Sebastian slipped it into his pocket, turned to leave, and halted to hold Rafe’s gaze. “I have it on good authority that a gentleman can never go wrong purchasing a lady pearls.”
“You didn’t purchase pearls.”
“Not this time, no, but I have on other occasions. I’ll let Mary know that you’ve sent your regrets.”
Rafe thought if the clerk weren’t standing there, Sebastian might have said far more. Instead, he walked from the shop without another word spoken.
The clerk bustled over to stand before Rafe. “So, my lord, how might I be of service this afternoon?”
Rafe hesitated but a moment before saying, “Show me what you have in pearls.”
Evening was approaching. He would be here soon. Or so she thought. Hoped.
She wanted to be waiting on the terrace, but a misty rain had settled in so she sat in a chair near the window in her small sitting room, not certain when she had begun to think of it as hers. She still didn’t truly believe he was going to give her the residence. She could only hope that it would be a long time before she found out. Although a part of her worried that now he’d had her, he’d be done with her. Anyone could lie beneath him as he slaked his lust. What difference did it make if it was her?
He didn’t care for her enough to linger beyond the mating.
“You didn’t wear the red.”
Coming up out of the chair, facing the doorway, she despised the joy that nearly consumed her because he was here. She was surprised by how tired he appeared, as though he hadn’t slept. She wondered if he’d had to deal with trouble at his club. What did he do there all day, all night?
“No, I thought in order to hold your interest that it would be best if I weren’t predictable.” The pale yellow had arrived that afternoon and so she’d decided to go with it.
“The last thing I would consider you to be is predictable.”
“More so than you. I wasn’t certain when to expect you.”
He walked over to the fireplace. Shouldn’t he come to her, kiss her, take her in his arms—
“I wasn’t going to come until midnight, but I couldn’t force myself to stay away that long.”
A small thrill of happiness went through her. “I’m glad.” She wondered how he would react if she confessed to missing him. Would a mistress say such a thing? Had her mother? She’d told Evelyn often enough that she missed the earl, but had she ever told him? She hated that she didn’t know exactly how she was to behave. On the other hand, he’d never had a mistress before so he probably didn’t know how a mistress should behave either. If she made a mistake, he wouldn’t know, would he? She knew only that she wanted to matter, and she suspected that she didn’t.
“Shall I ring for dinner?”
“No.” His voice contained a tightness, and she realized then that his knuckles were turning white where he gripped the mantel. “I want to have you now, before we dine.”
Not exactly poetry, but then he had no need to woo her. Their arrangement didn’t require that he make any effort to lure her into his bed.
“Yes, all right. Shall we go to my bedchamber then?” Because surely he wasn’t thinking of taking her here, beneath her father’s portrait.
“I brought you something to wear.”
Before she could make any sort of inquiry, he reached inside his jacket, removed a nicely crafted leather box, and held it out to her. She stared at it. Her father had given her a similar appearing box once. Inside had been a sapphire necklace.
Rafe gave it a quick wave. “Take it.”
Her fingers trembled slightly as she did so. As though something might jump out and bite her, she opened it with extreme care. Inside, resting on velvet, was a pearl necklace. Smiling, she said, “It’s beautiful.”
He looked so terribly self-conscious, as though he were anxious that he might displease her. For all his gruffness and his rules and his distance, she found something incredibly touching about him.
“That’s all I want you to wear,” he said. “Tonight.”
“I shall require fifteen moments to change.”
“Ten.”
“You are quite dictatorial.”
