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His head dipped closer to hers, inhaling her sweet scent. In a moment of weakness, he permitted himself to decipher the fragrance. Lavender. He inhaled slowly again. And linen. His eyes dropped to her lips. Lips that he’d explored. Soft. Warm. Passionate. They fell open to a small part.

It would be so easy to take that mouth again. Own her body. She was obviously willing.

He leaned closer and heard a small, sharp inhale.

Yes. It would be easy to take her again.

With great effort, he dragged his gaze back up to hers and said, “What? Don’t you have a house party to see to?”

Chapter 11

Verity

My Dear Lady Verity,

No matter what path you choose or who you choose to share it with, your heart will break at some point. It’s always yours to mend.

Yours Truly,

Lady Wyndam

Founding Widow of the Widows’ League

“Dear sister, I must say, your cheeks look quite flushed. Is that in anger or…?” Temperance let the question hang teasingly in the air, and while Verity wanted to physically swat it away, there were too many witnesses out on this garden walk.

So she merely started with, “Lower your voice, Tempy.”

“Perhaps we should hang back a bit. Let the other guests get on ahead?” Pru suggested.

Verity slowed her pace. “Especially Corisande and her mother. They are the worst gossipmongers.”

“What happened? Do tell. It feels like a fortnight since our last conversation where you abandoned us in the maze and took off for a tryst with the stablehand,” Tempy mooned.

“It’s been less than twenty four hours, Tempy.” To Verity it had also felt like a fortnight, though she wasn’t about to admit that aloud. All night she tossed and turned in relentless dreams of pleasure. Naked, she had awoken in a sweaty heap of coverlets and…well, desperation. Nothing compared to his hands on her body. His lips on her—

“Verity? Are you all right?” Pru interrupted.

“Yes. I’m fine,” she huffed, taking out her little fan to cool her face with a fake breeze. The sisters walked in silence for a mere three steps before Tempy begged for more information.

“You must tell us what happened, Verity.”

“I kissed the man again. And then left. That is all.”

“Then why are you in such a huff? Was it not as good as the first time around?”

Oh God, it was so much…more than the first time around. She couldn’t begin to wrap her head around the kind of pleasure he had given her. And there was something about him that was just so…disciplined. No. That was the wrong word. He wasn’t strict. But somehow he took responsibility for the things around him. Like he owned them. They were his. She was his…or at least, had been his for a moment in time.

A shudder caused her fan to tremble.

He was everything she didn’t want, couldn’t want, absolutely resented having in her life. A man that controlled her in any way was not on the table.

Never mind that. The man was a stablehand. And she had no money. No future awaited her there. It was a temporary, mindless pleasure. That was all.

But it hadn’t been mindless…

Thankfully, the sisters let her carry on in silence for a while. When the group came up around the stables, she couldn’t help looking for him.

“I see now why you suggested this route, Verity,” Temperance teased. “Good choice.”