His Lady Mistress

Elizabeth Rolls171Breathing raggedly, he forced his voice to function. Forcedit to sound calm, in control. ‘We’d better go down to dinner.Richard will be waiting for us.’All that kept Verity on her feet was the edge of the stillroomtable under her bottom. She registered the support withsurprise. How on earth had she got there? She took a carefulbreath as her shaking fingers found the table edge, and easedherself away from it. Her legs still worked.Dinner. He did want her to come down. And he had kissedher. Oh, how he had kissed her! Had he forgiven her? Hopeblazed brightly as she looked up at him. And dimmed. Hisface looked set, hard. As though he were angry about something.Cold fear slid through her. Had she disgusted himagain? ‘Ma—my lord?’At that his face softened. ‘There is no my lord here, onlyMax.’ He offered his arm to her.Her heart leapt in response. ‘Max,’ she whispered, unableto quench the welling hope slicing through her. Never beforehad she realised that hope could be a double-edged sword.Only Max. But not his sweetheart.