His Lady Mistress

76 His Lady Mistressdevil would come visiting past midnight? Mentally he ranover the list of guests, wondering which of the bolder marriedladies might have decided to live dangerously.Lady Moncrieff? Apparently she’d given up, but with himleaving tomorrow, perhaps she thought to try more direct tactics.Or Mrs Highbury? The handsome widow took delight insailing close to the wind at times. He glared at the closeddoor. Whichever of the two it chanced to be, he had no interestin their shop worn, calculated charms. She would leaveif he didn’t answer. Then he would go up and find... Thedoor opened. His jaw dropped in outraged disbelief. By God,he’d give the impudent hussy a set-down! How dare she invadehis—?A small figure in a shabby dress slipped into the room andshut the door carefully.‘Selina?’ He couldn’t quite believe it, even with the sudden,and distracting, pounding of his blood.‘Y...yes, my lord.’The whisper barely reached him. He got the distinct impressionthat she was holding herself in the room by sheerforce of will.‘What do you want, Selina?’ Even as he asked the questionhe knew that there was only one thing she could have possiblycome for. Perhaps her initial refusal had been no morethan teasing. Perhaps she had thought to get better terms byholding him off a little and his imminent departure had forcedher hand. Triumph and desire in equal parts stormed throughhim.His conscience twitched, suggesting that he ought to mentionthe possibility of becoming his aunt’s companion. Hiseyes roved the shapeless dress, remembering the soft curvesit concealed. His conscience didn’t stand a chance.She had come to him of her own free will. She was his.Or she would be very soon. Completely. Was she trembling?In the dying light of the fire and a branch of candles he couldnot be sure.