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“I’m not I want to kill the bastard as much as you do However, wetoo soon He knows she is here, I a We will let’s let hi with ruthless intent

“I’ll go and check on her,” Do to his feet “I don’t want her alone”

Minutes later he entered the lady’s drawing roo the door behind him with a click, he paused and studied the roo fire, her head in her hands on the arm of the seat, apparently asleep On the table beside her lay another untouched tray of tea and pastries

She must have fallen asleep as soon as she sat down, Dominic ainst the afternoon wintry chill He crept quietly toward the chaise and knelt beside her She was so beautiful How in the hell could anybody hurt her? Unable to keep his hands off her any longer, he trailed a fingertip down the side of her cheek

Isobel slowly beca her eyes open, she was unsurprised to find herself inches away froly Isobel was sure he was going to ask her more questions about Rupert

“I want you asdown to curve around her lips “Say yes”

“You don’t need to make the sacrifice for me, Dominic,” Isobel reasoned “I know I have behaved wantonly; more of a harlot, than a lady” She could sense his hesitation, and pushed herself upright until she was sitting on the side of the chaise She didn’t add that she wanted, needed, to hear him declare so, and tender, while she had been recovering His generosity towards her had been boundless Yet, a part of her desperately needed to hear the true depth of his feelings Preferably, before she entered into a lifetime commitment to him

Isobel looked at him steadily “I would make you a most unconventional wife, Dominic” She chided softly, unable to coument with him so close, yet unable to tell him what she really wanted She wasn’t sure she would like the outcome if he said he didn’t love her

“You of all irls would be horrified at thethe house unchaperoned, ht” She turned towards hi here, for six weeks, in your bedroom”

“I alad you did,” Dominic declared with a smile

“Are you? Would your fa that Doht thing’ by her, whether he really wanted her as his wife or not

“My family will adore you, of that I a for excuses Isobel noted he said nothing about adoring her himself

“Maybe so, but you cannot ignore what has happened to me The circumstances I have experienced that will certainly banish me from the Ton should it ever becorace and embarrassment to anyone associated with me Even if you discount what I have done, there is the loo scandal upon the few re to stand on tres

“Did you really have to go on a secret ing the subject The thought of tarnishing Doood na sorry for her any more than he already did

She knew instinctively that he was about to push her further about the suitability of their th to deny him if he really pushed her With her entire future happiness at stake, entering intoshe wanted, needed, to do secure in the kno