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Ivor crushed her closer to his heart. ‘Elinor’s been agitating for me to marry you from the moment she first met you, you know,’ he muttered against her hair.

‘Well, I’m very taken with her and would consider it an honour to be as much a mother to her as she desires.’

He cupped her face in his hands. ‘You really are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,’ he said, gazing deep into her eyes, which met his with matching emotion. He dropped his gaze as if unable to bear the intensity of the moment and began to trace with his lips her exposed breastbone from her shoulder to her clavicle. There he stopped with a deep sigh as Angelica held her breath, quivering with anticipation; he looked up, his eyes clouded with passion. ‘I cannot vouch for my behaviour remaining honourable if I go any further.’

Angelica kissed his forehead. ‘I really must get dressed and go home. I have rehearsals tomorrow. First night the day afterwards.’ A thought struck her and she looked at him with a searching expression. ‘You are happy for me to complete my contract for this play?’

‘As long as you remain fully clothed for the duration. It was the sight of you barely dressed as Ophelia that inflamed my desire and stole my heart.’ He sighed and looked away as if to dilute the intensity of his memory. ‘From that moment I was lost, although I had no right to be. You were my nephew’s love and I was there to admonish you. But from that first sight I was haunted by the vision of you, and could not admit it, even to myself.’

Angelica luxuriated in the delicious feeling of being desired, being loved by the only man she wanted to love and desire her. ‘Despite our manager’s best efforts, I remain costumed demurely throughout.’

‘Well then, I can have no objections to Mrs Asprey being on the stage.’ And they both laughed. At that moment the door creaked open and a small pale face appeared. Angelica hurriedly sat up and Ivor Asprey straightened his cravat and sprang to his feet. ‘Elinor, are you all right?’ He took a step towards her, his voice full of concern. The girl was a pathetic sight with her thin legs bandaged from knee to heel.

‘Come and sit between us.’ Angelica patted the sofa.

‘I couldn’t sleep,’ she said in a wan voice.

‘Are you in pain?’ Her father sat beside her with an anxious frown on his brow.

‘No, the bandages have helped. It’s just when I close my eyes, I can still see the flames.’ She turned her face to Angelica. ‘Miss Leigh, I’m glad you’re still here.’

Angelica shifted as if to get up. ‘I have been meaning to go but it’s just so warm and comforting by the fire.’

‘And with Papa here, everything seems better.’

‘Indeed it does.’ Angelica smiled from daughter to father. The adults’ eyes met, his with a question and she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

‘Elinor, my darling girl, I have some news that I hope will make you happy, and perhaps help you sleep better too.’ The girl sat up brightly, looking from Angelica’s face to her father’s. ‘I am honoured that Miss Leigh has agreed to marry me.’

Her elfin face lit up with amazement and joy. ‘Really? Oh Papa! Miss Leigh!’ She put her arms around them both and held them close. ‘I have so wanted Papa to be happy again, I so wanted you to be my new mama.’

‘I know. Well, we’re all very happy.’ Angelica leant across and kissed her.

‘We’ll be a family again.’ The girl clasped her hands together with an ecstatic expression. A sudden thought seemed to come to her. ‘And Papa, will you hug and kiss Miss Leigh enough to give her a baby, so I can have a brother or sister?’ she asked with a pleading look on her face.

Angelica suppressed a giggle, so taken aback was she by the question. Young girls were not meant to know anything about such things, let alone talk about them.

Her father leapt to his feet. ‘Elinor! It’s most improper to speak like this. What can you mean?’ His voice was shocked, colour rising in his cheeks.

‘Well, Miss Stafford has explained how baby sheep and goats are made and I thought it would be the same with people.’

‘Damned advanced education!’ he muttered under his breath.

Angelica leant across to take her hand. ‘You are right, Elinor. Once we are married, your papa and I hope that we will have a baby to be a new brother or sister for you.’

‘Will you promise?’ she said, her face shining with excitement at the idea.

Ivor took his daughter’s hand. ‘I do promise. Now, my dearest, off to bed. You are the first to know our good news and have no excuse not to sleep well tonight.’ He led her to the door and up the stairs to bed.

He returned to find Angelica ready to leave. He took her elbow to detain her. ‘And you, most desirable, irresistible and wonderful of women, must go and get dressed in my governess’s clothes and I’ll take you home.’ He paused. ‘But first, I have something for you. It may not be your grandmother’s necklace but I promise this is mine to give.’ He slipped a scintillating river of stones from his pocket and Angelica gasped. ‘May I place this round your neck?’ He asked, his expression soft in the candlelight.

‘Is this for me? It’s too beautiful.’ Her eyes filled with tears.

‘I can’t think of anyone more deserving to wear my most precious ancestral jewels. You are as nonpareil to me.’

Ivor Asprey stood behind Angelica, swept her hair off her neck and fixed the diamond necklace with its emerald clasp. ‘Green for your eyes,’ he murmured.

Her hands flew up to cradle the large oval stones against her throat. ‘I feel like a queen. Thank you.’

He turned her round and folded her into his arms and then, to her surprise, slipped his hands inside the beautiful brocade dressing gown. Angelica felt his warm palms on her naked lower back, holding her body tightly to him; his firm touch on her skin made her tremble. With their faces close, she asked with a mischievous smile, ‘So has my paladin of virtue turned very naughty indeed?’

‘Well, if I have it’s entirely the fault of a minxy actress who has bewitched me into loving her more than life itself.’ He added, ‘More than honour too.’ Then he put his lips to her ear and whispered, ‘If you don’t go now, I’m afraid you’ll find me hugging and kissing you so very much we may be presenting Elinor with her longed-for brother or sister rather sooner than expected!’ They laughed as she broke free from his arms. She peeped out of the library and found the house silent.

He followed her. ‘My servants are very discreet; they’re all in their quarters. They’ve liked you since you first came to stay. Feel they had a part in saving your life, you know.’ The candles in the candelabra were guttering low as Angelica ran up the stairs to her old room to dress. She paused on the landing and looked back at the man she loved, still standing there gazing up at her, his face softened in the candlelight, his eyes dark with desire.

A bubble of joy rose in her breast and with it a revelation about beauty itself. It had been her attendant throughout her life, awarding her great advantage but also unwelcome attention and fear. Now safe and loved, for the first time she realised her beauty was not just for others but for her; here could be found her own pleasure and power. In a moment of wild mischief she undid the tie on Mr Asprey’s dressing gown and let it slip from her shoulders. Picking it up, she laughed as she tossed it down to him, his eyes still on her. She stood there in all her natural loveliness, free of artifice and any veil of propriety, the candlelight catching her breasts and gleaming off the curve of her hips. All she wore were the Asprey diamonds which glittered against her creamy skin.

‘Oh, Angelica!’ Ivor took a step forward as if to follow her up the stairs. Then he checked himself. She leant over the banister, her glorious hair falling like Rapunzel’s, and reaching out her hand whispered, ‘Marry me soon, Ivor. I don’t want us to wait too long.’ She turned and, in a flash of golden hair and white limbs, disappeared into the dim recesses of the house. This time he did not resist and bounded up the stairs, two at a time. Only the old owl in the tree outside Angelica’s window heard her laughter stifled with a kiss.