a short memory you have. Forgotten my rule already, wife?”

Color rushed to her cheeks when she realized what he meant.

Theo did not wait for her to respond, and simply got to his feet and slipped out. Nobody even turned around.

Her heart was hammering in her chest. This was it, then. The final step to consummate their marriage. Perhaps she would find herself with child after tonight—sometimes it did happen that quickly for women—and then there would be no need to see him again, or do this again.

Ever.

That was not a pleasant thought, but she put it firmly aside in favor of concentrating on the bubbling, simmeringneedin her gut.

She counted the minutes as they passed, one by one in her head, until it seemed time to go. She got up, a trifle shakily, and Celine turned around to squint at her. Her gaze lingered on Theo’s empty seat.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m feeling a little too hot,” Anna said. It wasn’tentirelya lie. “I’m going to take the air, I think.”

“As you wish,” Celine said, her expression unreadable. “Would you like me to come with you?”

“No! I mean, no, it’s not necessary. Stay and enjoy the opera.”

Before anything else could be said, Anna scuttled out of the box and into the hallway.

It was quiet back there, of course. Everybody was inside the theater, enjoying the show. Muffled music and voices drifted along after Anna, bouncing off the carpeted floors and papered walls. A few footmen and ushers eyed her as she went past, obviously disapproving of her being out and about during the show, but nobody stopped her.

Her feet and vague memory carried her all the way outside, where a long line of carriages stretched out into the darkness, the coachmen all gone to supper at various pubs and inns, secure in the knowledge that they wouldn’t be wanted for a few hours at least. A boy lounged by the door of the theater, mid-yawn. He straightened up when he saw Anna, his eyes bulging.

“Want me to fetch yer coachman, Milady? Or find yer carriage for ye?”

She smiled absently at him. “No, thank you, I know where to go.”

She followed the line of carriages, her heart hammering. Most still had lanterns burning, hanging outside the carriages, and it was easy enough to find theirs.

Drawing in a breath, she glanced around to make sure nobody was looking, opened the door to the carriage, and tumbled inside.

Immediately, she was seized around the waist and hauled forward.

Theo was there, reclining inside as if he were waiting to leave, and in an instant, she was perched on his knee, leaning heavily against his chest.

“You took your time, my dear,” he murmured, reaching up to pinch her chin.

She swallowed hard, desire drying her mouth. “Well, here I am. As summoned.”

His expression darkened. “You know, you are not obliged to go through with this. You needn’t have my touch or my kiss, not if you don’t wish for it. I have no taste for forcing myself on unwilling females.”

She swallowed hard. His fingers trailed down her chin, dancing across her throat and down to the daringly low neckline of her gown. They lingered at the neckline, teasing, as if at any time they might dip below and trace the outline of her breasts.

“But I do wish for it,” she heard herself say, her voice embarrassingly strangled. The thump of desire was back, coiling in her gut and pulsing between her legs like a heartbeat. “I want it. I wantyou, you wretched man.”

Even in the dark carriage, she could see his eyes flare with lust.