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Wait. She could actually see him. He was standing right here.
“West?” She rose from the piano bench. “That is, Your Grace.”
“Viola.” He strode into the room. “Come with me.”
Notgood morningorI’ve missed you. Come with me. Despite mooning over him for the better part of a week, her hackles rose. “I’m working,” she said, sitting down again.
He offered her his hand. “It can wait.”
He held out his hand as if it would be the easiest thing in the world to simply place her hand in his and follow him wherever he wished to lead her.
If she took his hand she’d burst into tears. She was holding herself together by a very thin thread. She shook her head, numbly. “I can’t. I’m busy. I must finish the Christmas carol.”
“Viola, look at me.”
“It was always going to end like this, wasn’t it, West? You hired me for a specific role and my services are no longer required.”
He winced. “Very well. I deserved that. My own cold words back to haunt me. But everything’s changed now. Stop being stubborn and come with me.”
“I understand that you feel obligated to propose because of what happened. Because of the... fornication.”
“The wild, glorious fornication.”
“It doesn’t matter what it was.”
“It was wild and glorious.”
“All right, it was. But it doesn’t make you obligated to marry me.”
“Don’t you want to fornicate again? We’re just getting started.” He bent to whisper in her ear. “I have so many more things to show you.”
She must remain strong. She mustn’t give in to her desire.
She loved him. He desired her, but he didn’t love her.
“I gather that you haven’t offered for Lady Winifred?”
“I haven’t.”
“Marrying me is only moonbeams and fairy tales, West. A few years from now when your bills are piling up, you’d learn to resent me.”
“I have a letter I want to open with you as witness.”
“Where is this letter?”
“At Westbury Abbey. In my bedchamber.”
“Oh no,” Viola said vehemently. “I know exactly what you want to show me in your bedchamber. I can’t visit your bedchamber ever again.”
“That will be awkward once we’re married.”
“I can’t go into your bedchamber because my flesh is weak. I’ll see that bed and I’ll want to...”
“Fornicate?” he said hopefully.
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
“Excellent. Then what are we waiting for?” He held out his hand again.
