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«You didn’t do it for me. You did it because you are an

incredibly curious little cat who couldn’t resist the lure of an

evening out with me.»

«I do believe you are right. How perceptive you can be when

you want to.»

He placed her hand on his sleeve and led her toward the open

door. «Are you suggesting I lack perception in other areas of my

life?»

She gave him her most dazzling smile. «Yes, would you like

me to list them?»

«I’m well aware of my faults, Jane.» He helped her up the

steps into the carriage and climbed in after her. Just before he

shut the door she saw Robert appear.

«Don’t you want to let Robert in?»

«No, he can travel outside. If he wants to act like a

downtrodden servant then he can ride like one.»

Jane arranged her skirts carefully on the seat around her.

Despite Blaize’s highhanded orders, she was enjoying wearing the

beautiful dress and the prospect of an evening out. From the

barbed comments he was now throwing out, she sensed she was

starting to get under his skin. It was a dangerous occupation, but

she had to risk it, had to make him see that she wasn’t going to

give up until he really talked to her.

Despite his reputation, he wasn’t known for losing his temper;

he prided himself too much on being in control. Jane frowned as

she tried to remember if she’d ever seen him in a true rage and

couldn’t.

«Aren’t you going to ask me where we are going?»

«No, because you’ll only tell me it’s none of my business. I’m

happy just to wait and see.»

His faint smile didn’t quite reach his pale blue eyes although

he sat at his ease, long muscled legs encased in tight black satin

knee breeches and white stockings and buckled shoes, his coat a

dark blue and his waistcoat dove gray.

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Kate Pearce

«You look very fine this evening, my lord. Are we perhaps

going to court?»

«Not quite.»

Jane sighed. «You really should work on improving your

conversation. You have become almost as silent as Robert.»

«Robert should be silent. He is a servant.»

«He is far more than that.»

Blaize raised his eyebrows. «Because I allow him to service my

sexual needs? I hardly think so.»

Jane refused to look away. «He is also your friend. Captain

Gray told me that you saved Robert’s life. Is it true?»

A muscle twitched in Blaize’s cheek and he went still, one

hand braced against the toll of the carriage. «When did you have

the opportunity to converse so intimately with Captain Gray? I

thought he just escorted you along the street.»

Jane shrugged. «He did escort me home, but I actually had

lunch with him at Emily’s. He is her brother-in-law.»

Blaize’s smile was dismissive. «Why on earth would Captain

Gray mention Robert?»

«We were discussing Robert’s devotion to you. I suspect he

was trying to explain the unexplainable.»

Blaize sat back but he was no longer at ease. «And exactly

what did he say I’d done?»

«He wasn’t very specific.» Jane pretended to look interested,

knew he would be suspicious if she was too agreeable or

pretended to be surprised. «Why, is there something he didn’t tell

me?»

«Not at all. It was all rather boring, really, a bit of boy’s high

spirits that got out of hand.»

«And you saved Robert’s life.»

«Robert has always seen it like that. Personally I think he

exaggerated the incident, I have no idea why.»

«But it explains why Robert is so attached to you when you

treat him so abysmally.»

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Blaize shrugged. «Has Robert been complaining to you? He is

a servant; his feelings are of no concern of mine.»

«Robert hasn’t complained. It just seems strange that he hasn’t

gone and worked for Captain Gray, when they seem so well

suited to each other.»

«You mean that drivel that they are ‘in love.’«

Jane regarded him steadily. «Yes. Why do you say that with

such contempt? Do you not believe two men can love each

other?»

«The Bible would say not. And I don’t believe in love. It is a

foolish waste of a man’s time and energy.»

«You have never loved anyone, then?» The carriage started to

slow and Blaize turned to put on his hat before looking back to

her. «Fishing for compliments, Jane? That’s not like you.»

His eyes were as hard as glass, the cynicism in his gaze hard to

take. Heat rose in Jane’s chest until it consumed her, blossomed

on her cheeks.

«I know you don’t love me, but what about Nicholas? You

loved him, I’d stake my soul on it.»

«Then you’d be in hell now, right along with me, wouldn’t

you?»

Before the footman could oblige, Blaize shoved the door of

the carriage open and jumped out. When he turned to help Jane

down the steps, all signs of emotion had been bleached from his

face. She hesitated before setting her fingers on his arm and bent

forward to whisper.

«I’m sorry, Blaize, that was cruel of me.»

His reply was as quiet as hers. «No, it was the truth. I kill the

things I ‘love,’ Jane, don’t ever forget it.»

She struggled to stop her voice from trembling. «Then

perhaps I should be grateful that you don’t love me. Is that what

you are saying?»

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He inclined his head and guided them both forward toward a

set of white stone steps leading up to a well-lit doorway. Jane

forced herself to move forward even as she knew he would never

reply to her. His silence was far more eloquent than any words,

and it hurt more than she could’ve imagined. But she hadn’t

come back to him expecting to be loved, had she?

She took a deep steadying breath as they merged into the

crush of guests flooding into the grand mansion. A maid took

her cloak and offered to show her to the lady’s retiring room.

Jane declined. She was far more interested in seeing why Blaize

had brought her to this particular ball at this particular house.

He reclaimed her gloved hand and led her up the wide

staircase and to the left where the house’s ballroom obviously

had its own wing. Even in her distress, she couldn’t help but

notice the attention they were receiving, the buzz of excited

conversation that increased as Blaize headed for the receiving

line. Was it simply because he had brought her out in society for

the first time or was there more to it?

«Good evening, Lord Minshom, what a... nice surprise to see

you here.»

«Good evening, ma’am.» Blaize bowed. «May I present my

wife, Lady Minshom?» His smile was beguiling. «My dear, may I

introduce you to the Marchioness of Stratham?»

Jane curtsied low and held out her hand to the pleasant faced,

dark-haired marchioness whose gaze flicked worriedly between

her and Blaize as if she feared she was being made fun of. Jane

smiled. «It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady.»

«And I you, Lady Minshom. In truth, I didn’t recall that Lord

Minshom was married.»

«It’s not widely known, my lady. I choose to live in the

countryside. I find it better for my health.»

The marchioness managed to smile. «Well, it is a pleasure to

meet you, my dear, and I hope you enjoy your evening.»

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«Are both your sons here tonight, my lady?» Minshom asked.

Lady Stratham visibly started.

«I’m not sure, Lord Minshom.»

«Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll find them.»

They passed on, met the marquis who scowled at Minshom

down his long nose but managed to be polite to Jane, and kept

going. While they waited for the line to proceed, Jane tapped

Minshom’s arm with her fan.

«Do you know their sons? Is that what the ball is for?»

«I believe the ball is for the coming out of their youngest

daughter, Lady Mary, but yes, I do know their sons.»

«And they do not like the relationship.»

«No one likes me being friends with their sons.» His smile was

almost feral. «I can’t imagine why.»

Jane curtsied and smiled at Lady Mary, a dark-haired girl

dressed in the palest of pink gowns with a strong look of her

mother. She found herself with no one else to greet at the end of

the line, Blaize at her elbow.

«I don’t see her brothers.»

He shrugged. «We arrived quite late. They have probably been

told to mingle with the guests until the dancing begins.»

Jane stopped walking. «You don’t expect me to dance, do

you?

«Why not?»

«Because I haven’t danced in public for years!»

Blaize raised his eyebrows at the shrillness of her tone. «Then

perhaps it is time you relearned.»

As if on cue to torment her, the orchestra stuck up a

resounding opening chord and the marquess and his daughter

and the marchioness and a younger man stepped out onto the

polished wood floor. Jane glanced at Blaize who had stiffened,

his attention now firmly focused on the smiling couples in front

of him.

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The music started and he relaxed and turned back to her, his

expression so amiable it instantly made her wary. After a short

while, other couples joined the Stratham family, and Blaize swept

her the perfect bow.

«Would you like to dance, my lady?»

«No.» She scowled at him for added emphasis, but he, of

course, ignored her, grabbed her hand and led her onto the now-

crowded floor.

«You know this one; it’s an old country dance. We even

danced it together once before.»

He was right; her feet instantly remembered the steps. «You

remember that?»

The dance took her away from him, provided her with

another partner whom she performed the same set of steps with.

She watched as Blaize did the same and was drawn farther away

from her with every beat of the music. He danced with a natural

grace; he always had when he bothered to try. She had to stop

watching him and concentrate on her steps.

Eventually they were reunited and his hand clasped hers again.

She realized she was enjoying herself now, was even glad that for

just a few moments she could pretend that she had a satisfying

life, a husband who wanted to dance with her, a future to

compensate for the awfulness of the past.

All too soon the music stopped, leaving her a little breathless.

Blaize bowed again and placed her hand on his arm. She noticed

how quickly people got out of his way, the lack of welcome in

the glances directed at them both and wondered anew why he

had chosen to attend this event.

«Lady Minshom?»

Jane looked up to see Captain Gray approaching, a smile on

his face. «Good evening, Captain.»

«I did not expect to see you here, sir.» Captain Gray nodded at

Blaize, his smile disappearing.

«Why? A man has a perfect right to escort his wife to a ball.»

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«I’m just surprised you chose this particular one.»

«A debutante’s ball?» Minshom patted Jane’s fingers. «My wife

never had a London Season. I thought she might enjoy seeing

what she missed.»

«How kind of you,» Jane murmured. «And how very like you.»

Captain Gray frowned. «Are you sure you wish your wife to

witness anything that might happen?»

«My wife is no sheltered little bird. She knows me very well,

Gray. I don’t understand what any of this has to do with you.»

«Because I have an acquaintance with you both?» Captain

Gray answered. «Because I would hate Lady Mary’s debut ball to

be marred by the kind of ugliness I know you can create.»

Blaize’s eyes narrowed. «May I suggest you keep your nose out

of my business, Gray? I’m perfectly capable of behaving like a

gentleman when I choose to.»

Jane looked to her left where a gap had opened up in the

crowd and saw a tall dark-haired man striding toward them. His

eyes were blue and his mouth was set in a grim line, belying the

pleasant angles of his face. When he reached them he bowed.

«Lord Minshom.»

Blaize inclined his head an inch. «Lord Anthony Sokorvsky.

Aren’t you pleased to see I’m alive? You could’ve killed me the

last time we met.»

Anthony Sokorvsky shrugged. «If I had, I’m sure I would’ve

heard about it before now. And, by God, you deserved it.»

«And you’d do it again if I let you.»

«Exactly. Now what do you want?»

Blaize opened his eyes wide. «To enjoy the ball, of course. To

show all the doubters and gossips that I’m not afraid to breach

the very stronghold of the Stratham family to prove that I’m not

weeping over you.»

Jane tensed as the two men continued to stare at each other,

felt the fine tension quivering through Blaize’s whole frame. To

her surprise, Anthony Sokorvsky smiled.

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«Then you have proved your point, haven’t you?»

«Indeed.»

«And now you can leave.»

Blaize laughed softly. «Are you afraid you’ll change your mind

if I stay?»