Page 10 of His Scandalous Lessons
“Rule four is by your permission,” he murmured. “I can’t conduct lessons in seduction without touching you. Will you let me?”
His bare palm pressed against hers, warm and light and gentle. She had never been asked for consent before intimacies. Consent, warm regard…these were not things that Anne had been taught and she feared her lack of knowledge in this area. It left her too open, too vulnerable.
Anne swallowed. “What if I don’t like it? You touching me.”
Without hesitation, Mr. Grey removed his hand from hers. “Then I stop.”
Anne was afraid to look at him now. Afraid of her next question. “What if I don’t want you to stop?”
Now he reached for her again, lightly grazing his fingertips along her jawline. “Then I continue.” Fingertips down her throat, so slowly. “Perhaps that ought to be our rule four: Consent can be withdrawn at any time.”
She caught his wrist, torn between wanting him to continue, not wanting him to. She didn't understanding these feelings that stirred in her gut and…lower. A heat she had never felt before. It was too much. She did not like it.
Distractedly, she looked down at his hands and hers and noticed that his knuckles were bruised and flecked with dried blood. “Have you hit someone, Mr. Grey? Several times, from the look of things.”
“No one who didn’t want to be hit.” At her confused expression, he offered a smile. “My brother and I are in the same boxing club. He was in a mood to punish himself.”
Anne didn’t understand what made men want to pummel anyone, let alone for amusement. “Over what?”
Mr. Grey shrugged. “A woman.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Can’t say I do, either.” His fingers found her own knuckles. “Smooth. Unscarred. Never dealt violence.”
No. That had only been received, never dealt. She did not like violent men. But she did not come to Mr. Grey for his morals, but rather his lack of them. What he did to his own sibling did not concern her so long as he never treated her the same during their lessons. This she would not tolerate from any man.
No longer.
“Rule five,” she said, gently pushing his hand away. “You will be honest with me about my suitors. I do not wish...” At his frown, she cleared her throat. “I do not wish for a younger version of my fiancé. To trade one prison cell for another.”
“I can’t attest to how they treat women privately, but I’ll do my best to advise you. I’m sure Caro will too.”
Anne drew back slightly. He must know the duchess well to be on such familiar terms with her. She trailed a finger along the wooden edge of the window as the train barreled across the meadows and farm fields.
“Caro? Is the Duchess of Hastings your lover, then?” Anne asked this quietly, with great hesitance. She was not usually so vocal, so forward. Yet with him…well, he had touched her, hadn’t he? They were in this partnership. He had promised honesty.
But at his silence, Anne pressed her hands together. “I’m sorry, I should not ask such things. I merely wondered how you managed to persuade her to do this. She does understand the reason for my coming, yes?”
“She does.” He sounded amused. “And no, Caro and I aren’t lovers. We’re friends. The rest is not my secret to tell.”
“I see.” She didn’t, not really. But it didn’t matter; he was hers for only a short period of time. “Rule six,” she said. “Last rule.”
Mr. Grey spread his hands. “I’m listening.”
“At the end of this fortnight, we will again be strangers to each other. No one is to know about—”
“I assure you,” Mr. Grey interjected, “I know how to maintain discretion.”
Unable to stop herself, Anne leaned forward. “Let me finish. What I mean is that you will not use this against my father. I know how men in politics work, Mr. Grey. The ruthless games they play. I will give you enough information to destroy my father, but you will not use me, do you understand?”
“Yes.”
She sat back. “Good. Then I believe we’ll have an equitable arrangement ahead of us.”
Chapter 6
Richard began their lessons during dinner that night, at Anne’s insistence.If we have a mere seven days before Her Grace’s other guests arrive, then we must begin straightaway,she said.I haven’t the time for resting.
