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The striking woious whiskers and a curiously two-toned beard, dark gray on the cheeks and jaw and white on the chin His posture was ht, as if his back had been tied to a cart axle The woman touched his arm and murmured to him, but he seee as if he atching some invisible play

Pandora felt an unpleasant shock as the brunette woaze met hers directly No one had ever stared at her with such cold hatred before She couldn’t think of anyone ould have a reason to look at her that way, except

"I think I ht knoho she is," she whispered

Before Helen could respond, Gabriel came to occupy the empty seat next to Pandora He turned so that his shoulder partially blocked her from the woman’s lethal stare "That is Mrs Black and her husband, the American ambassador," he said quietly, his features hard "I had no idea they would be here"

Co that it was a private matter, Helen hastily turned away to talk with her husband

"Of course you didn’t," Pandorain Gabriel’s clenched jaw Her husband, always so cal his teht there in the Royal Theatre

"Would you like to leave?" he asked grimly

"Not at all, I want to see the play" Pandora would have rather died before giving his for her leave the theater She peeked around Gabriel’s shoulder and saw that Mrs Black was still glaring at her as if she’d been wronged For heaven’s sake, the wo beside her Why didn’t he tell her to stopa public display? The minor drama had now started to attract the attention of others ere seated in the dress circle, as well as sohtmare to Gabriel, whose every accomplishment and mistake had been scrutinized for his entire life He had always been careful to protect his privacy and maintain an invulnerable façade But apparently Mrs Black was determined to make it clear to most of London societyand his wifethat they had been lovers Knohat a source of shame it was for Gabriel to have slept with another man’s wifeand to have it made public in this fashionPandora’s heart ached for hilare until her eyeballs fall out, and it won’t bother o to her tomorrow, and tell her--"

"No, youbetter than for you to visit her But I forbid it"

There was a dangerous cold flicker in Gabriel’s eyes "You forbid?"

It was quite possible no one had ever said such a thing to him before He certainly didn’t seeloved hand, gently stroking his cheek She knew that demonstrations of affection in public, even between husband and wife, were highly inappropriate, but at thehi his gaze "All mine, and I won’t share you She’s not allowed to have even five minutes of your time"

To her relief, Gabriel took a slow breath and see her hand as she began to lower it "No other woman has claim on me" He held it in midair and deliberately unfastened the three pearl buttons at the wrist of her elbow-length kid glove Pandora gave hi steadily into her eyes, Gabriel tugged at the fingertips of the glove, one by one Her breath caught as she felt the glove loosen

"What are you doing?" she whispered

Gabriel didn’t reply, only pulled the glove slowly until it slid away from her arm Hectic color spread over every inch of Pandora’s skin The sensuous way he’d reazes, sent a wash of hectic color over every inch of her skin

Lifting her bare hand, Gabriel turned it over and pressed hisa kiss into the vulnerable cup of her palasps and esture of ownership, of intimacy, intended not only to demonstrate his passion for his new bride, but also to rebuke his former mistress By to with the gossip that Lord St Vincent had been seen openly fondling his wife at the Haymarket, in view of his former mistress

Pandora didn’t want to be used to hurt anyone, not even Mrs Black However, as Gabriel gave her a warning glance, daring her to protest, she kept her mouth shut and decided to take issue with hihts were soon lowered, and the play began It was a testament to the quality of the production and the skill of the actors that Pandora was able to relax and laugh at the quicksilver dialogue However, she are that Gabriel was enduring the co it

At intermission, while Gabriel and Winterborne met with acquaintances in the hallway just outside the box, Pandora and Helen talked privately

"Dear," Helen loved hand with hers, "I can say from personal experience that it’s not pleasant to learn about the women a husband may have known in his past But very fewI hope you won’t--"