Page 53 of A Gentleman's Guide to Save a Lady
“Would you shut your mouth? I…I just figured her flirtations in the past—”
“Please stop,” St. Aldwyn interrupted with widened eyes. “I thought Grey and I had it bad. You may be even worse than us, and that is saying a lot.”
Simon’s eyes narrowed in a glare.
“And I’m pretty certain it’s supposed to be the other way around, no? To act shocked when you discover she’snotan innocent.”
“I’m aware I made an utter ass of myself.”
“Oh, that’s good then. Am I to presume you discovered this information by seducing her or did you happen across one of her journals?”
“I would never snoop through her belongings,” Simon bit out.
“Seduction then, but I must admit, snooping through your wife’s belongings can be quite fun. Did you know Jo owns a—”
“St. Aldwyn,” Simon growled.
“You’re no fun.”
“My life is falling to shambles.”
“Hardly, but I can see why you might think so, being a Tremaine and all.”
Simon raked a shaky hand through his hair. St. Aldwyn could be bloody vexing at times.
“She wants to go home. I told her I would take her.”
“Are you certain that is wise?”
Simon shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. She is set on returning home and refuses to hide behind her friends. I will remain with her, naturally.”
“Good. Jo wouldn’t want her to be alone, not after what happened.”
“Have you heard anything from Shaw?”
“No, just that De Roux has disappeared into the wind.”
“He’s a sneaky bastard, I’ll give him that, but at least he now knows that Belle’s not alone.”
St. Alwyn nodded. “He will find himself at a disadvantage. If he was wise, he would not return to England.”
“Wisdom does not drive him, but the need for revenge.”
“Not wise, then. Score for us.”
Simon ran a gentle finger over Belle’s flushed cheek. She was so damn beautiful it hurt do look at her. He hated seeing her so fragile and in pain. It made him murderous. Yet he’d carelessly taken her innocence and made a terrible mistake in doing so. It may take time to win her over.
Time he did not possess. But he’d devised a plan to wear her defenses down, to seduce her with light touches and heated stares. She desired him and he’d be damned if he let her hide behind her own denial. And if he failed to tie her to him in every other way possible, well, he was not above plotting her ruination, not if it meant she’d be his.
And if that failed, God save them both, because he’d go mad.
“I do hope I’ll not get kicked out of my wife’s bed as a result of some ill-construed plot to capture the heart of her best friend. I’ll have my own revenge in my mind then.”
“No doubt you will get kicked out of you wife’s bed without any help from me.”
“One day, my friend, you will understand.”
“You should hope that I do. I may very well spend my every waking moment with you if I don’t.”
