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Propped upon a mountain of satin pillows amid rumpled bed linens, Helene Devernay surveyed his bronzed, muscular torso with an appreciative sford, Baron of Ellingwood, Fifth Viscount Hargrove, Viscount Ashbourne, shrugged into the frilled shirt he’d tossed over the foot of the bed last night “Are we still attending the theatre next week?” she asked

Stephen glanced at her in surprise as he picked up his neckcloth “Of course” Turning to the aze in it while he deftly wrapped the fine white silk into intricate folds around his neck “Why did you need to ask?”

“Because the Season begins next week, and Monica Fitzwaring is co to town I heard it from my dressmaker, who is also hers”

“And?” he said, looking steadily at her in thenot even a flicker of reaction

With a sigh, Helene rolled onto her side and leaned on an elbow, her tone regretful but frank “And gossip has it that you’re finally going tofor these three years past”

“Is that what the gossips are saying?” he asked casually, but he lifted his brows slightly, in a gesture that silently, and very effectively,a topic that he clearly felt was none of her concern

Helene noted the unspoken reprie of what had been a rehly pleasurable—affair for both of them for several years “In the past, there have been dozens of ru female or another,” she pointed out quietly, “and, until now, I have never asked you to verify or deny any of them”

Without answering, Stephen turned fro jacket froue He shoved his arms into the sleeves, then he walked over to the side of the bed and finally directed all his attention to the wo down at her, he felt his annoyance diolden hair spilling over her naked back and breasts, Helene Devernay was a delectable sight She was also intelligent, direct, and sophisticated, all of which htful mistress both in and out of bed He knew she was too practical to nurture any secret hopes of a e offer from him, which was absolutely out of the question for a woman in her circumstances, and she was too independent to have any real desire to tie herself to someone for life—traits that further solidified their relationship Or so he had thought “But now you are asking me to confir?” he asked quietly

Helene gave him a warm, seductive smile that normally made his body respond “I am”

Brushing back the sides of his jacket, Stephen put his hands on his hips and regarded her coolly “And if I said yes?”

“Then, reat mistake You have a fondness for her, but not

a great love nor even a great passion All she has to offer you is her beauty, her bloodlines, and the prospect of an heir She hasn’t your strength of will, nor your intelligence, and although she may care for you, she will never understand you She will bore you in bed and out of it, and you will intier her”

“Thank you, Helene I must count myself fortunate that you take such an interest into share your expertise on how I ought to live it”

The stinging setdown caused her smile to fade a little but not disappear “There, you see?” she asked softly “I am duly chastened and forewarned by that tone of yours, but Monica Fitzwaring would be either completely crushed or mortally offended”

She watched his expression harden at the saly so “My apologies,his head in a mockery of a bow, “if I have ever addressed you in a tone that is less than civil”

Reaching up, Helene tugged on his jacket in an attempt to make him sit down on the bed beside her When this failed, she dropped her hand, but not the issue, and widened her smile to soothe his temper “You never speak to anyone in an uncivil tone, Stephen In fact, the more annoyed you are, the more ‘civil’ you become—until you are so very civil, so very precise and correct, that the effect is actually quite alar!”

She shivered to illustrate, and Stephen grinned in spite of himself

“That is what I row cold and angry, I kno—” Her breath caught as his large hand slipped down beneath the sheet and covered her breast, his fingers tantalizing her

“I merely wish to warm you,” he said, as she reached her arms around his neck and drew him down on the bed

“And distract me”

“I think a fur would do a far better job of that”

“Of war me?”

“Of distracting you,” he said as his mouth covered hers, and then he went about the pleasurable business of war, both of them

It was nearly five o’clock in the ain

“Stephen?” she whispered sleepily as he bent and pressed a farewell kiss upon her smooth brow

“Mmmm?”

“I have a confession”

“No confessions,” he re No confessions, no recriminations, no promises That was the e both wanted it”

Helene didn’t deny it, but thisshe couldn’t make herself coly jealous of Monica Fitzwaring”

Stephen straightened with an i she was determined to have her say, but he did not help her do it He siarded her with raised brows

“I realize you need an heir,” she began, her full lips curving into an embarrassed smile, “but could you not wed a female whose looks pale a little in cohtly crooked nose or small eyes would suit me very well”