Page 84 of The Art of Sinning

“Of course not. But I made it quite clear that you didn’t have to, and I assumed that you accepted what I said. Because I meant it. I still do.”

This was starting to annoy him. “Yvette—”

“Has it occurred to you that you aren’t the only one who can be selfish?” She left the bed to pull on her night rail, her back to him. “That perhaps I merely wanted to experience pleasure at your expense?”

That hadnotoccurred to him. It was preposterous. The blood smearing his prick showed that, for God’s sake. They were lucky it hadn’t been enough to stain the covers, but that didn’t change the reality: She’d been a virgin. And virgins didn’t blithely go about seducing men for pleasure.

Did they?

Apparently he’d hesitated too long, which she took as an answer to her question. “So you see, it’s settled. No one need marry anyone. You’ll remain here to complete your paintings, and then—”

“Yvette. Nothing is settled. It’s true that I wouldn’t have chosen to marry, but now we must. It’s as simple as that.”

“It is not!” She whirled on him. “If we marry, it will be because wewantto, not because you feel duty-bound to. I won’t be part of your repeating what happened twelve years ago.”

“You won’t be,” he said tightly. “It’s an entirely different situation. This time I’m secure in my profession. This time I’m not giving up any plans for you.”

“Oh? So you will continue going to brothels for your models?”

He blinked. “Well... obviously that would have to end. But—”

“And you intend to stop doing whatever you please whenever you want because you now have a wife whose needs must also be considered?”

Even though Yvette was unaware of all the circumstances, her remark was so uncomfortably close to what had happened with Hannah that it made him scowl. “I know how to be a husband, damn you. Just because I act like a bachelor doesn’t mean I don’t realize—”

A knock came at the door into the hall. They both froze.

“Who the devil isthat?” Panic in her face, she searched for her wrapper. “Oh, heavenly day, could Edwin have figured out that I’m in here?”

“It’s probably Damber,” he murmured. “The damned lad got done sooner downstairs than I thought. He can wait.”

“You can’t be sure it’s him.” She dragged on her wrapper. “Even if it is, you have to get dressed or he’ll suspect something.”

“He’ll suspect something when he finds you in here in your nightclothes,” he grumbled, but got out of bed to pull on his drawers and trousers.

A knock sounded again, this time louder. “Master?” came Damber’s voice through the door. “I’m done packing up downstairs.”

The infernal fool spoke in what he thought was a low volume, but a low volume in the streets where Damber had grown up was a high volume in the quiet halls of Stoke Towers. And Blakeborough’s room was on the same floor, damn it.

“I’m coming,” he growled at the door.

He turned to Yvette, only to find her heading for the servants’ door. “Wait! We’re not done talking about this.”

A shutter came down over her face. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Damn it, Yvette,” he began, but she was already out the door.

He considered going after her, but then Damber would really be suspicious. And since he hadn’t secured her hand in marriage yet, he dared not do anything that might compromise her reputation. Given her story about Ruston, Jeremy feared that Edwin trying to force her into marriage would only get her back up and make her refuse outright.

She mustn’t refuse to marry him. Even though he would be all wrong for her. Even though she could find better. None of that mattered any longer. He’d taken her innocence, so hewouldmarry her.

Muttering a curse, he strode to the door and swung it open. Only after Damber stood there gaping at him did Jeremy remember he was shirtless.

“What are you staring at?” he barked. Standing aside to let the boy pass, he cast a quick glance about the room, but there was no trace of Yvette. Except for a hint of her perfume.

But maybe he was imagining that.

Damber fixed him with an accusing glance. “Why is the bed all mussed?”