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“No, it does not.” His tone was icy, and the slender teeter Livvie had on her temper snapped.
She cast him an irritated glance. “You will be quiet, my lord, or I will…I will… Pails of snails will be the least you have to fear.”
His mien shuttered even further, and Lady Wimple’s tinkling laughter echoed in the library.
Livvie rounded on her. “I fail to understand your amusement. Your husband is in residence. I feel no reservations about marching to him and letting your shameful behavior be known.”
The viscountess spluttered. “I…I never—”
Livvie waved her hand. “Though Lord Blade may not like it, I am quite possessive and in that regard I certainly have no intention of adjusting my attitude or my expectations. I would have no compunction about grabbing your exquisite coiffeur in my hands and dragging you from what will be my home in a few days’ time, then dropping you on your fundament outside. I may be small, but I am quite ferocious.”
The viscountess paled. “Tobias! Will you allow her to speak to me in this fashion? I am only here to speak of business and she has insulted me.”
Livvie glanced at him. He stood transfixed and her breath seized on the amusement glittering in his dark green eyes. He was not angry? Even though she had acted in a manner he found unbecoming.
“You heard my fiancée, Sophie.”
“But…but what about our business—”
Livvie took deep, calming breaths in an effort to hold on to her emotions. “I am sure you will find some other man who will be grateful for your attentions. In the event it had escaped your notice, Lord Blade was unaffected by your advances. Now, you have an hour to depart from my home and I think I am being overly generous.”
The viscountess marched from the room, anger evident in every line of her posture. The silence that remained was not a calm or relaxing one. Though she felt some measure of satisfaction, Livvie’s anger had not subsided. “Why did you allow her to kiss you?”
He blinked, all traces of amusement vanishing. “I will not countenance jealous fits.”
Jealous fits? She curled her hands into a tight fist. “I expect loyalty.”
“I am loyal.”
“Then—”
“And I expect trust. I ended all liaisons when I decided to marry you. I will not have a marriage where I have to explain every damned encounter I have with a woman. I will not try and rationalize the actions of someone, when I hardly know what the hell she could have been thinking. I will not be met with jealously or anger. I’ve had enough for a lifetime,” he snapped, his voice a sharp cutting blade.
Her heart jerked in alarm. She had never seen him show such passion before. Except in the closet, a tiny voice reminded her. “Then if you ever come upon a man pawing me, I shall expect the same trust with no explanations from me. Good day, my lord.”
She walked away with calm serenity, wanting to rail, but knowing her passionate nature would only repulse him more. He had been very clear in his demands last night, and it might be foolish of her, but she wanted their eventual marriage to work. They were on rocky, ill formed grounds and any tiny thing could make either party break their promises, despite the possibility of a dreadful scandal…and a baby. Her hand touched the door handle, and the sudden heat of a solid wall behind her froze her. She had not heard him move.
“I would not question your honor if I ever saw such a thing, but be assured whichever man touches you, whether it was by your invitation or not, I would break him,” he said, dangerously soft. “He would lose wealth, his friends, certainly the use of a limb or two, for even thinking to touch you, much less doing so.”
The cold implacability of his tone sent a shiver through her, and what was even worse, she believed him to be ruthless enough to destroy any man who would have the temerity to kiss, or attempt to seduce her.
She wriggled, wanting a bit of room to turn. He eased back slightly, and she spun to face him. She allowed a smile to tip her lips. “I am gratified you understand my emotions, my lord. I would hate to have to challenge Lady Wimple for her audacity and dishonorable behavior today. Although everything in me clamored to. You announced our engagement this morning!”
His lips twitched and some of the tension eased from his shoulders. “You are not a man, Olivia.”
Her brow wrinkled. “Dishonor is dishonor. She attempted to disrespect and shame me. And I am a crack shot, and if not pistols, I would only give her a tiny nick with my foil.”
He unexpectedly chuckled, and the sound vibrated to the core of her.
“We were speaking of investments, and when she heard footsteps outside, suddenly she was pressed against me, her lips on mine. You entered before I even had a chance to react.”
Sweet relief filled her. “I thank you for the explanation.”
“I fear I must. I would hate for you to actually challenge the woman and create an even greater scandal than the one we are currently contending with.”
“I overstepped when I ordered her from your home. Forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive. It is your home now.”
