His Lady Mistress

194 His Lady Mistressrip her apart. His amusements. Elsewhere. The truth of thepast week seared her with shame. She had thought he caredfor her as his wife. Instead he had sought his amusements inher bed. He had used her as his whore. Did he hate her thatmuch?His granite-hard face and clenched fists gave her the answer.‘You don’t want children?’ The moment the question wasout, she regretted it.He gave a crack of scornful laughter. ‘The last thing Irequire of you, madam, is an heir. Richard will remain myheir. I never intended otherwise.’The meaning of his cold words slammed into her with brutalforce. She had disgusted him so deeply he would rathersee the earldom pass laterally to his brother than to an heirof his own body. She had thought that he had come to carefor her a little, had comforted herself with the thought that atthe very least he would want children, sons certainly. Andthere might have been a daughter or two. A family she couldlove. A family who might even love her a little. Now eventhat dream had been stolen from her. He had never intendedto give her a child. Truly now she had nothing left to lose.He proved her wrong. ‘Of course you may think the arrangementa trifle unfair, madam.’ Glittering topaz bored intoher. ‘While I, of course, am free to pursue my amusementsas I please, you are not.’ He went on. ‘Under certain circumstancesa gentleman might overlook his wife’s infidelity. Takea lover by all means, madam, but rest assured, if you evercause a public scandal you will regret it.’‘Max! Stop it!’ Richard stepped between them. ‘Listen tome, you damn fool!’Fear that they might fall out spurred her. She couldn’t bearthat. ‘No, Richard! Don’t interfere.’ And then anger, burningaway the fear. Every breath tearing deep inside, she facedMax, her chin up. ‘No doubt you would divorce me if I re­