Page 105 of Cocky August Rake

Reginald was still watching her, but that air of apology had faded from him. “Now you answer something for me,” he said. “Mrs. Smith told me why you came to the ship.”

But Nell didn’t… No!

Rose’s heart dropped all over again.

What exactly had Nell told him? That it had all been part of their plan? Why?

“She said you came only because she sent you to seduce me. That it was their last hope.” His voice remained painfully controlled. “That you were their last hope.”

For one terrible moment, Rose couldn’t breathe. “Reginald⁠—”

“Was that why you came to me on the ship? For The Domus?”

“Do you believe I would really do that?”

But she’d meant to.

“Hell, Rose. I don’t know what to believe.” Hurt crossed his face. Then he looked away.

Even with the hopelessness of it all, she couldn’t let him believe that.

“No.” She stepped toward him. “It wasn’t for The Domus.”

Rose searched her mind for how to begin.

“The first night last spring, at the masquerade, I had been sent to learn more about the club’s new owner.”

He swung back around, eyes widened. “You knew who I was?” His voice caught. “And that’s why⁠—?”

“No.”

“All this time⁠—”

“No!” Her voice tightened with panic. “I didn’t know who you were. I swear to you. I had been told you left the masquerade early. I was just leaving when I collided with you.”

Reginald turned and began to pace, his shoulders rigid with barely contained tension. “God, Rose.”

“What happened in the garden had nothing to do with The Domus,” she said. If only she could touch him…

“And neither did last night.”

But there was still skepticism in his eyes, so Rose took a step closer.

“You need to listen to me. Just as I heard you out about that dreadful Mr. Sedgewick.”

He studied her before answering.

“The ship,” he said.

Two words.

A question.

Rose clasped her hands to keep them from trembling.

“Yes. Nell sent me. She said to make it impossible for you to deny me anything. And then, after, to ask you one last time to leave The Domus open.”

At this point, Reginald tilted his head. Almost as though he could finally see her.