Page 4 of A Rogue's Downfall
What to expect of James or what to expect of him? She looked up at him.
It seemed that he almost read her mind. “As he gets older,” he said after a pause.
“Do,” she said. “I know nothing about you.” The admission brought a flush to her cheeks.
Quite unexpectedly he began to talk about his childhood and about his boyhood at school. It sounded as if he had had a rather lonely childhood and as if hehad enjoyed his years at school.
“I always vowed,” he said, “that if I ever had a child, he or she would have brothers and sisters.”
So she had been right. Oh, dear God, she had been right. She had not thought of it. She had not preparedfor it. It was so long. Although she could rememberit very clearly, it was rather as if it must have happened to someone else. And with someone else.
He got abruptly to his feet. “You have finished eating?” he asked. “Let me escort you to the drawingroom.”
“I am sorry.” She felt humiliation again. “I should have left you to your port some minutes ago.”
“Not tonight,” he said, taking her arm and leading her from the room. “Do you still play the pianoforte?”
Still? Had he heard her? She did not believe he had ever noticed her until her bold drunk person hadtaken his eye at the opera house.
“And sing?” he said. “You used to have a lovely contralto voice. I can think of no reason why youwould not still do so.”
“I play and sing for my own amusement,” she said.
“And will do so this evening for mine,” he said. “If you please.”
If she pleased! As if she had a choice.
He stood behind her while she played and sang. She did not know how he reacted to her music, thougheach time she stopped he asked for more. After longerthan an hour, she got to her feet.
“James will be ready to nurse,” she said. And she was, too. Her breasts were full and heavy with milk.
“He must not be kept waiting then,” he said, inclining his head to her.
She hesitated a moment before turning toward the door, expecting him to say more, expecting him toindicate that he would be visiting her room later. Apart of her—a treacherous, unwelcome part—hopedthat he would. She had been unbearably aware of hisphysical presence all evening.
“Give me your hand,” he said suddenly, reaching out his own, palm up.
She placed her right hand on his, wondering if he intended to draw her toward him. She was having difficulty breathing.
“Your left,” he said.
She looked at him in incomprehension as she obeyed.
He did not close his hand about hers. Instead, his free hand touched her wedding ring and then drew itoff over her knuckle. He dropped the ring into hispocket. She had not removed the ring since he hadput it there on their wedding day. Even when herfingers had swelled during her pregnancy, she had nottaken the advice of the midwife to remove it. Herfinger looked strangely bare.
“That, I believe,” he said very softly, “was an encumbrance. Apart from the fact that we share a son, we have no ties that merit the ring, do we?”
She was paralyzed with shock. During the evening, she had come to expect to be bedded. Instead he intended to put her from him, to end their marriage.Could he do that? Could he refuse her support? Couldhe take their child from her?
“For tomorrow at least,” he said, “we are unmarried, my lady. But I cannot call you that, can I? Amy. Tomorrow you will be my valentine, Amy.” He smileda rather twisted smile that did not reach his eyes, andraised her bare hand to his lips.
What? Her mind could not translate his words into any meaning. What did he mean?
“I am sure,” he said, “that our son does not await a late meal with any patience. He is like his father inthat, too. Good night, Amy.”
She licked her lips and felt a flicker of—desire? as his eyes dropped to observe the nervous gesture.“Good night, my lord,” she said, drawing her handfrom his and turning to hurry from the room. Evenso he was at the door before her, opening it for herand closing it quietly behind her.
Tomorrow you will be my valentine, Amy.That was what he had said. He had never spoken her namebefore. Except during their marriage service, she supposed. She had not heard a word of that service.Youwill be my valentine.Whatever did he mean? Andwhat did he mean by taking her ring and telling herthat it was an encumbrance. Her knees felt rather likejelly as she forced them to carry her up the stairstoward the nursery. And she was breathless enoughto have climbed ten flights instead of two.
