That, she could not mistake, but why would he think . . . ? “No one.”
“Someone showed you how to kiss,” he growled.
How dare he insinuate she was a not pure? She jerked back out of his arms. “Imbécile. Stupide! You taught me. No one else has ever touched me.”
Eugénie punched him on his shoulder as hard as she could before wrenching herself out of his arms. Glancing around, she saw Cicely at the other end of the terrace. Eugénie lifted her skirts and ran toward her friend. Tears blurred her eyes, and now she knew. He may lust after her, but he would never trust her, and without that there could be no love. What kind of life would she have with a man who would never care for her?
Will stared after Eugénie, her slippers barely making a sound as she left.Hetaught her? Impossible. She’d known what she was doing the first time he had kissed her. She’d tell him the truth one way or the other. Will let out a low roar as he started after her. Out of nowhere a fist slammed into his face, almost knocking him down. Where the devil had that come from? He whirled around, ready to fight back, when a blow to his jaw threw him off balance.
Andrew?
Will stumbled and fought to regain his footing. “What the hell was that for?”
“You’ll get another one if you don’t watch your language.” Andrew stood ready to go at Will again. “I thought you were going to behave. What did you do to upset Miss Villaret so much thatmy betrothedhad to go after her?”
Will rubbed his chin. He’d need more ice. “I asked her who she’d been with before me.”
Andrew stared at him as if Will had lost his mind. “I never knew you could be such an addle-brained idiot.”
“It was clear she’d had experience.” Will wasn’t giving up yet. He had to be correct. “Since I’m marrying her, I have a right to know.”
“If we hadn’t been friends for so long,” Andrew said almost conversationally, “I’d pummel you to within an inch of your life.”
“I don’t know why you’re blaming me.”
Andrew started toward Will as if he’d strike him again, then stopped. “You dunderheaded clodpole. Miss Villaret hadneverbeen kissed,neverbeen touched before you.”
“How would you know?” He didn’t believe it. The way she responded to him was too passionate to have been her first time.
“Miss Whitecliff confided in me because she was concerned you were a threat to her friend.”
“She must be . . .”
Andrew’s body tensed, and suddenly Will rejected the fleeting thought that Miss Whitecliff had lied to Andrew. As if a hot-air balloon had descended with a crash, his anger and self-righteous rage deserted him. He had enough sisters that he could imagine what their reactions would be if a man falsely accused them of dallying. All his breath left him as he finally admitted to himself, he’d wronged her this time in a way she might never forgive.
He raked his fingers through his hair. “Oh God, what have I done?”
“I don’t even know if you can repair the damage you’ve caused.” Andrew glanced back at a lit path for a moment before fixing Will with a glare. “What’s got into you? It’s not like you haven’t known enough women. Every time you’re around Miss Villaret, you”—he shook his head in disgust—“act like a buffle-headed clunch.”
Will scrubbed his hands over his face. Whatwashappening to him? It was as if she made him lose his mind. Did his mother forget to tell him that madness ran in the family? “I don’t know. I’ve never met anyone like her. I can’t keep my hands off her. I’m envious of any man she even looks at, but I can’t seem to be at all civil to her. It’s not like me.”
“I can’t tell you what’s wrong either. I’ve never seen you lose your self-control where a woman was concerned.” Andrew’s mouth tightened. “You’ll have to learn how to treat her, or you’re going to have one hell of a marriage, if she’ll agree to marry you at all.”
Not marrying her was not a choice. If their families ever discovered what he’d done . . . Somehow Will had to make up with her, but his mind was completely blank. “I don’t know what to do.”
“How would you gain the good graces of another lady?”
Despite himself, Will smiled. “You mean a female I wanted to bed?”
His friend cast a glance toward the heavens. “If you have to think of it as bedding her, then yes. Provided, that is, you want to marry Eugénie.”
Oh, Will definitelywantedher in his bed, but he’d never thought in terms ofwantingto marry. After he discovered her identity, he’d decided hewas requiredto marry her. Yet even when he’d thought she’d been a bit free with her favors, he stillintendedto wed her. Getting in her good graces would be hard, considering he’d never been there in the first place.
He’d do what he always did when a lady was miffed. “I’ll start by sending her flowers.”
“Then do it. Lots of them.”
The only problem was, Eugénie was different. Will wasn’t quite sure how that was, but he sensed she would not respond like most women. “Do you think it will work with her? Perhaps I should talk—”
