Page 90 of The Paid Companion

“Well, this is certainly one of his more brilliant plans, if that is the case,” she said lightly, “because I am quite convinced that he intends to marry me.” It would not hurt to reinforce the notion that she believed St. Merryn’s intentions were honorable, she thought. It might help to drive up the stakes in the betting books.

“My dearest, you do not need to pretend with me.” Jeremy gripped her more urgently. “I told you, I know everything now. It is true that St. Merryn did get you from an agency. Do not deny it.”

“Rubbish.”

“Goodhew and Willis, to be precise.”

Dear heaven.He knows the name of the agency.To her knowledge this was the first time anyone had connected the supposed jest to Goodhew and Willis.

She swallowed hard, trying not to let him see that his knowledge had shaken her. She had to find out how he knew the name of the agency.

“I have no idea what you are talking about, Jeremy.” Keeping her voice light and unconcerned took enormous effort but she managed it. “Where did you hear that odd name?”

“Oh, my poor, naïve darling. I can see that you really do believe that St. Merryn intends to marry you.” He squeezed her arm. “Tell, me, what promises did he make? What lies has he told you?”

“Unlike you, Jeremy, St. Merryn has been entirely honest and forthright with me.”

Jeremy’s fingers became a vise on her arm. “You mean you actually agreed to his scheme? I cannot believe that you would sink to such depths of depravity. What has happened to my sweet, innocent Elenora?”

“Sweet, innocent Elenora is about to become my wife.” Arthur glided out of the shadows of a hedge. “And if you don’t take your hand off her immediately, I will lose what little patience I have left for you, Clyde.”

“St. Merryn.” Jeremy released Elenora’s arm with blinding speed. He moved back warily as Arthur came to stand beside Elenora. “How dare you, sir?”

“How dare I ask Miss Lodge to become my wife?” Arthur took possession of Elenora’s arm. “Probably because the notion struck me as a very good one. Not that it is any of your business.”

Jeremy flinched but he stood his ground. “Have you no shame, sir?”

“That is almost amusing, coming as it does from a man who cast Elenora aside to marry another.”

“That is not what happened,” Jeremy said tightly.

“Actually,” Elenora said, “that is precisely what happened.”

“My darling, you misunderstood.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I certainly did not ask you to do anything so outrageous as pose to the world as my fiancée,” Jeremy turned back to glare at Arthur. “How can you justify using Miss Lodge in such a manner, sir?”

“You know, Clyde,” Arthur said, his voice going lethally soft, “I find you extremely irritating.”

Alarmed by his tone, Elenora stepped nimbly between the two men. “Enough, Arthur, we have more important matters to attend to here tonight.”

He glanced at her. “Are you certain? This was just starting to get interesting.”

“Jeremy knows about Goodhew and Willis,” she said very pointedly.

She felt his hand tighten on her arm, the same arm he had just retrieved from Jeremy. At the rate gentlemen were seizing hold of that portion of her anatomy tonight, she was going to be bruised in the morning, she reflected.

Arthur did not take his eyes off Jeremy. “Does he, indeed?”

“It is common knowledge that you hired her from that agency,” Jeremy sputtered.

“There is, indeed, a tale going around that I made good on my vow to select a wife from an agency that supplies paid companions,” Arthur agreed. “But the name of that agency is most certainly not common knowledge. Where did you hear it?”

“See here, sir, there is no reason why I should explain myself to you—”

He broke off abruptly when Arthur, without any warning, released Elenora, grabbed the front of Jeremy’s expensive coat and shoved him hard against the bare backside of a marble god.