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Elizabeth frowned. “I…I don’t know.” Her father-in-law might not like or approve of her, but since his arrival a week ago, he had kept note of all her comings and goings to and from the house. “The only time I am allowed out alone is when I take Christopher to the beach in the afternoons.” She winced as she realized that would not do at all for the things Sterling was suggesting they do together.
And perhaps she was being a littletooimpetuous in agreeing so readily to being a part of such intimacies with a gentleman she had only met for the first time that morning.
Perhaps?
There was noperhapsabout it!
Was she so starved for affection, for the warmth of another’s arms about her, to feeldesired,that she was allowing herself to be seduced by the first presentable gentleman to show her the least kindness or want?
Sterling wasn’t justanygentleman. He was the haughty and toplofty gentleman known as the Duke of Bristol!
Dear God, for all she knew, the duke could be tempting her at the behest of her father-in-law, to trick her into revealing how deeply she enjoyed physical pleasure so that Whitlow might later use that to take Christopher away from her—
No, Elizabeth could not and would not believe that. Not just because Sterling disliked Whitlow intensely, but because he was also too arrogant a gentleman to act under any man’s instruction but his own.
Even so, and despite the inner conviction telling her shedidknow this man, that she had always known him, Elizabeth also knew she would be foolish to put too much store in whatever this was between the two of them.
She was a widow still in mourning—just.
Bristol, along with the other Ruthless Dukes, made no secret of his aversion toward the married state.
Their stations in life were so far apart as to be farcical.
All of which meant Bristol’s intentions toward her were not serious, and the most there could ever be between them would be an illicit affair.
An affair that, if her father-in-law were to learn of it, would enable Whitlow to declare her an unfit mother to Christopher, before he threw her out of his home and took complete control of his grandson.
She refused to provide Whitlow with any ammunition he might use against her to enable him to do that.
Sterling had no idea what Elizabeth was thinking, but he was certain they were not happy thoughts as he watched the light of desire fade from her eyes, to be replaced by trepidation and then suspicion.
The latter he disliked intensely. “I will not allow any harm to come to you—” He broke off when she gave a skeptical snort. “You doubt my word?”
The skepticism remained in her expression as she pulled out of his arms and stepped away from him. “I would doubt the word of any man who promised such things when we have known each other for only a matter of hours.”
Strange, it now seemed to Sterling as if he had always known Elizabeth. That she was, in fact, an integral part of him he hadn’t known was missing for all these years.
But he could see by the coolness in her expression and the wariness in her violet gaze that she didn’t feel that same innate connection to him.
Or, even if she did, she refused to acknowledge it. Which was just as bad as her not knowing of it. Worse, perhaps, becauseit meant she was making a conscious decision to ignore their connection.
Sterling straightened. “I will be staying at Bristol Manor for some days yet.”
She nodded abruptly. “No doubt my father-in-law will wish to invite you to dinner before you leave.”
“I do not have to accept, if you would rather I did not.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, please do not refuse. If you do, he will know you did so because of me.”
Sterling frowned. “Because of you?”
She nodded. “Because I have done something so unacceptable this evening, it has caused you to want to avoid my company in future.”
“That is nonsense,” he dismissed impatiently.
“I only wish it were.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, my father-in-law takes great delight in blaming me for everything in his life which does not go as he wishes it to. I am inclined to think that at the moment that will include the continuation of his acquaintance with you.”
“An acquaintance which exists onlybecauseof you,” Sterling assured. “I have always avoided Whitlow’s company in the past.”
