His Lady Mistress

Elizabeth Rolls211* * *Verity stared at her reflection. Heavens! She was so paleher freckles nearly stood out in relief. She pinched hercheeks. That was worse. Now she looked feverish.‘Will there be anything else, my lady?’‘Hmm?’ Verity blinked at the rather prim-looking dresser.Apparently Max had sent a message to Lady Arnsworth tellingher to find a suitable maid. Whatever might be permissablein the depths of Kent, a pregnant lady’s maid wouldcause a furore in London. The idea had tempted Verity, butshe couldn’t possibly use Sarah like that. ‘No. Nothingelse...ah, Cooper. Thank you. That will be all.’‘My lady’s jewellery?’ Cooper flushed slightly.My lady didn’t have any, but she simply shook her headand said, ‘No, thank you, Cooper. I’ll ring for you later.’Cooper curtsied and went away, leaving Verity frowningat her reflection. The gown was well enough. She found thatshe loved the slide of silk against her skin. It shivered throughher, reminding her of... No! She mustn’t think of Max’skisses and tender caresses. They had meant nothing to him.They must mean nothing to her.Verity fixed the fashionable reflection with a glare to remindher that she had to go down to the drawing room andpretend indifference to her husband. Above all, she had toignore her body’s response every time he touched her. Shecould not keep pulling away. There would be times when hehad to touch her. To lead her into dinner. He might evenhave to dance with her and she would have to behave asthough her bones had not turned to honey and her lungs stillfunctioned.Painfully she realised that although she might, just might,be able to control her body’s response to Max, her heart wasanother matter entirely. She could not control her heart’s response,but she would have to make sure he never saw it.Verity found her way to the drawing room easily enough,but she hesitated outside the door. On her previous brief visit