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“Yes, sir” Understanding his desire for privacy, the housekeeper left at once

“I won't stay—” Maddy began unhappily, and Logan silenced her with a long kiss

She resisted at first, her body stiff in his ar deter over hers until she shivered and sighed in surrender Only when he was assured of her response did he lift his head A touch of color had entered her cheeks, but she still wore the same stricken expression as before

“Maddy,” he said softly, his thu on?”

“I told you I was going to leave”

Logan stared at her for a long ti to sneak aithout a word to hened “Da her protests, he took her wrist in a hard grip and pulled her to the nearby parlor Closing the door behind the into the braids pinned at her nape “Maddy,” he said urgently, “it's never easy for a woentle with you last night—”

“No,” she said, her eyes glittering “You…you were very gentle”

“I'll ed her chin with his knuckle “Come upstairs with me, and I'll show you how enjoyable it can be I'll et any pain you felt—”

“Just let o,” she choked

“Not until you tell ”

Maddy twisted free of hi away to the door “I can't stand it when you look at me that hen I know that soon you'll hate me…almost as much as I hate myself”

Perplexed, Logan considered her words “Is it that you're asha my mistress?” It was the only explanation thaton her face, the ive herself to a e Filled with tenderness, he crossed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands “Sweet love, would it ease your conscience if ere married?”

Startled, she looked at him ide eyes “You would do that for me?”

Logan s fast He hated to put hie” sent a chill of apprehension down his spine—but he was no coward It had taken hih to find a woman he could love He wouldn't shrink froive you whatever you wanted”

An intensely bittersweet expression wrenched her features “I wish…” she began, and stopped as if her throat had closed

Before either of thenore it,” Loganstaccato persisted, and Mrs Beecham's voice drifted to them

“Mr Scott…”

Logan's head jerked up, and he looked at the closed door in disbelief The housekeeper knew better than to interrupt him at such a time “What is it?” he snapped

“There is a… situation”

“Unless the house is on fire, don't bother me with it now”

“Sir…” Mrs Beecham persisted uncomfortably

Logan let go of Maddy with a curse and went to the door, flinging it open “Is there so you'd like to tell me, Mrs Beecham?”

The housekeeper squared her shoulders and studiously avoided looking at Maddy “There is a gentle in the entrance hall”

“I have no appointments for today”

“Yes, sir, but he is in an extreitated condition”

“I don't care if he has an apoplectic fit on my doorstep Tell him to come back later”

Mrs Beecham looked strained “Mr Scott, the visitor identifies hi to find his hter It is his belief that you have her”

“That I…” Although Logan made no conscious movement, he must have turned to look at Madeline Her face was in his line of vision…she looked horrified…her lips silently formed the word “no”

The saain…another time that he had found happiness, only to have it crunificance the visitor ht be All he kneas that the look on Madeline's face forbode an awful discovery, her paleness suddenly covered with the flush of shaht desperately, let this be a mistake

He summoned all his abilities to make his face impassive, while underneath his emotions seethed Some rational part of his brain analyzed the situation If Maddy was the daughter of Lord Matthehoever the hell he was—then she had lied to hi left noas to find out just how deep her deception had gone, and for what reason

“Send hian said softly

As the events unfolded, it seean as if he were in some third-rate play He had been cast as the villain of the piece, while Maddy was the helpless ingenue…and Lord Matthews, the aggrieved father

Matthews caht see He wore the expression of a , only to discover that it was a house of ill repute He was a man in his early forties with an unremarkable face, too short in the chin and round on the sides, and dark hair that had receded far back on his head

For a ht of thethat he looked like no relation of Maddy's However, both father and daughter wore identical expressions of mute accusation and dread as they stared at each other There was no doubt of Maddy's identity

“Madeline, what have you done?” Matthews murmured