Page 87 of The Art of Sinning

“Have you? That comes as a surprise.” Blakeborough cast him a considering glance. “Is that why you’ve been gone these past few days? Trying to drum up the courage to ask her for her hand?”

Jeremy scowled. “Certainly not.”

“Hoping that absence would make her heart grow fonder, and she would agree to your proposal immediately upon your return?”

“Not that either,” he grumbled. “Damn it, Blakeborough, will you accept my offer or not? Assuming that she does, too.”

The earl snorted. “That’s an enormous assumption, old chap. She’s turned down three other suitors before you.”

“But I thought she’d never had... ”

Her words last night came to him.I haven’t had any decent offers of marriage... very little courting by respectable gentlemen who weren’t after my fortune.

Damn her. She’dhadoffers, just not “decent” ones from “respectable gentlemen.” His blood ran cold. What kind of proposals had she had?

“Were these other offers viable?” Jeremy asked.

“They were from gentlemen of good family and connections, if that’s what you mean.”

“That isnotwhat I mean, and you know it.”

Blakeborough sighed. “Then no. Not viable. I probably would have refused them myself if matters had gone that far.” His tone hardened. “No fortune hunter or roué with a roving eye is going to marrymysister.”

Jeremy gritted his teeth. “I do hope you’re not including me in that description.”

“Should I?”

Bad enough he’d had to bare his soul to Yvette. Must he do it to Blakeborough, too? “No. I have a substantial fortune of my own, and I don’t have a roving eye.”

“Just a penchant for frequenting brothels.”

“Only because I use the women as models for my paintings.” That much he felt safe in revealing.

It gave him the satisfaction of seeing the earl flummoxed again. “Truly?”

“Yes. Ask Mrs. Beard herself if you don’t believe me.”

Blakeborough stiffened. “I hardly think that will be necessary. Although if I learn you’re lying to me, I will put an end to any talk of marriage at once, no matter what Yvette thinks about it.”

That gave Jeremy pause. “And have you done that before, put an end to talk of marriage heedless of her wishes? Or perhaps to save her from a particularly nasty suitor?”

The sudden guilty flush in the earl’s cheeks gave him away. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“The hell you don’t. You knew about Ruston, didn’t you? You’re the one who sent him packing.”

Blakeborough jumped up in alarm. “How doyouknow of Ruston?”

“She told me.”

With a stunned look, the earl sank back into his chair. “Yvette told you about Ruston.”

“As I said, we get along very well.”

“It must be extremely well if she told you about that arse. I’m not sure even Knightford is aware of what Ruston attempted.”

That rather pleased Jeremy.

Blakeborough steepled his fingers in front of him. “What exactly did she tell you?”