Page 54 of To Pleasure a Prince

“That’s why you’ve been snapping at everyone lately, isn’t it? Because the two of you argued and Lord Draker ended your courtship?”

“Don’t be absurd. He didn’t end it;Idid.”

“Because he wouldn’t do what you wanted.”

And because he was lying to her for his own horrible purposes. She’d tried to wound his pride, make him admit that he’d been using her to drive Louisa and Simon apart. But instead of woundinghispride, she’d shattered her own.

It had been four days since he’d stormed out of here. Since then, not a word. How could Marcus abandon their agreement so casually?

“I don’t know why it disturbs you so,” Cicely went on. “He’s not good enough for you. You’ve ignored many a finer gentleman. Why, you generally don’t even spare a second thought for a man after he leaves your presence.”

True. But those gentlemen generally pined forher.And that’s what Marcus should be doing, crawling back to her on his knees, begging her to forgive him.

She snorted. Dragons didn’t beg. They consumed and devoured and lumbered about, setting fire to things for the sheer fun of it.

The way Marcus had set fire to her passions.

I stood in chains, envying that damned harp for getting to lie between your thighs and brush the very places I wanted to touch…

As heat flamed in all those places, she jerked back from the harp, nearly oversetting it. Dratted oaf. Wasn’t it enough that he invaded her sleep, provoking dreams of wildly improbable situations that all ended with his doing naughty things to her? Must he now intrude upon even her favorite pastime?

Every time she settled the harp between her legs, she remembered his hand rubbing her down there, firm and warm and erotic. Every time her breasts brushed the gilded sound box, she imagined his mouth sucking her nipples…

She groaned. This was ridiculous. “I wouldn’t care in the least what Lord Draker did if not for how it affected Simon and Louisa,” she told her cousin.

Cicely eyed her closely. “It doesn’t seem to have affected them at all. Granted, Miss North has claimed to be indisposed for the past three days whenever your brother called on her. But apparently he was allowed to see her today.”

This was the first she’d heard of any of that. She’d put off telling Simon about her argument with Draker, expecting him to mention it any moment. Yet he hadn’t. “How do you know?”

Cicely shrugged. “Simon told me he was going there when he asked my advice regarding a gift he was bringing her.”

“Why didn’t he ask me?”

Cicely busied herself with straightening the sheet music. “He said he did not want to tempt your foul mood.”

“Well, he might have gone to see her, but that doesn’t mean he was allowed in.”

“He must have been. He told me later that his gift was a success.”

“Oh.” Falling back against her chair, Regina stared blankly into space. When Marcus had stomped out of here, he’d said he would put an end to any courtship between Simon and Louisa. Yet he hadn’t. What did that mean?

“What are you two doing in here at this late hour?” said a voice from the doorway to the music room. “It’s nearly five o’clock.”

Regina jerked her head up to see her brother leaning in. Ignoring him, she returned to practicing her harp.

“Hello, Simon,” Cicely said.

He glanced over to her. “Aren’t you going to Almack’s this evening?”

Cicely looked expectantly at Regina.

“No,” Regina said. “I’m not in the mood.”

“She’s not in the mood,” Cicely repeated primly.

“Deuce take it, Ciss, I heard her.” He stalked in and headed for the harp. “Regina, you always go to Almack’s when there’s an assembly.”

Regina’s fingers fairly flew over the strings. “I’m skipping a night. What do you care?”