Page 1 of The Mistress
THE MISTRESS
“Jocelyn, love, you’re looking particularly delectable tonight.”
When Reggie entered the private sitting room of the small townhome he’d purchased for me, I greeted him with a smile for his compliment, and my cheek to buss. My smile wasn’t false, for two reasons.
One, I had learned long ago that if I was going to present an emotion, it needed to be a real emotion. In my…let us saycareer, I couldn’t afford my emotions to ring false.
And two, I genuinely liked the Honorable Reginald Markland, second son of the Earl of Sandtrip. He was a sweet man, a talented lover, and a generous patron. At thirty-two, I had made careful investments for my eventual retirement, but I did hope I could grow old with Reggie.
“Hello, my love,” I purred, reaching up to cup the back of his head, so I could massage the stress from his scalp. “I have missed you.”
Themy lovepart wasn’t false either.
I’d been fortunate to be able to choose my patrons over the years—my upbringing and moderate-if-unremarkable looks had granted me that much, at least, when Society shunned me. I only made arrangements with men whose company I genuinely enjoyed, and while I felt affection for all of them, Reggie was the best.
Tonight, though…
His kiss was lacking something. Distracted, perhaps?
I was the one to pull away, to study him for a moment, before leading him to the settee and pulling him down beside me. “Reggie?” I murmured, urging him to rest his head against my chest as I played soothingly with his hair. “What is it?”
“Jocelyn, I…”
His warm brown eyes closed and he turned his face away from me. And dread began to pool in my stomach.
Still, I forced my caresses to remain soft, comforting. It is a mistress’s role to soothe her patron, after all. Reggie was married to a cold woman who’d borne him two daughters and a son, then retired to the country. I’d never met his family, of course, but I knew he doted on the children, judging from his stories. It was one of the reasons I adored him: his kind heart.
But he never had anything good to say about his wife, which is why I knew my position was secure.
At least…I thought it was.
He does not need your panic.
“How can I help?” I murmured, pretending that my heart wasn’t pounding a mile a minute. “CanI help?”
He snorted softly. “Yes, you can. You’re the only one who—” He cut off his mutterings as he pushed himself upright, to sit beside me—not touching—on the settee.
Oh dear. Now I was really beginning to worry.
I placed my hand on his knee. He was dressed for the club, which was common for him, and I was dressed in…well, not very much at all, truthfully. I kept two servants—an older, married couple who had become like family to me—and they knew to keep my rooms quite toasty, so I could lounge around in just a silk robe and stockings when Reggie was visiting.
He liked to see me wearing the jewels he’d purchased for me—said it made him feel proud that he could decorate such a beautiful woman. His praise made me smile, and I hoped he saw the diamonds glittering between the sapphires of the bracelet which rested against his knee.
Lord knows I had few other places to wear the jewels, and it pleased me to make him happy.
Something I was apparently failing at this evening.
My fingers tightened on his knee, and he dropped his hand to cover mine, his fingertips tracing my knuckles. “Joss, I…I think I have made a mistake.”
Oh God. Please do not say things are over between us!
I took a deep breath to fortify myself, then turned my hand over to twine my fingers through his. “What is it, darling? I am certain we can come up with a solution, between the two of us.”
His head tipped to the side so he could send me a small rueful smile. “I knew I could count on you, pet.”
That smile eased my worry a bit, and I squeezed his hand. “Tell me.”
“Tonight at the club…” His normally soft gaze turned guilty as he dropped his chin. “I made an ill-advised wager.”
