Standing, he bowed and left.
“Ah,” Almeria said, fluttering her fan. “I see your point.”
“About what?”
“An affair, of course.”
The skin on one side of Patience’s neck began to warm again, and she glanced across the ballroom.
Wolverton.
She should have known. He turned to say something to a man standing next to him. His form was still muscular, with a trim stomach. At dinner she had noticed a few strands of silver mixed with the dark brown hair at his temple. His nose had a bump it had not had before. Most likely he had broken it, but when had he acquired it and how? At one point she had known everything about him; now she knew virtually nothing.
She gave herself a shake. She did not care. None of it mattered. And an affair was not any more possible than was marriage.
* * *
The following evening, Richard accompanied the Bellamnys to a select dinner at the home of Lady Jersey. Not long after they arrived, Pae was announced. As she stood briefly in the door, he was able to study her as he had not been able to the previous evening. She was more beautiful than she had been at sixteen. Despite her having given birth to four children, her figure was better than good. It was mature, with all the curves a man could wish for in a woman. He could almost feel her soft skin beneath his fingers, and he burned to touch her in ways he had never been able to before. He should have seduced her before he’d left rather than allowing her to marry old Lord Worthington. Hell, he should have found a way to seduce her after he’d returned.
It would have caused a scandal, but soon another scandal would have come along to dull theton’s memory. And he would have spent the last nineteen years loving her and their children instead of waiting for her to come to him.
Lady Jersey greeted Pae, kissing her on the cheeks in the French style, then taking her arm. It was clear by the way in which she greeted the other guests that she knew them all. A few men looked at her appreciatively, but none of them appeared at all possessive. Were gentlemen of thehaut tonall eunuchs? Or did they know something he did not?
He salved himself with the thought that they had not known her as a young lady. Had not listened to her dreams, and wishes, and desires as he had done, and, if the Fates were kind, would do again.
She and their hostess circled the room, approaching him from his right.
“Aside from Lord Bellamny, whom we do not see nearly enough of, we have a new gentleman in Town.”
Lady Jersey’s lips tilted into a polite smile, as Richard bowed. “My dear Lady Worthington, allow me to introduce you to Viscount Wolverton. My lord, Lady Worthington.”
This was ridiculous. How many times was he going to be introduced to the woman he had known all her life?
She inclined her head as if she was not already on familiar terms with him. “A pleasure, my lord.”
He reached for and took her fingers in his. “If I had known such beauty was hiding in Town, I would have visited earlier.”
“I suppose I must be flattered, my lord.” The smile she had pasted on her face did not reach her eyes. They were engaged in shooting daggers at him. Despite her cool outward demeanor, if he made her this angry, she must care at least a little bit for him.
He caught the tremor in her hand as he placed a kiss on her knuckles.
Lady Jersey’s curious gaze swiveled between him and Pae. “You must excuse me. I have another guest who has arrived.”
Making a point to keep a reasonable amount of distance between him and Pae, lest another part of her decided to attack him, he barely noticed her ladyship’s departure. “We meet again.”
“Apparently, we are destined to run into each other while you are in Town.” Giving him a bland look, she fluttered her fan. “When did you say you were leaving?”
“I didn’t.” Nor would he. Not until she admitted she was his. Bellamny might have to ride home by himself. “But I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”
The most mulish cast he had ever seen on her—and he’d seen a lot of them—settled on her chin. “You are impossible.”
What the devil had happened to her? She used to be such a biddable girl. Opening his eyes wide and giving her the innocent look that had got him out of more trouble than he could remember, he replied, “But I haven’t done anything.”
“Yet.” She clipped the word. “Did you not tell me that you had come to Town for me?”
“I did.” That may have been a slight error on his part. “However, I am willing to be persuaded that I was mistaken.”
She narrowed her eyes. Ah, God, the woman knew him too well. “Are you telling me the truth?”
