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The Marquess of Grayson grinned up at her, his shiny brown hair disheveled and his deep blue eyes red-riaped open, revealing a golden throat and a few strands of dark chest hair He appeared to be lacking a waistcoat as well, and she could not help but smile back at him Gray reminded her so o Those had been happy times, short-lived as they were
"O Ro a seat on thebench "Wherefore art thou--"
"Oh, please, Pel," he groaned, cutting her off with that deep laugh of his "Let me in, will you? It’s cold out here"
"Gray" She shook her head "If I open my door to you, this incident will be all over London by supper time Go away, before you are seen"
He crossed his ar to contain his brawny ar, his face as yet unlined Still a boy in so e when he’d swept her off her seventeen-year-old feet
"I a, Isabel So you may as well invite me in, before I make a spectacle of myself"
She could tell by the stubborn set of his jaw that he was serious Well, as serious as a man such as him could be
"Go to the front, then," she relented "Someone will be awake to admit you"
Isabel rose fro robe She left her bedroom and walked into her boudoir, where she opened the curtains to let in the now pale pink light The room was her favorite, decorated in soft shades of ivory and burnished gold, with gilt-edged chairs and chaise, and tasseled drapes But the soothing color scheme was not what most moved her That distinction went to the only spot of obtrusive color in the space--the large portrait of Pelharaced the far wall
Every day she gazed upon that likeness, and allowed her heartbreak and loathing to rise to the surface The earl was impervious, of course, his seductively etched e How she had loved hiirl could Pelha to her, until she had sat at Lady Warren’sher husband’s carnal prowess
Her jaw clenched at theto the fore Nearly five years had passed since Pelham met his reward in a duel over a para of betrayal and hu came to the door Isabel called out and the portal opened, revealing the frowning countenance of her hastily dressed butler
"My lady, the Marquess of Grayson requests a moment of your time" He cleared his throat "From the service door"
Isabel bit back a se she pictured of Grayson standing haughty and arrogant, as only he could be, while semi-dressed and at the delivery entrance "I aray eyebroas the only indication of surprise
While the servant went to fetch Gray, she went around the room and lit the tapers Lord, she eary She hoped he would be quick about whatever was so urgent Thinking of their earlier odd conversation, she wondered if he ht not need some help He could be a bit touched in the head
Certainly they had been unfailingly friendly with one another, and beyond mere acquaintances, but neverith men After all, she liked them quite well But there had been a respectful distance between her and Lord Grayson, because of her ongoing affair with Markhao, when the handsome viscount had asked her to marry him for the third time
In any case, despite Gray’s ability to arrest her brain processes for a moment with his uncommon beauty, she had no further interest in hiain--a man too selfish and self-centered to set aside his own needs for another’s
The door flew open behind her, startling her, and she spun about, only to be ht her around the waist and spun her about, laughing that rich laugh of his A laugh that said he’d never once had a care in the world
"Gray!" she protested, pushing at his shoulders "Put ht "I’ve had the most wondrous news told todizzy fro
"You are the only person alive I could think of who ht be happy for ratulate me"
"I will, if you put me down"
The
She laughed at his iratulations, my lord May I have the name of the fortunate woman who is to become your bride?"
Much of the joy in his blue eyes faded, but his char smile re up at hiestured to a nearby chair, and then sat herself
"You really are quite lovely with sex-mussed hair," Gray mused "I can see why your lovers would ht"
"Lord Grayson!" Isabel ran a hand over the tangles in her long tresses The present fashion was close-cropped curls, but she preferred a longer length, as did her paramours "Please, I must hasten you to explain the purpose of your visit It has been a long night and I aht for est you sleep on this wild idea of yours? Rested, I think you s differently"
"I will not," he said stubbornly, twisting to drape one arm over the back of the chair, a pose that was sultry in its sheer artlessness "I’ve thought it through There are so many reasons ould be perfect for one another"
She snorted "Gray, you have no notion of horong you are"
"Hear me out, Pel I need a wife"
"I do not need a husband"
"Are you certain about that?" he asked, arching a brow at her "I think you do"
Isabel crossed her arms, and settled into the back of the chaise Whether he was insane or not, he was interesting "Oh?"
"Think on it I know you grow rather fond of your paramours, but you have to dismiss them eventually, and not due to boredom You are not that type of woman No, you have to release them because they fall in love with you, and then want more You refuse to take married men to your bed, so all of your lovers are free and they all wish to marry you" He paused "But if you were alreadyin the air