Page 50 of Dukes Are Forever
"Giulia goes to bed and reads, and I slip out her back window where no one can see me."
The floor dropped out from under her. "You let the world believe you were having an affair with an Italiansoprano?"
"Is it the world that has you so bothered, or is it you?"
"You letmebelieve you were having an affair with an opera singer."
Just to be clear on the matter.
"I didn't let you believe anything. You reached that conclusion yourself. It was convenient for me to have a reason to disappear at times. Mrs. Danner played into that illusion. I paid her quite handsomely to be discreet and to make reference to me, and in return I got to slip quietly about London when people think I am elsewhere."
Adele's mouth fell open. She had been played. And right on the heels of that realization came other conclusions. The photograph with Devoncourt. The begetting of an heir. The sudden interest her husband took in her.
It left her breathless.
If he'd wanted an heir, he would have bedded her. But no, he'd been amusing himself with her. Whispering promises of seduction... and fulfilling none of them.
There were too many doubts suddenly rearranging themselves into suspicions in her head.
"You didn't want a child from me, did you?"
Barely a flicker crossed his face, but she had the sudden feeling he was cautious. "I'm a duke. I require an heir."
"You didn't want an heir, did you?" Adele stabbed a finger toward him. "That was an excuse. This whole game was a joke to you. Seduce me? Ha. Something about Devoncourt set you off. Who is he? What is he to you?"
It had to be Devoncourt that had roused her husband's interest. All this had occurred in the wake of that damning photograph.
Malloryn's gaze grew narrow again. "Devoncourt works for my enemy—"
Adele barely heard him. "Oh, my goodness." She pressed her fingers to her temples. "Oh, my goodness." None of it had been true. "I cannot believe I actually thought you suddenly interested in me, after so many months of indifference. I'm an idiot."
"You're not an idiot," he replied carefully. "You're quite an intelligent young woman. I've always known that—"
"Iaman idiot," she declared. "I actually thought...."
That you wanted a child with me.
Her heart threatened to punch its way through her ribs. The image of the baby she'd begun daydreaming about, the one with little Alex's face, was suddenly ripped to shreds. And it hurt. It hurt so badly she thought she was almost going to cry. And worse, she'd actually begun to soften toward her husband. He'd kissed her as if she were made of spun sugar. He'd charmed his way into her bed with one flicker of his perfectly arched brow.
He could have bedded her if he'd desired. She would have let him.
She'd wanted him to do it.
Allof it was a lie.
A means to test her allegiance. A way to twist her around his little finger while he worked out her loyalty. She felt like she wanted to throw up.
Or throw something.
"Adele?" A silky smooth whisper.
Don't you dare call me that. Adele slammed her walls up, protecting her poor, battered heart.
"Say something."
She wanted to sayeverything. But the sudden seething rage inside her choked off the words, leaving her shaking with fury.
"I came here expecting you to throw something at me."
