Page 99 of To Pleasure a Prince

“I’m sure you know what it says.”

“What do you mean?”

His gaze shot to her, blazing with anger. “You knew all along that Foxmoor was planning this, didn’t you?”

“No!”

“All your fussing about being in London for Louisa—you obviously knew he would try something.”

She swallowed. “I’ll admit I feared he might try to see her. But I never guessed he would attempt to abduct her. Simon is not generally so—”

“Calculating? Power-mad?”

“Reckless,” she countered. “I can’t think what he meant to accomplish.”

“Her ruin,” he growled. “He arranged to meet her in the street in broad daylight so he could carry her off in his carriage, damn him.”

“Oh no,” she moaned. “Did anyone see them?”

“No, thank God, but if not for Miss Tremaine’s following Louisa when she slipped out of the house in early morning, he would have succeeded.”

“This is all my fault. If anyone had seen—”

“Why is it your fault?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

Regina shot him a despairing glance. She had to tell him. It would be better to tell him the truth before a furious Simon spouted all his lies. “You must understand, Marcus. If I had thought for one minute that Simon would—”

“Why is it all your fault?” he demanded again, more coldly.

Her heart sank. “Because Simon told me the night of the assembly at Almack’s that he meant to break his promise not to pursue her. He said he intended to set up a meeting between her and the prince no matter what. But I never dreamed he would go so far.”

His face was the color of stone. “Is that why you didn’t warn me?”

“I thought Cicely could prevent it. And she did, didn’t she?”

He leaned forward, eyes alight. “Louisa could have been ruined, damn you. And you didn’t see fit to tell me?”

Her hands grew clammy. “I couldn’t. He said if I revealed his intentions to either you or Louisa, he would claim I’d supported his scheme from the beginning. He threatened to tell you I went to Castlemaine the first time solely at his request.”

“Didn’t you?” he said snidely.

“You can’t possibly think I’d have been part of a scheme to harm Louisa!”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“If I’d been part of his scheme, why would I have charged Cicely with protecting her? When I needed Cicely so desperately myself?”

His grim features softened imperceptibly. “You should have told me what he threatened. You should have alerted me.”

“Would you have believed me over him?” She drew herself up stiffly. “As he so cruelly pointed out, you didn’t even trust me to be faithful to you; I could hardly expect you to trust me not to have lied to you from the beginning.”

A coarse oath escaped his lips. “Your brother is an ass.”

“Yes, but I knew he was right.” When Marcus glared at her, she added, “And even if I’d told you, what would you have done? Take Louisa with us on our honeymoon? Lock her up at Castlemaine?”

“If I had,” he shot back, “she wouldn’t be in this position now.”

“Yes, but that would hardly have helped her find a husband.” She thrust out her chin. “I did what I thought was best—I told Cicely to prevent Simon from getting to her. And Cicely did as I asked.”