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Ian reached for the curl again as though he couldn’t stop himself "Because I want to bed you"

Beth knew in that instant that she was not a true lady, and never would be A true lady would have fallen out of her chair in a gentle swoon or screamed down the opera house Instead, Beth leaned into Ian’s touch, liking it "Do you?" His hand loosenedthe maid’s work useless "You were a vicar’s wife, respectable, the sort to be married Otherwise, I would offer a liaison" Beth resisted rubbing her face against his glove "Have I got this right? You want me to come to your bed, but because I was once a respectable et h "My dear Lord Ian, don’t you think that a bit extreme? Once you’d had me in your bed, you’d still be married to me"

"I planned to bed you ical when he said it His deep voice slid through her senses, te the passionate wo athat e bed, so she’d been told Thoht her what a woht her so well, she reflected, she’d not be sitting here boiling with need for Lord Ian Mackenzie

"You do realize, ed to another man? I have only your word that he is a philanderer" "I will give you time to make inquiries about Mather and put your affairs in order Would you prefer to live in London or my estate in Scotland?"

Beth wanted to lay her head back on her chair and laugh and laugh This was too absurd, and at the sa Ian was attractive; she was alone He was rich enough not to care about her little fortune, and he e of her But if she truly knew so little about Lyndon Mather, she knew nothing at all about Ian Mackenzie

"I’ about Sir Lyndon is one thing, but to warn e in the space of minutes another Do you always make up your mind so quickly?"

"Yes"

" ‘If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘tell it were done quickly’? That sort of thing?"

"You can refuse"

"I think I should"

"Because I’h "No, because it is too enticing, and because I’ve drunk whiskey, and I should return to Sir Lyndon and his aunt"

She rose, skirts rustling, but Lord Ian grasped her hand