His Lady Mistress

Elizabeth Rolls77Her voice came out strongly enough this time. ‘I have aproposition for you, Lord Blakehurst.’Oh? Hadn’t he propositioned her? She hesitated and hewaved for her to continue. ‘Go on. I’m listening.’‘If your offer still stands, I should like to be your mistressfor three months...’‘Three months?’ How the devil did she know how longhis various affairs usually lasted?She bit her lip. ‘Is...is that too long? I realise you probablydon’t really want me as a mistress for that long, but I thoughtyou might consent to take me for that time to give me a start.After all, your reputation... I thought you could teach mewhat I need to know...to attract the right sort of attention.Then some other gentleman might...when you tire of me...’Her voice trailed off.When he tired of her? Realising that he hadn’t had anythinglike enough brandy, Max took another gulp. He’d hadno idea his reputation had descended to these levels. An apprenticemistress, no less. He tried to ignore the ache in hisgroin, which urged him to get on with the indentures. Fast.And disabuse her of her ideas about other gentlemen.‘I see,’ he said. ‘It might take a little longer than threemonths.’ A damn sight longer if he had his way. For once inhis life, he could not see the end of an affair in its beginning.Other gentlemen, indeed!‘It might?’‘Oh, yes,’ he said. ‘Almost definitely. But, of course, thereis one thing that would have to be ascertained before I havemy solicitor draw up an agreement between us.’ A couple ofthings, actually, like whether or not she really wanted to takethis step. But he wasn’t telling her that.‘An agreement?’‘Of course. That’s how these things are done.’‘Oh. Is it? What would have to be ascertained first?’He smiled and set down his glass on the bedside table.‘Whether or not you can please me in bed, my dear.’