A Worthy Wife by Bárbara Metzger Page B

color still staining her cheeks, as if a child wearing mittens had played in the rouge pot, and said, “I do sincerely apologize, you know.”
    She put the tray down on an occasional table and went to stand by the fireplace, away from him. “And I regret acting so childishly, throwing food at you. I don’t know what came over me.” Of course she did; it was the realization that she could never be the wife he wanted.
    “No, I should never have laughed. But I was not belittling your desirability, my dear. Lud knows I harbor lustful thoughts of you myself, after the sampling last night.”
    “No, your honor demanded to brand me as yours, as you explained then. You’ll beget your heirs, doing your duty, without ever believing that any man would develop a…a burning passion for me.”
    “Widgeon.” He followed her to the fireplace and took her in his arms. When she did not resist, he kissed her, stealing her breath, if not her wits. “There,” he said, his own breathing none too steady, “you could incite passion in a dead man, I’d swear.” He placed her hand over his chest, where his shirt was open at the neck, his cravat and coat having been sent to the laundry; “Feel the heat? I do not burn for every attractive woman I meet. You did that.”
    Aurora snatched her hand away, but not before noticing that the hair on his chest was darker than the hair on his head. It felt different, too—springy, and, yes, warm. Not as warm as she was feeling, though. She clasped her hands together, making sure they did not trespass where her mind was wandering. The heat had to be from the coal fire, so she moved away from the mantel, but that way was the bed. Oh, dear. “But if I, ah, elicit licentious thoughts in a gentleman like yourself, then why do you insist that Lieutenant Podell had other motives?”
    Kenyon smiled at her nervous pacing and helped himself to a strawberry. “Because if all he wanted was your body, my dear, he would have taken it. The man had no honor, no principles to stop him from having his pleasure.”
    “What, like that dastard cornering Judith on the servants’ stairs?”
    “Oh, he would not have resorted to ravishment. Podell was contemptible, but he was a coward at heart. No, you would have surrendered your maidenhood in a hurry if he’d asked.”
    Now she was affronted again. “I never!”
    “So I discovered, but you would have.”
    “How could you think I am that kind of woman!”
    He took another bite of the fruit. “You were the one who declared yourself ruined, remember.”
    “Yes, but I only permitted him such liberties because he said he loved me, and I expected an offer any moment. I would never have permitted a gentleman such license otherwise, you may be sure.”
    “Fustian. You are a passionate woman. We proved that last night, too.”
    “You plied me with champagne.”
    “No, my lady wife, your blood runs warm in your veins, though you are not aware of it yet. A practiced rake could seduce you in a moment, despite your scruples, and without rendering you disguised.”
    “Never.” Now if Aurora were more sophisticated, she would have known not to issue such a challenge. Then again, she would have known that the whole conversation had been a trap. “Never,” she repeated.
    The gauntlets were down. He smiled, a knowing grin. Such a look a fox might have worn when the rabbit left his last bolt-hole. Windham’s green eyes were alight with dancing sparks, but Aurora would not back down. So when he said, “Let’s sit on the chaise, eat our strawberries, and discuss it further, shall we?” she had no choice but to follow.
    She sat as far from him as possible, smoothing her skirts so not even an inch of fabric brushed against his satin breeches. Of course she could not help noticing how the smooth fabric molded itself to his well-muscled thighs. She inched over till she was in peril of falling off the sofa. But now she could not reach the strawberries on the table next to