Page 37 of Sir Durham’s Disarming Asset

“C’est incroyable.” Viv clapped her hands.

Zeph’s friends had an idea of this value. She knew this sum too was larger than its invested amounts, but the value mystified her. “Meaning that you loaned money to countries who paid the interest rates you asked.”

“And that you inherit from these three sources,” said Mr. Friedlander with a grin, “more money than many very titled Englishmen earn from their landed estates in ten years.”

She shot to her feet. She could not wait to leave here!

“I imagine, Miss Butler,” Friedlander said as he too rose with all the ladies, “you wish to leave your monies here?”

“I do. I definitely do, sir.” She was not changing anything until she decided what to do with it all.

“Good. Good. I am so very happy for you.”

She clasped her hands together. “I will return. I need pin money. I need presents for my friends from Fortnum’s and ever so much more!” She held back tears of happiness and giggled.

Amber, Liesel, and Viv readied to leave.

Friedlander walked Zeph to his door as the others preceded her. “It is fortuitous that you have come to us now.”

She stilled. “Why is that?”

“We recently had another inquiry into the matter of your father’s will. I asked the lady for some kind of proof she was who he claimed to be. When we posed the first question, she knew the answer, but then told us she was born on your Tidewater plantation. When I looked skeptical, she suddenly became quite ill and had to leave. To date, she has not reappeared to offer us any proof.”

*

The knock at his study door was unmistakably Zeph’s.

Rafe grinned as she appeared before him. Brimming with a shivering excitement, she folded her hands before her. He was sure the pose was an attempt to contain herself. But the rest of her, proud and effervescent—and yes, her breasts quivering above that damn deliciously low bodice—was a gorgeous woman ready to blurt out good news. She was going to tell him, and do it while her eyes danced and his heart exploded.

He went to her and took her hands to his lips. “Where is my gift?”

“Gift?” she crooned. “Oh, my dear sir, I have a very, very good one.”

The contralto of her rough voice shot hot desire through him. Whatever she had for him today, or any day, she did not offer the union he needed. He had to sit lest she see exactly what that was. “Take the chair. Tell me. What is this that has you glowing?”

As they sat, she told him, “I went to Inès’s house.”

Of course you did. So this news was so big he would have to pull it out of her. Very well. He could play. “Is she well?”

“In labor. All of a sudden, as we were there! She is soon to birth her first child.”

He could not help himself. He reached over, stroked her face with his fingertips, and cupped her cheek. “How exciting. And?”

She closed her eyes a moment, and in her bliss—for there was no other word adequate to describe her dreamy elation—she rubbed her cheek on his palm and dropped a slow, wet kiss there.

Harshly, he tutored himself to remove his hand and do it slowly. He wanted her lips on him. Everywhere that starved for her taste. He let his hand drop.

“Oh, Rafe.” She threw back her head, and suddenly, she was in his lap. Just as she had nestled there once before ages ago, months ago when they engaged only in sweet friendship.

More the idiot, entranced though he was, he did not stop her. His body rose to the occasion, but his mind fought all his manly urges. She flung her arms around him and kissed him. Once, twice, three times in big, smacking expressions of delight. All of which were accompanied by the press of her breasts, so close, and the wiggle of her bottom, so deftly to his groin, that he could have said she thrust herself inside him. Which, of course, was precisely where he wanted to be, but no.

No.

He pushed back, her still securely in his hold. “Tell me!”

She licked her lips. “I am rich.”

“How?”