Page 3 of The Viscount’s Vice
“Rules,” she mimicked his scoff. “Having witnessed what befell our eldest sisters Cassie and Eliza, the rest of us resolved never to blindly follow the rules.”
“Rules,” he replied, “are the only thing that separates society from beasts.”
“Which is why Millie, Nettie, and I specified blindly. There are some rules worth heeding. The rule against adultery, for instance. And murder. And theft. And false—”
“I don’t,” he interrupted, “need a lesson on the Ten Commandments.”
“My point is that breaking one of those rules endangers the soul and the whole of society. But a young woman dancing without permission at Almack’s is not cause for chaos or damnation.” She assessed him with a sidelong glance. “Nor is ambling through a garden practically in view of the house.”
“You know we aren’t visible from the window anymore. And, last Season, when Cassie broke that Almack’s rule—”
“Cassie,” she interrupted, “‘broke’ that rule through no fault of her own, and yet the scandal would have ruined us all, had she and Harbury not agreed to wed.”
“But they did wed. In fact, both your eldest sisters are now happily married. And if you behave as any young lady on the cusp of her first Season would, you have no reason to believe you will not be equally amicably settled.”
“Amicably,” she scoffed again.
“Yes, amicably. Many tonnish young men would be delighted to capture your notice.”
His blithe dismissal stole her breath. She dropped his arm and turned away.
Facing an array of gnarled branches and poisonous, pointed needles, she reached in vain for the vigilance and cunning she’d only just embraced.
But she wasn’t Millie. She did not have Millie’s ruthlessness. And she now knew Asquith saw her just as her father had—as invisible, unwanted Lenora.
Why couldn’t he see her as her sisters did? Wry, witty, observant. Equally adept at soothing as she was at instigating a laugh. She took three deep inhales to stem her threatening tears.
“So,” she sniffed, “you truly mean to foist me off on one of your friends.”
“If by foist, you mean put myself to great inconvenience—”
She swiveled back. “How could you, Simon?”
He stiffened and looked away. “I am only doing my duty.”
Was duty all she was to him? All he’d ever allow? “Coward.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “My sole concern in the past three years has been to secure you and your sisters the futures you deserve. Again, I’ve done everything—”
“Everything,” she interrupted, “except follow your heart.” She leaned forward. “But you cannot stop me from following mine.”
His eyes widened, and he stared at her, looking like what he was—the center of her bull’s-eye, prey with nowhere to turn.
“Lenora, you don’t... You can’t want what you think you want.”
“Do not presume to know my desires better than I know them.”
He snorted. “Rich, indeed, accusing me of presumption. You tricked me into a clandestine meeting. You brought up the time... the time...”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, just say you were naked! I promise not to faint straightaway.”
Although now he looked like he might.
“Besides,” she continued, “I wasn’t expecting you to stand up. And you certainly didn’t have to take off all your clothes.”
“And you didn’t have to stare!”
Oh, she begged to differ. How could she have looked away?
