Read Online His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Rolls
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knew why Godfrey wanted her. Because she was defenceless and he was a swaggering bully, not far removed from the loutish schoolboy who had once drowned a kitten in front of his terrified little cousin, merely because he knew she was fond of it.
But Max— Lord Blakehurst —was not of that ilk. She had not the least idea why a man with a reputation for taking beautiful women as his mistresses would want her.
‘Because I desire you of course.’ The sudden huskiness in his voice shocked her. ‘Because I want to take you in my arms and kiss you and every one of those damn freckles. Because I want to see your eyes go black with desire when I make love to you. Because I want to hear you beg me to take you. And I want to hear you cry out in pleasure when I do.’
As if he couldn’t help himself, he reached for her and she jerked back against the wall. Instantly his arms fell to his sides. She heard the rasp of his breath, saw the sudden flattening of his mouth.
‘I’m s-sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I didn’t mean to make you angry. You startled me.’
Silence hung darkly between them.
‘I’m not angry,’ he said at last. ‘Well, yes, I am. But with myself for frightening you. The truth is, Selina, that I want you. I wanted you the minute I laid eyes on you. Or, to be accurate, the minute I felt you in my arms.
‘Think about it,’ he went on. ‘Even if you are not dismissed, there is still Faringdon. He may leave you alone while I am here, but what do you think will happen when I leave? At least if you come with me you will be treated well, you will have clothes, jewels and money. A house to live in. After we part you will have a generous sum of money settled on you.’
Any single element of what he offered would be a great deal more than she had now. It would have been tempting…if she had wanted any of it. It was what he didn’t mention that tempted her—that briefly there would be someone who cared a little. Someone who would treat her tenderly. Someone she could care for. After we part …Inevitably there would be a parting. Even now her heart ached in the expectation of pain. Would it be worse to have the joy and lose it, or never have it at all?
He said he wanted to make love to her. Godfrey had told her what he wanted of her in explicitly crude detail that left her shuddering. The word love hadn’t entered into it. Max’s hot words left a burning ache in her breasts, a shimmering glow throughout her entire body that she knew would burst into flame if he so much as touched her. That was why she had jerked back. Max held a far more dangerous power over her than Godfrey Faringdon because she wanted him, despite her mind screaming that she was insane even considering such a step, that she would be ruined, lost forever, should she take it.
It was far too dangerous to accept. If he ever found out who she was…She did not think she could bear the disgust and horror in his eyes. For the drudge, Selina, to accept his offer was unexceptionable. For Miss Verity Scott to become his mistress…She could protect herself against the Faringdons’ scorn. She didn’t love them, never had, but Max…he would hate her if he ever discovered the truth.
‘Selina?’ The very softness of his voice caressed her. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. But believe me, whatwe could have together would be very different from what Faringdon has forced on you.’
She believed him, and did not bother to correct his assumption that Godfrey had already stripped her of her innocence. In a way he had. As had all the Faringdons. She had very few illusions left as to how the world viewed a girl in her situation. A drudge. A source of unpaid labour and a convenient victim for bullying. He had offered her escape. Not love.
She had to refuse him. But her whole being cried out in protest at being denied the tenderness he offered. Surely she could have just one last, tiny taste of heaven, one small joy to cherish in the
But Max— Lord Blakehurst —was not of that ilk. She had not the least idea why a man with a reputation for taking beautiful women as his mistresses would want her.
‘Because I desire you of course.’ The sudden huskiness in his voice shocked her. ‘Because I want to take you in my arms and kiss you and every one of those damn freckles. Because I want to see your eyes go black with desire when I make love to you. Because I want to hear you beg me to take you. And I want to hear you cry out in pleasure when I do.’
As if he couldn’t help himself, he reached for her and she jerked back against the wall. Instantly his arms fell to his sides. She heard the rasp of his breath, saw the sudden flattening of his mouth.
‘I’m s-sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I didn’t mean to make you angry. You startled me.’
Silence hung darkly between them.
‘I’m not angry,’ he said at last. ‘Well, yes, I am. But with myself for frightening you. The truth is, Selina, that I want you. I wanted you the minute I laid eyes on you. Or, to be accurate, the minute I felt you in my arms.
‘Think about it,’ he went on. ‘Even if you are not dismissed, there is still Faringdon. He may leave you alone while I am here, but what do you think will happen when I leave? At least if you come with me you will be treated well, you will have clothes, jewels and money. A house to live in. After we part you will have a generous sum of money settled on you.’
Any single element of what he offered would be a great deal more than she had now. It would have been tempting…if she had wanted any of it. It was what he didn’t mention that tempted her—that briefly there would be someone who cared a little. Someone who would treat her tenderly. Someone she could care for. After we part …Inevitably there would be a parting. Even now her heart ached in the expectation of pain. Would it be worse to have the joy and lose it, or never have it at all?
He said he wanted to make love to her. Godfrey had told her what he wanted of her in explicitly crude detail that left her shuddering. The word love hadn’t entered into it. Max’s hot words left a burning ache in her breasts, a shimmering glow throughout her entire body that she knew would burst into flame if he so much as touched her. That was why she had jerked back. Max held a far more dangerous power over her than Godfrey Faringdon because she wanted him, despite her mind screaming that she was insane even considering such a step, that she would be ruined, lost forever, should she take it.
It was far too dangerous to accept. If he ever found out who she was…She did not think she could bear the disgust and horror in his eyes. For the drudge, Selina, to accept his offer was unexceptionable. For Miss Verity Scott to become his mistress…She could protect herself against the Faringdons’ scorn. She didn’t love them, never had, but Max…he would hate her if he ever discovered the truth.
‘Selina?’ The very softness of his voice caressed her. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. But believe me, whatwe could have together would be very different from what Faringdon has forced on you.’
She believed him, and did not bother to correct his assumption that Godfrey had already stripped her of her innocence. In a way he had. As had all the Faringdons. She had very few illusions left as to how the world viewed a girl in her situation. A drudge. A source of unpaid labour and a convenient victim for bullying. He had offered her escape. Not love.
She had to refuse him. But her whole being cried out in protest at being denied the tenderness he offered. Surely she could have just one last, tiny taste of heaven, one small joy to cherish in the
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