Page 78 of Harpy of the Ton
Sweet heaven, how could such a large man—such abeast—show such gentleness, elicit such pleasurable sensations?
Was this what it was like to make love?
He would have no need to ask—after all, in the eyes of the law and the church, she was his for the taking. Perhaps he waited for an invitation.
But how could she invite him when she knew not what to say?
But her body knew. She had only to listen to the needs of her flesh—the needs that had plagued her at night from the moment he’d touched her breasts, where the little peaks at the center had hardened, bringing forth such a pleasurable sensation…
She arched her back, and he let out a low growl.
“Lawrence…”
“Bella,” he said. “My Bella…”
Then he stiffened and drew back, slowly climbing to his feet, and helped her up.
“We should tidy ourselves up,” he said. “Who knows what the children are doing to Ned in there? Come on.”
Then he thrust his hands into his pockets and returned to the cottage.
Blinking back tears, she followed.
Why had he rejected her? Was it because Mrs. Chantry was right, and that she was a hussy? Yet he must have wanted her before, or else they wouldn’t have the children.
She fingered her necklace—the delicate chain with its pearl pendant. Something she’d had since a child, Lawrence said, though she couldn’t recall it—or anything from her past.
What had she done in the past that he found her so repugnant? Was it to do with the nightmares that plagued her—visions of flames engulfing her while a woman’s plaintive screams filled her ears…
Why couldn’t she remember?
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Bloody hell, Lawrence—youneed to stop this.”
Lawrence glanced across the desk at his friend. There was no need to ask what Ned meant bythis. While they indulged in a bottle of ale in his study, the source ofthisslept downstairs in the parlor.
“Stop what?” Lawrence asked.
Ned rolled his eyes. “You’re a scoundrel, but I never took you for a simpleton. You know what I’m talking about.”
“She’s better off than—”
“No!” Ned slammed his bottle on the desk. “Don’t use that excuse! You think that because she was at risk of a life of abuse at the hands of some duke, that givesyouthe right to abuse her?”
“It’s hardly abuse.”
Ned’s eyes flashed with fury. “I almost caught you rutting her in the garden!”
“I stopped myself.”
“No matter—she’s already ruined.”
“Nobody need know.”
“Don’t be a child!” Ned scoffed. “You think folk won’t make up their own minds about what she’s been up to? You know what young Tommie’s mother has to deal with—a respectable widow, but just because she earns a bit teaching some of the farm laborers to read, the wagging tongues in the village say that she runs a brothel. Them that gossip in High Society won’t be anybetter.” He shook his head. “I knew I should have stopped you when I first realized what you were doing. I bloodyknew it!”
“Then why don’t you put a stop to it now?”
