Wicked Temptation (Regency Sinners 6)(35)
“Not when I am the one who seduced you!”
“Prudence!” The earl was obviously shocked by his daughter’s admission. “This is your mother’s doing,” he continued agitatedly. “I warned her of the repercussions of talking to you girls so frankly regarding— Well, regarding the delicate matters.” He was clearly less comfortable discussing those subjects than his wife. “I shall have words with Cynthia on the matter at the earliest opportunity—”
“Will you, darling?” An unconcerned countess strolled into the study to link her arm with her husband’s. “Perhaps we should go upstairs and discuss it right now and leave these young people to decide whether or not they wish to marry each other.”
“Prudence has admitted she seduced the fellow—”
“Then it is for Prudence and Romney to decide whether or not that merits the two of them entering into marriage together.” She guided her slightly dazed husband toward the open doorway. “We shall talk in my bedchamber, Bryan, and revisit the subject of how twenty-five years ago, I seduced you into marriage,” she added enticingly as the older couple left the room.
Enlightening Titus as to exactly where Pru had got her seductive and managing nature.
Not that there was much of the seductress about Pru right now. Her hair was disheveled, she was still wearing the crumpled blue gown from earlier, and her cheeks were flushed. Whether from temper or embarrassment, Titus was unsure, although knowing Pru, it was probably the former.
Titus had been too stunned by Pru’s abrupt departure from Romney House earlier to prevent her from leaving. Once he realized she had truly gone, it had taken him only a few minutes to decide what he should do next.
He had tried protecting Pru by keeping his distance. Something she refused to allow by visiting him at his home.
Which left him one other alternative.
Writing and having a letter delivered to her father, requesting an urgent need to speak with the older man, had resulted in the earl sending word straight back that he was available this afternoon.
Their conversation had been progressing nicely before Pru burst into the room. “Why did I not realize long ago what a hoyden you are?” he muttered.
“Because until this summer, you did not spare me so much as a second glance, and you did so then only because you are investigating a traitor to England,” she dismissed impatiently.
“Then that was my loss.”
She shook her head. “I am not going to marry you, Titus.”
His lips thinned. “I believe you will find you are.”
“No.” She gave a definitive shake of her head. “I acknowledge you believe you are doing the honorable thing in offering marriage, but I shall not marry you.”
He ran a hand through the dark thickness of his hair. “You might even now be carrying my child.”
“And if I am not, you will have married me for nothing.”
For nothing? Titus did not think of his obsession with this woman as being nothing. Indeed, it consumed his every waking hour and filled his dreams with such vivid images of her that they had caused him to wake these past four nights, despite having pleasured himself before falling asleep, covered in his own cum. Their lovemaking earlier today had surpassed every one of those dreams and imaginings. Pru was a siren, and he had no will or desire left to resist her call.
“There is no need for us to rush into a marriage,” she continued in her determined manner. “And if it does transpire I am with child, then we will discuss the matter again then.”
Titus did not wish to discuss the matter again, at a later date or otherwise. He had known the minute Pru left Romney House earlier that he wanted her back again. As his wife and mistress of the house. If Pru chose to think he was making this offer of marriage because of their lovemaking earlier today, then she had it the wrong way about completely. Titus was determined to marry her and make her his, and he was using their lovemaking as a means of achieving that objective.
Something Pru was refusing absolutely.
Because she did not feel the same need to be with him as he did her?
Maybe he should have waited before calling upon her father. Given Pru time to calm down from whatever had been troubling her earlier that caused her to leave him so abruptly, before broaching the subject with her of the two of them marrying? Unfortunately, patience had never been one of his virtues.
He had thought only of protecting Pru four days ago by leaving Germaine House and remaining apart from her, but after so many days of not seeing and being with her, he was tired of their separation and the misunderstandings which had arisen because of it. If Pru was his wife, he could keep her safe. Safer than she was here at Germaine House or gadding about the city unaccompanied as she had done before and again today.
His lids narrowed. “Where have you been since you left Romney House?” If Pru had been in the house, either when his letter to her father was delivered or when Titus arrived half an hour or so ago, then he had no doubt he would have seen her before this.
“It is unimportant where I have been,” Pru dismissed.
“Not to me.” Titus stepped close enough to be able to discern her seductive womanly perfume and the underlying aroma of his earlier release. Proof positive that she had not returned to Germaine House until a few minutes ago; otherwise, she would have bathed by now. “Where did you go, Pru?”