Page 41 of A Marquess of No Importance (Inglorious Scoundrels #3)

R ivendale kissed her deeply as she sat in his lap, in a chair in her office. Her fingers traced down his chest, following familiar paths until they hooked onto the golden chain around his neck.

The locket.

She broke the kiss, breathless. “You never showed me.”

“Showed you what?” His voice was thick with desire.

“What’s inside the locket.” She tugged gently on the chain. “I searched for it, held it, and returned it to you. But I never actually looked inside.”

“Oh.” Something shifted in his expression—part amusement, part vulnerability. He opened the catch and handed it to her.

Melissande squinted in the dim firelight of her office, tilting the locket to catch the glow. She blinked.

“Is that… a dog?”

Rivendale’s smile was genuine and warm. “Yes. Laura, the woman who—”

“I remember Laura.” Jealousy laced her tone despite her best efforts.

He laughed, the sound rich and low. “Well, Laura gave me a dog as a gift. It was her old dog that, now that I think about it, she probably didn’t want. But that little creature became my best friend.”

His thumb traced the edge of the locket. “I hung this around his collar because it seemed fitting. When he died five years later, I ordered a miniature to be sketched from a family portrait and wore it over my heart—until it was stolen.”

Melissande felt her throat tighten. “For a long time, that dog was the only one who loved me unconditionally.”

She pressed her forehead to his. “Do you think we should get a dog?”

“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate. “I think we should.”

A sharp knock interrupted the moment.

They drew apart, and Melissande straightened her bodice, calling out, “Come in.”

Theo entered but stopped short when she saw Rivendale. “Oh. My apologies, I didn’t realize you weren’t alone.”

“No, please.” Melissande gestured for her to continue. “Speak freely. Nathaniel knows all my business affairs.”

Theo’s expression was oddly guarded as she stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her. “I’m here to inform you that I’m resigning my position.”

“What?” Melissande shot upright in her seat. “Theo, you can’t be serious.”

“I’ll leave you two to discuss this,” Rivendale said diplomatically, already turning his chair toward the door.

Melissande stood and moved around her desk, studying her assistant’s face. “Theo, what’s this about?”

“My aunt found me another position,” she said.

“Better than this one?” Melissande’s mind was already calculating. “I can pay you more. I can give you a larger share of the profits—”

“No.” Theo’s smile was small but genuine. “Of course, it’s not better than working for you.”

“Then why?”

Theo’s smile widened into something almost mischievous. “It comes with a side of revenge.”

Melissande blinked. “What kind of job offers revenge?”

“The one in the employ of the Duke of Beauford.”