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lord. Whatever you say, my lord.»

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«You’re not going out with me, dressed like that.»

«What’s wrong with my gown?» Jane asked, hoping her

expression showed only general wifely interest rather than the

delight she felt. Half an hour had passed since Blaize had told her

to go upstairs and get ready for their outing. So far all she’d done

was brush her bangs and pinch her cheeks to add color.

Now he’d appeared through the door connecting their suites

and he was frowning at her. He’d changed into a black coat and

waistcoat embroidered with golden thread and skintight satin

pantaloons. He snapped his fingers at her.

«You know what’s wrong with it. It’s a rag. Take it off and put

on that blue dress you were wearing earlier today.»

She blinked at him. «But you told me to send that one back.»

He took three steps into her room and glared down at her.

«You must have something else.»

She walked across to the clothes press and opened the lid with

a flourish. «This is all I have. You are welcome to pick a different

one if you wish.» She pursed her lips. «I think there might be an

evening gown in there somewhere that I had made about five

years ago.»

She straightened up and jumped when she realized he was

right behind her.

«You are not wearing any of those ridiculously outmoded

gowns.»

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Kate Pearce

She stared into his eyes, aware that her breathing was as

labored as his. He thrust his hand out and grabbed the front of

her bodice. With one savage pull he ripped it open, exposing her

corset and the swell of her breasts. She kept her hands fisted by

her sides.

«Now do you understand that you are not wearing this?»

«You would prefer me to go naked?»

His icy blue eyes assessed her from head to foot. «Perhaps,

but I have a better idea.» He turned his head and shouted.

«Robert!»

Jane remained still, too aware of the closeness of her husband

and the dark sexual energy vibrating through him to dare to

move or to make sense of his commands.

«Yes, my lord?»

She heard Robert’s voice as he emerged from the dressing

room that linked their suites but couldn’t see him beyond Blaize’s

chest.

«Go and find a set of men’s clothing that will fit my wife.

There should be some in my suite, or lend her something of

yours.»

«Yes, my lord.»

Jane waited until Robert disappeared again. «You want me to

dress like a man?»

«Why not?»

«Because I have too many curves to look convincing?»

«You don’t need to convince anyone but me.» Blaize flicked

the filmy muslin now trailing from her ruined bodice and walked

back to the door. «Now take off this abomination and call your

maid to help you get dressed again.»

«I don’t have a maid. I have Lizzie from the kitchen.»

He paused long enough for her to see the impatience on his

face. «Then call her. I’ll expect you down in the hall in ten

minutes.»

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Minshom checked his pocket watch again and continued his

restless pacing around the perimeter of the hall. Where was Jane?

Had she changed her mind? Had his deliberate roughness finally

gotten through to her and made her bolt? God, he hoped so.

When he ripped her gown he’d wanted to explore further, to

shove his hand inside her corset and find her breasts, to bring

them to his mouth and suckle her nipples to hard, aching points.

Even though she must have realized the danger, she hadn’t

backed down from him. The quality of her silence, the obvious

tightening of her nipples and shortness of breath hadn’t helped

discourage him either. But then she’d always enjoyed sex, thrived

on his excesses, encouraged them even, so her reaction to him

wasn’t a complete surprise. She’d been a revelation when he met

her at seventeen and now she had only matured, her sexual

appetites no doubt stimulated and explored by other men.

His gut tightened as he contemplated Jane coming in another

man’s embrace. It was an image that unsettled him more than he

had anticipated. Where the hell was she? Robert emerged from

the servant’s staircase, Minshom’s hat and cloak in his hands.

«Here you are, my lord.»

Minshom stared at his valet. «Go and get your things. I want

you to come with me.»

«To the pleasure house, my lord?» Robert’s smile disappeared.

«Yes, what of it?»

«Nothing, sir, it’s just that I haven’t beer, there for a while.»

«You can ask permission to wait in the kitchen. When my wife

decides she’s seen enough and wants to go home, you can take

her in the carriage and come back for me later.»

«Yes, my lord.»

Minshom glanced sharply at Robert. «What’s the matter? Are

you annoyed because I won’t let you go and indulge yourself at

the pleasure house? You’re my property, Robert, don’t forget

that.»

«I know that, sir.»

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Kate Pearce

Robert’s face assumed the wooden look Minshom hated. But

he hardly had time to discuss his valet’s problems now; he had

far more important things to deal with. Getting rid of Jane had to

be his priority—if she ever got herself down those stairs. He

looked up again, saw her appear on the first-floor landing, her

body covered with a long voluminous cloak, her head bare.

«Ah, finally, there you are. Now come on.»

She reached the bottom of the stairs and stared up at him.

«I don’t look anything like a man.»

«As I said, it hardly matters. No one will be looking at you.

They’ll all be too busy having sex.» He pointed his finger at her

face. «And you will remain quiet and not draw attention to

yourself.»

She touched her hair and drew his gaze to the single braid

down her back. «Should I cut this? It’s far too long to be

fashionable anyway.»

He frowned. «Leave it.»

«Is that an order, my lord and master?»

God, he’d like to master her; have her at his feet, begging to

be fucked, to be filled with his cum...

Unnerved by his unruly thoughts, he scowled at her. «Do

what you want with it. I don’t care.»

He turned on his heel, beckoned to Robert and headed out to

his carriage. It wasn’t far to Madame s house in Mayfair, but the

night air was chilly and since the recent food riots, the streets

weren’t as safe as they had been. He didn’t bother to wait and

help Jane into the carriage. Dammit, she was dressed as a man,

and she could get in by herself. Robert, of course, had other

ideas, and being far more chivalrous than his employer, proffered

Jane a helping hand.

Minshom didn’t speak to either of them on the journey. He

was too busy wondering what his reception at the pleasure house

would be like. Would he be barred because of his involvement

with Helene’s daughter and her lover? He wasn’t sure. Madame

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was, after all, a superb businesswoman and he hadn’t hurt

Marguerite Lockwood. In truth, he’d reluctantly come to admire

her over the past weeks. But she was involved with Anthony

Sokorvsky, and he had more than enough grievances against

Minshom to spare.

Ah, Anthony. Part of the thrill of fucking Sokorvsky was that

even in extremis, he had always tried to resist Minshom, to prove

that he could deny his sexual impulses even when his body said

differently. And perhaps, seeing as he had obviously found sexual

comfort with a woman, he had been correct to resist. He’d

insisted that he had the right to choose his own sexual destiny, to

walk away from Minshom, to make him a laughingstock...

The carriage stopped and Minshom stared coldly at Robert

and Jane. Tonight would be different. He would show Jane that

he really had no soul or compassion left in him. He would show

everyone.

Jane licked her lips as she was ushered up the wide white steps

and into the brothel. Wedged between Minshom and Robert, she

could see very little except intriguing glimpses of well-polished

marble and wood floors and scarlet silk wallpaper. The house and

its surroundings certainly weren’t quite as she had pictured them.

The neighborhood looked far too upper class to contain a bawdy

house.

«We’ll go in to the receiving room and wait for Madame.»

Minshom sounded irritated, but then he so often did when he

was near her. Despite his insistence that he didn’t care about her

anymore, he still reacted to her presence. She’d felt him respond

to her earlier, enjoyed the way his heated gaze had lingered on

her exposed breasts. For one thrilling moment she’d thought he

was going to grab her and take her to the ground.

Jane lowered her hood and went to warm her hands in front

of the fire. Men’s breeches gave her a freedom of movement she

hadn’t experienced before. Maybe she should take a pair home

and wear them to ride astride or climb onto the roof or any of

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Kate Pearce

those other thousands of tedious jobs that became impossible in

a skirt and petticoats.

«Good evening, Lord Minshom.»

Jane turned around to find one of the most beautiful women

she had ever seen coming through the doorway. The vision was

blonde, petite and had a husky French accent that only added to

her allure.

«Good evening, Madame Helene.» Minshom bowed but didn’t

make an effort to kiss the goddess’s hand. «I wish to bring a

guest into your house this evening.»

Madame inclined her head. «Which of these gentlemen is it?»

«I believe you’ve met Robert before.» Minshom waved a

casual hand in Jane’s direction. «It’s this one.»

Madame’s delicate blue gaze fastened on Jane and her eyes

widened. «‘This’ isn’t a man.»

«No.»

«I don’t think I’ve ever seen you bring a woman into my

establishment before, my lord.» Madame paused and directed her

next question at Jane. «Are you sure you want to do this?»

Minshom frowned. «Madame, that is scarcely any of your

business...»

Jane moved in front of her husband and dropped an awkward

curtsey in her breeches. «I’m sure, thank you.»

An amused smile hovered on the paragon’s lips. Jane realized

she was being scrutinized very carefully and that close-up,

Madame was not quite as young as she looked.

«Do you know Lord Minshom well?»

«Very well.» Jane said. «We’ve been married for ten years.»

«You are his wife?» Madame pressed two fingers to her mouth

as if to stifle a laugh. «Forgive me; it never occurred to me that a

man such as Lord Minshom would be interested in having a

wife.»

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Jane gave her a sunny smile. «It’s all right. He’s not really

interested in having me—that’s probably why you’ve never heard

of me before.»

«I think Madame has heard enough about our private affairs,

don’t you, my dear?»

Jane tried to resist as Minshom took her by the shoulders and

propelled her toward the door. She craned her head around to

see her hostess. «Thank you, Madame. Perhaps we will become

better acquainted soon.»

«I certainly hope so, Lady Minshom. In fact, I look forward to

it.»

Minshom marched Jane up the wide staircase and then

flattened her against the wall and placed his bent arm over her

head caging her in.

«I told you to be quiet. Do not tell anyone else who you are.

Do you understand?»

«You don’t wish to acknowledge our relationship?»

«Of course I don’t.»

«Why not?»

He sighed. «Because you are going home and I don’t need

more gossip circulating about me than there already is.»

«I thought you never listened to gossip.» He was so close that

she distinctly heard his teeth click together when he set his jaw.

«For once in your life, swear to me that you will be quiet and

do as you are told. If you don’t agree, I’m going to send you

home right now.» She opened her mouth and he placed his hand

over it. «When you have seen enough to convince you to leave,

ask the way down to the main hall or the kitchens and Robert

will take you home. Now nod if you understand me.»

Jane managed a nod and he released her. She looked up into

his handsome, brutal face and fought a smile. He was trying so

hard to intimidate her that he was obviously running scared.

She’d known him long enough to understand that the more she

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Kate Pearce

tried to get close to him, the harder he pushed her away. It

seemed that nothing had changed.

He held her gaze. «We will be going up to the third floor

where the most extreme of the sexual activities take place.»

«Can we just walk through the other levels first?»

«Jane, what did I just say to you about keeping quiet and not

asking questions?»

She obediently closed her mouth and tried not to look

pleading. He knew she had always been sexually curious and he