Perilous Risk by Natasha Blackthorne

like that.”
    “Compared to other gentlemen, I’d say Ruel has a greater than normal liking for novelty. Now all you have to do is share with me a letter that details what he did with those other men.”
    “What do you mean, ‘what he did with those other men’?”
    “Sodomy.”
    Rebecca laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Jon never engaged in sodomy with other men.”
    Maria pursed her lips and her eyes flashed fire. “Yes, he did!”
    “He didn’t.” What else could Rebecca say?
    “You will stop lying to me!” Maria charged forward until she stood directly in front of Rebecca, towering over her. Rebecca often forgot how petite she was compared to other women. She was made painfully aware of it now.
    She squared her shoulders and tried to make the most of her diminutive stature.
    Maria glowered down at her, her eyes like smouldering grey smoke. “Listen to me, Mrs Howland , I know exactly the kinds of perverse things you did with the Earl of Ruel.”
    Maria’s tone was so scathing, so disgusted, it sent crawling sensations all over Rebecca’s skin. She stepped back.
    The woman followed and leant down over her, glowering even more menacingly. “Lady Scott saw the two of you in the stables—”
    “She spied on us!” Rebecca exclaimed. The sense of invasion burned through her. Those moments had been private, and Lady Scott had certainly never, ever been invited to join Jon and her in any intimacy.
    Maria pursed her lips then continued. “The things Lady Scott saw made her end her affaire with Ruel.”
    So that had been what had finished the vexing and frankly sickening liaison between Jon and the irritating Lady Scott. Yet, even at this late date in finding out the reason, panic made Rebecca’s heart escalate in a dizzying cascade. That anyone would ever learn of their secret carnal games mortified her. They had shared that part of their lives with no one.
    No one.
    Because no one would ever understand.
    “And yet, Your Grace, you never broke your engagement.” Rebecca cringed at the quaver in her voice. She hated letting the other woman see how all of this was affecting her. Hated to give her anything. “You couldn’t have been all that disgusted.”
    “Only because he assured me that if I allowed him to keep you I would never be expected to serve those unspeakable needs.” Maria came so close, her breath was hot and claret-scented in Rebecca’s face.
    Rebecca flinched and backed away hastily. The back of her legs made contact with the bed and, remembering Saxby lay there newly dead, she startled.
    Maria leapt towards her and grasped her by the arms. The look on her face was so angry that for a moment Rebecca froze. Then she struggled to free herself but, devil take her, Maria was strong.
    Maria glowered at her. “The things you let that man do to you—binding your hands and ankles, whipping you with his crop, sharing you with other men—it all makes me ashamed even to be associated with you by virtue of belonging to the same sex!” She said the last with such vehemence that her spit hit Rebecca in the face.
    Rebecca dragged her sleeve over her face to clean it. Then she glared back at Maria. “You are a vile, vile woman. You have no right to judge me.”
    “La, how modest, how charitable you always pretend to be. But don’t think you can fool me with your innocent looks.” Maria curled her lip. “You were always bending Ruel’s ear, working on his sympathies, trying to take him away from me. He was never, ever going to wed a deviant such as you. A man may enjoy novelty from time to time but he’d never marry his whore.”
    “Better to be a whore than a—”
    Maria tightened her hold on her arms. “Ah, I wouldn’t be so free with my opinions if I were you. Need I remind you? I am the Duchess of Saxby and I am now a very wealthy and powerful woman, again. You are just a common little harlot. The former plaything of the Earl of Ruel and even he doesn’t want you anymore. You’re a