always be my own wicked seductress.”
My wicked seductress, I always knew you would be this way. It shows in your eyes, the way you move…
Joshua’s words, here in this very garden. In his father’s fine closed carriage. In her bedchamber upstairs in Mrs Hazelwood’s house after he’d sneaked in through her window. That night when he’d pledged undying love for her. And all those months after, while he’d systematically ripped away all her innocence and showed her just how wild and wanton she could be. And he had encouraged it. Praised it. Adored it. So much so that she’d let herself dream again of babies and booties and cold winter’s nights spent snuggled up against a hale and healthy male body.
Then Joshua had married an angel. Anne Abbott, the purest, gentlest girl in all of Philadelphia. He’d planned on having both Anne and Beth—wife and mistress.
He had planned wrong.
She had turned down his offer of a luxurious house, a carriage, clothing, and servants, and had intended never to look back. But he’d managed to keep himself in her life by providing free medical services to her always ailing sister.
“You’ve done quite well for yourself. You’ve managed to get your merchant prince to marry you.” His voice resonated with bitterness. “But does he know everything about his dear little princess?”
Fear gripped her innards. “He does.”
And it was the truth…up to a point. Grey knew everything he had a right to know. Everything she intended to tell him.
Dr Wade laughed, a sound all the more wicked for its softness. “No, I wager he does not know all . He seems quite fastidious. I doubt you told him everything I taught you. Everything your naughty, delicious little body desires in a bed.”
Her heart began pounding. Hard. Only Joshua knew the depths of her sexual wickedness. She knew it was the biggest reason he had chosen another girl to marry. A decent girl. A lady who didn’t enjoy dirty, depraved carnal acts. She hugged her arms over her chest, feeling hunted. “What do you want from me?”
He smiled. A nasty smile. A scorned lover’s smile, when he had no right to the title. “I just want to warn you.”
His voice was velvet smooth and it sent chills through her.
“Oh, yes—warn me about what?” Her heart hammered even harder against her ribs. Bile rose in her throat, burning. God, what could he mean to do? What if—“You’ll say nothing to him.” She came at him and gripped his arm. “ Nothing .”
He leant back and arched a brow. “Do you take me for a fool?”
She released his arm. “I think you want to hurt me, though you have no cause.”
“Good God, Beth, do you have so little respect for my intelligence? If I said anything about—well, shall we call it your more decadent tastes?—Sexton would demand his satisfaction of me. Your intended husband has quite a reputation on the duelling field. I’ve no wish to face him, believe me.”
“Grey has never fought a duel in his life.”
“No? Well, tell that to the man who’ll never lift his arm again.”
She felt a little ill. But no—Joshua didn’t know what he was talking about.
“He’s a man of business, Beth. A society gentleman. He has a reputation to protect. Of course he’s fought duels.”
He spoke with such certainty, meeting her gaze levelly. Suppose it was true? Did she really know Grey at all? She shivered. “What the hell do you want?”
“I told you—I want to warn you, sweetheart, not to get your little hopes up over how wonderful life will be with him. Aunt Cornelia has told me all about Sexton. His mother’s maiden name was de Grijs.”
“Yes, what of it?” she snapped. Why must he drag this out?
He crossed one leg over the other and brushed a speck of lint off his dark pantaloons. “De Grijs? Think, Beth. He comes not only from the elite of Boston but also the very pinnacle of New York society. Their society is far more insular than ours. You won’t have any experience or
My wicked seductress, I always knew you would be this way. It shows in your eyes, the way you move…
Joshua’s words, here in this very garden. In his father’s fine closed carriage. In her bedchamber upstairs in Mrs Hazelwood’s house after he’d sneaked in through her window. That night when he’d pledged undying love for her. And all those months after, while he’d systematically ripped away all her innocence and showed her just how wild and wanton she could be. And he had encouraged it. Praised it. Adored it. So much so that she’d let herself dream again of babies and booties and cold winter’s nights spent snuggled up against a hale and healthy male body.
Then Joshua had married an angel. Anne Abbott, the purest, gentlest girl in all of Philadelphia. He’d planned on having both Anne and Beth—wife and mistress.
He had planned wrong.
She had turned down his offer of a luxurious house, a carriage, clothing, and servants, and had intended never to look back. But he’d managed to keep himself in her life by providing free medical services to her always ailing sister.
“You’ve done quite well for yourself. You’ve managed to get your merchant prince to marry you.” His voice resonated with bitterness. “But does he know everything about his dear little princess?”
Fear gripped her innards. “He does.”
And it was the truth…up to a point. Grey knew everything he had a right to know. Everything she intended to tell him.
Dr Wade laughed, a sound all the more wicked for its softness. “No, I wager he does not know all . He seems quite fastidious. I doubt you told him everything I taught you. Everything your naughty, delicious little body desires in a bed.”
Her heart began pounding. Hard. Only Joshua knew the depths of her sexual wickedness. She knew it was the biggest reason he had chosen another girl to marry. A decent girl. A lady who didn’t enjoy dirty, depraved carnal acts. She hugged her arms over her chest, feeling hunted. “What do you want from me?”
He smiled. A nasty smile. A scorned lover’s smile, when he had no right to the title. “I just want to warn you.”
His voice was velvet smooth and it sent chills through her.
“Oh, yes—warn me about what?” Her heart hammered even harder against her ribs. Bile rose in her throat, burning. God, what could he mean to do? What if—“You’ll say nothing to him.” She came at him and gripped his arm. “ Nothing .”
He leant back and arched a brow. “Do you take me for a fool?”
She released his arm. “I think you want to hurt me, though you have no cause.”
“Good God, Beth, do you have so little respect for my intelligence? If I said anything about—well, shall we call it your more decadent tastes?—Sexton would demand his satisfaction of me. Your intended husband has quite a reputation on the duelling field. I’ve no wish to face him, believe me.”
“Grey has never fought a duel in his life.”
“No? Well, tell that to the man who’ll never lift his arm again.”
She felt a little ill. But no—Joshua didn’t know what he was talking about.
“He’s a man of business, Beth. A society gentleman. He has a reputation to protect. Of course he’s fought duels.”
He spoke with such certainty, meeting her gaze levelly. Suppose it was true? Did she really know Grey at all? She shivered. “What the hell do you want?”
“I told you—I want to warn you, sweetheart, not to get your little hopes up over how wonderful life will be with him. Aunt Cornelia has told me all about Sexton. His mother’s maiden name was de Grijs.”
“Yes, what of it?” she snapped. Why must he drag this out?
He crossed one leg over the other and brushed a speck of lint off his dark pantaloons. “De Grijs? Think, Beth. He comes not only from the elite of Boston but also the very pinnacle of New York society. Their society is far more insular than ours. You won’t have any experience or
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