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Her lips thinned as she pointed to the parchment that had fallen to the floor while he had so efficiently stripped her of her clothing.
“That.”
He gave a lift of his brows as he continued to consume the large amount of food piled on his plate.
“What is it?”
Her temper stirred at his obvious indifference. “It is a confession from Seurat that is signed by a priest. If you had not interfered, my little ploy would have rescued Jean-Pierre without all this fuss.”
He wiped his hands on a napkin and reached for his glass of wine. “By this fuss I presume you mean Seurat’s well-deserved punishment?”
“I believe he has been punished enough.”
The green eyes darkened to reveal he was not as composed as he would have her believe.
“But it was not your decision to make,” he reminded her in a cold voice. “You knew that I would not approve of your absurd plan. That is, after all, why you chose to turn to Carlos for assistance, is it not?”
She unconsciously dampened her dry lips. “I thought it best for everyone involved.”
“Best?” He moved to tower over the bed. Instinctively, Raine burrowed deeper into the pillows behind her. “You thought it for the best to offer the enemy that I have sought for months my own fortune to allow him to escape?”
“It was not your fortune.” She clutched the blankets even tighter. “The money came from the necklaces that you gave to me.
”
“Necklaces that you refused to accept, if you will recall, meu amor,” he drawled with a humorless smile.
She bit her bottom lip, eying him warily. It was unnerving to realize that she had not the least notion of what was going on behind that aloof expression.
“Is that why you are angry? Because I sold the necklaces?”
His body stiffened, but his expression did not alter. His command was strangely frightening.
“It no longer matters. Seurat will soon be in the king’s hands and Jean-Pierre will be released. Your betrayal has at least brought an end to the bastard.”
Her eyes widened. Not only at his callous dismissal of Seurat, but at his blunt accusation.
“I did not betray you.”
“No?”
“No.” She forced herself to meet his searing gaze. “I told you that I was hoping to halt Seurat’s revenge and bring an end to your need to destroy him. Even if you will not admit the truth, you must know deep in your heart that the blame of this horrid situation belongs on your father’s shoulders. You seek to punish the wrong man.”
“I shall punish whomever I desire,” he warned.
“Even if it is wrong?”
He made a sound deep in his throat as he turned and paced toward the fireplace. She did not need to read his mind to realize he was annoyed by her refusal to meekly accept his verdict of Seurat’s guilt.
“You seek to be my conscience?” he demanded.
“It would seem that someone needs to be.”
“Enough, Raine,” he growled. “I have no desire to speak of Seurat. Instead we shall concentrate on what I am to do with you.”
Her mouth was suddenly dry as she realized what was coming. This was it. He was going to inform her that he was done with her.
She told herself that she was relieved. At last she could return to her father and the life he had stolen from her. These brief days of madness would soon become nothing more than a distant dream.
