Page 22 of Black Widow

He broke off and patted her knee. “We did not grow up together, but I know you better than youthink.”

Crispin leaned closer. “You see, Martin confided certain things to me. Things aboutyou.”

She was tempted to roll her eyes. “I’m aware of my husband’s proclivity to beindiscreet.”

“But you loved him anyway.” Crispin’s smile was as devilishly charming as Martin’s couldbe.

“Of course I did. So what exactly did he tellyou?”

He looked around before answering. There was no one else in the room, but he lowered his voice anyway. “About Gideon and the way you felt abouthim.”

Heat crept up her cheeks. “Good God, Crispin. I was little more than a girl back then. I’m a grown woman now. Those sorts of childish feelingsfade.”

He looked skeptical. “Do they? In my experience, the strong emotions of youth tend to stay with you into adulthood. It might be different if the man in question had a receded hairline and a paunch, but the Earl of Flint cuts a dashing figure. The ton adores him. All the men want to be his friend and the women want to marry him. Just last night, I heard a grey-haired dowager waxing poetic on the breadth of his shoulders and the way he fills out hisbreeches.”

She huffed an unwilling laugh, but Crispin’s face was sober. “He’ll marry soon enough and when he does, it will be to one of the young innocents making their debut. It’s what men in his position do. The future Countess of Flint will be some chit fresh out of the schoolroom with an unstained reputation and significant property as herdowry.”

Amelia blinked, waiting for the sudden lump in her throat to subside before she answered. “I know allthat.”

He continued relentlessly as if he had not heard her. “Martin said he was your girlhood hero. And now he’s a man, an attractive and commanding one at that. You can’t tell me you haven’t wished for something more. I’ve seen the way you look at him. And…there have been more unpleasant rumors since he danced withyou.”

Amelia could feel her patience wearing thin. Would she never be free from spiteful tongues? “What sort ofrumors?”

Crispin had the grace to blush. “People are starting to whisper. They say you are his mistress. I caught the first hints of that lastnight.”

“What rubbish,” she snapped, her blood heating. “As if the earl would engage in such a liaison with his own cousin’s widow. Society has nothing better to do than invent vicious stories for their own amusement. If they spent half the energy trying to do something productive like helping the poor not a single person would go hungry in town. But they only do and say things for their own selfish ends. I can’t believe you would listen to suchdrivel.”

Crispin gave her a chiding glance “Am, it’s time to stop being naive. We must stay informed about what people are saying about you. And you need to be realistic about your prospects with theearl.”

“For the last time, I have no designs on Lord Flint. He is a family connection, nothingmore.”

Crispin did not look convinced. “I don’t mean to depress your spirits. I only wish to help. Regardless of your decision on whether to take me up on my offer, we will find a way to deal with Sir Clarence. And perhaps in time, you might meet a man willing to overlook the rumors, someone you can love. Although, I would like to add that being married to me would not be an impediment to such a future. It’s one of the small blessings of our society. A girl can’t dance too many times with the same gentlemen before she is a bride, but once she is married and gives her husband an heir, she is free to do as shewishes.”

“A widow has a certain amount of freedom as well,” she pointed out. “And I’m not prepared to give it up because of…an uncomfortablesituation.”

Like going mad or being hounded by ademon.

Crispin reached for her hand again, squeezing it before rising from the settee. “At least think about what I’vesaid.”

“I will,” she promised, but she didn’t meet hiseyes.

“I’m going to find our hosts. They should be stationed outside the entrance to the maze. Once all the women are through it, the staff will serve refreshments on the south lawn. I hope you will joinus.”

“I will—later. I think I shall go for a walk first,” she said as she rose. “I have a lot to thinkabout.”

“That sounds like a fine idea,” he said, gesturing for her to precede him out of theroom.

A maid fetched her bonnet, and she and Crispin parted in the garden. She skirted around the massive hedge maze, heading toward the nearby path to the fruitorchard.

Amelia wandered, lost in thought, heedless of the time, until the small noise of a twig snapping jolted her out of herreverie.

She spun in a circle, startled to see she’d wandered much farther than she’d intended. She had meant to stay in sight of the house, but now all she could see were trees and unkempt shrubbery. Pinpricks of apprehension assailed her before she took a deep breath and forced herself to get her bearings. The house couldn’t be that far away. She would start back now and meet everyone on the south lawn a littlelate.

It wasn’t until she heard leaves being crushed behind her that Amelia realized how foolish she had been. Not bothering to turn she ran, blood pounding in herears.

She’d not gotten more than a few steps when large hands seized her, pulling her into an unbreakableembrace.

Chapter 8

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