Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager - By Sarah Mallory Page 0,92

a concert at the Lower Rooms.’

Ignoring him, Susannah confronted Jasper.

‘Get out of my house. Immediately!’

‘Not until we have had this out. You have hurled every insult at me and I think you owe me the opportunity to reply!’

‘There is a note for you, madam,’ Gatley went on. ‘The maid found it beneath the hall table when she was cleaning this morning. I have put it on the mantelshelf in the morning room.’

She paid no heed to him but continued to glare at Jasper. It was like confronting a wild animal. If she took her eyes off him he would pounce.

‘Well?’ His own eyes narrowed, anger darkening them to slate-grey.

‘I have nothing to say to you,’ she threw at him.

‘But I have plenty to say to you.’ With a growl he caught her wrist and dragged her towards the nearest doorway.

Gatley dithered beside them.

‘Madam—’

The viscount turned upon him, saying imperiously, ‘We are not to be disturbed!’

He dragged Susannah into the morning room, closed the door and turned the key in the lock.

Chapter Seventeen

‘No, do not shut the door on us, Gatley,’ Mrs Logan called out to the butler as she trod up the steps to the house. ‘Mrs Coale and I have come to see if Miss Prentess has returned yet.’

He held the door wide to admit them and as Zelah followed Kate into the hall she cast another glance at the butler. He was definitely looking a little flustered.

‘Miss Prentess has come in, madam. She is in the morning room. With Lord Markham.’ He stood before them and if he had not been a most stately personage, Zelah would have sworn he was hopping from one foot to the other. He continued, as if the words were wrenched from him, ‘They have locked the door.’

Kate’s eyes widened and the look she cast at Zelah was positively triumphant.

‘Well, this is a most interesting development,’ she murmured.

Gatley cleared his throat. ‘I was wondering if I should call Lucas...’

‘No, no, if you will be advised by me you will leave well alone,’ said Zelah.

‘I agree,’ said Kate. ‘We will come back another time, will we not, Mrs Coale?’

Zelah was having difficulty concealing her smile.

‘We will indeed,’ she managed. They stepped out of the door and she paused as a final thought occurred to her. ‘And, Gatley, I suggest you fetch up a bottle or two of your finest claret. For a celebration.’

A rare gleam entered in the butler’s eye and a smile broke over his usually austere features.

‘I will indeed, madam!’

* * *

Susannah tore herself free, saying furiously, ‘You cannot give my staff orders!’

He stripped off his gloves and threw them on a side table.

‘You could have told him to throw me out.’

‘I should not need to. It should be perfectly clear to him that you are unwelcome in this house.’

The angry light faded and he grinned.

‘I doubt if your butler has ever been called upon to eject a peer before.’

She bit her lip, fighting back an answering smile. He was standing in front of the door so she could not escape, but she was not prepared to forgive him so easily.

‘Very well, my lord, say what you have to and be gone.’ Rather than look at him she removed her bonnet and cloak and set them carefully over a chair.

‘When I heard you had left town with Warwick I thought you were running away from me again.’

‘I never run away,’ she told him haughtily, then spoiled the effect by adding, ‘but it would be understandable if I should do so, after the way you have treated me. You tried to seduce me. You used me shamelessly.’

‘I did,’ he agreed. ‘And you gave me my own again for that, did you not, madam? Leaving me tied to the bedpost.’

She grew hot at the memory. Her cheeks burned.

‘I am not proud of my actions that night.’

‘You should be.’ He paused. ‘You are a woman to be reckoned with, Miss Prentess.’

Embarrassed by his praise she turned away.

‘Nonsense. I did what was necessary to protect myself.’ As she was doing now, closing her mind to the attraction she felt for him. After all, he would soon be gone and she would be alone again. She had a vision of the bleak, cold years stretching ahead of her and felt the sudden sting of tears.

Susannah rubbed her eyes. She felt incredibly despondent. If Jasper did not leave soon she knew she would begin to cry. She summoned up every ounce of energy to say angrily,