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‘Giving in to blackmail is out of the question.’ Henri ran her hands up and down her arms, trying to get some warmth back into her body. She refused to allow Robert even to contemplate such a thing as giving in. ‘He’ll only come back for more. I wish that I’d seen it earlier.’
‘He’s been emotionally blackmailing you for years. Telling you that it was your fault about Edmund’s death. It is why you helped him, isn’t it?’
‘Yes. No. I wanted to stop feeling so alone. Sebastian needed my help.’ She looked at her hands. ‘I suppose you think me foolish.’
‘No, I think you have a generous heart, my dearest Thorndike. The most generous heart I have ever encountered.’
Henri put a hand to the side of her head. His dearest Thorndike. ‘This situation is nothing either of us wanted. You should have done everything in your power to prevent it. There was no need to kiss and tell. Particularly not to Sebastian.’
Something went out of Robert’s eyes. Henri squirmed slightly. She had not meant the words as harshly as they came out of her mouth.
‘Your cousin guessed without me uttering a single word. I declined to answer his questions as any gentleman would.’ Robert’s gaze travelled slowly up and down her and she remembered what it was like to have his skin touching hers. ‘Henri, your eyes are sparkling and a certain lustre hangs about you. He asked a specific question, I answered as best as I could without lying. I refused to lie, Henri, even for you.’
‘But he intends to blackmail you.’ Henri clasped her hands together to prevent them from reaching out towards Robert. She was filled with the nearly overwhelming desire to lay her head against his chest and have him hold her.
‘Whatever you decide here, Thorndike, my reputation will not suffer in the long term.’
‘But…’ Henri turned towards the glowing coals and tried to marshal her thoughts. He had not asked her to marry him this morning. It was only now when Sebastian demanded and, somehow, it hurt far more than it should. She wanted his offer of marriage to come from the heart, not to be forced through circumstances. Marriage with love was difficult enough. She knew that from her experience with Edmund. Without love and forced to because society dictated—she shuddered to think. ‘But it could affect your business in the long term. You said as much to Sebastian.’
‘To be known as less than honourable in my private life.’ he gave a shrug ‘.what happens with my business has no bearing on your future. It has already weathered the scandal of my father’s death. It is you he wants to control.’
‘But our coming together was supposed to be an interlude.’
‘Henri? Are you going to say that our coupling was meaningless?’
‘Yes,’ she lied, hating that he had guessed and longing for him to deny it. ‘I had assumed it. It was supposed to be our secret, something that had no bearing on our real lives. I never expected anyone to guess. I thought I had planned everything precisely.’
‘Why would you think that?’ He looked genuinely astonished. ‘Why would you think so little of yourself?’
‘Isn’t that how all men think? Coupling is a purely physical act with little meaning for the rest of one’s life. One has to apply cool logic.’ She watched the glow of the fire and tried to control the sudden fluttering of her stomach. ‘Certainly it was how my father thought, and my cousin thinks. Edmund even. Logic.’
‘Logic has nothing to do with it. You taught me that. All men are not your father or your cousin. And I cannot claim to speak for the rest of humanity.’ He came and stood behind her. His hands lightly skimmed her arms. ‘I can only speak for me. Being with you was the most incredible experience of my existence. You are the most intriguing woman I have ever met. I want you in my life. You showed me that there are some things that can only be seen through the heart. A generosity of spirit can do far more good than cold logic. And I’m not too proud to admit it was a lesson I needed to learn.’
The warm curl in her stomach grew. Henri concentrated on the fire, rather than giving in to her impulse and turning. If she turned, she’d be in his arms and kissing him. But it was wrong. What they had shared was supposed to be just a passionate interlude. He had never mentioned love and she knew she needed that reassurance if they were going to marry.
She gave a shaky laugh. ‘I thought passion was a bad basis for marriage. It has no part in a rational well-ordered life.’
‘I am quite willing to be proven wrong, Henri.’ There was a rich warm laugh in Robert’s voice. ‘Will you take the risk?’
