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intimidating presence, at times even frightened by those brilliant blue eyes that seemed to see everything. She never would have thought she could feel anything but unease while in his company. He was nothing at all like sweet, gentle Stefan, who had somehow understood the stark loneliness of her childhood and always made her feel welcome at Meadowland.

      She certainly hadn’t thought she’d feel this powerful awareness that made her heart jump and her stomach clench in pleasure.

      “Why did you not turn me over to him?” she demanded, needing the answer to the question that had haunted her since she had walked down the staircase and heard Edmond threaten to castrate her stepfather.

      There was the sound of approaching footsteps as he moved to stand directly at her back. A tingle of excitement trickled down her spine and, stifling a gasp, she turned to confront him.

      That, of course, only made matters worse. Her breath caught in her throat. He was so…beautiful. The elegant line of his masculine features, eyes the perfect blue of a cloudless sky, dark curls that held the gloss of polished ebony, blended together to create nothing less than a masterpiece.

      Edmond studied her with a brooding expression.

      “Because I am not yet done with you, ma souris.”

      Brianna frowned, uncertain what to make of his words, then with an inward shrug, she turned her thoughts back to her most pressing concern.

      “Do you think he is gone for good?”

      “I do not believe he will dare to attempt to storm this citadel again, but I should be very surprised if he has actually given up his obsession to have you.” His expression hardened. “The very fact that you have become inaccessible will only feed his madness.”

      She pressed a hand to her heaving stomach. Damn Thomas Wade. And damn her mother for leaving her at the mercy of the demented monster.

      “I must leave London.”

      “And go where?”

      “You could send me to Meadowland in your coach.” Without even realizing what she was doing, Brianna reached out to grasp his arm in sudden hope. Of course. She should have thought of it the moment she realized that it was Edmond rather than Stefan in London. “I would surely be safe with your servants to protect me.”

      “Why did you not flee to Stefan before now?” he demanded.

      “Because I would have been forced to take a stagecoach, and Thomas could easily have overtaken me before I reached Meadowland.” She shrugged. “Besides, Stefan never responded to my letters. For all I knew, he might have been away from the estate and then what would I have done?”

      He studied her with a hooded gaze. “I do not doubt you would have thought of something. You are a very…” He deliberately allowed his words to trail away as his gaze lowered to the modest neckline of her gown. “Resourceful sort of female.”

      A blush stole beneath her cheeks, but she refused to rise to the bait. She had done what was necessary. She would not feel shame for that.

      She squared her shoulders and pasted a smile to her lips. “Now, however, I can be certain Stefan is there and with your carriage…”

      “No.”

      “Why ever not? You do not want me here and I would far prefer to be with Stefan. It is the perfect solution.”

      “Except for the fact that, so far as the world is concerned, Stefan is here in London while Edmond is in charge of Meadowland,” he said succinctly. “Do you not think it would stir curiosity if I were to send my newly acquired ward to stay in a home with my renowned rake of a brother?”

      She dropped her hand and stared at him with a wary confusion. Why was he being so difficult? He could not have made it more obvious that he wanted nothing more than to be rid of her. He should be delighted by the notion of sending her off to Meadowland.

      “You could say that I was ill and in need of the country air,” she pointed out slowly.

      His lips twisted. “Then it will be speculated that I made you pregnant and banished you to Meadowland until the babe is born.”

      “That is absurd,” she choked out, her skin feeling oddly hot and far too tight for her body. “You just arrived in London, how could you possibly have made me pregnant?”

      Edmond shrugged, his lightly bronzed features unreadable. “Stefan does come to London to attend his duties in the House of Lords, although he rarely opens the town house. Besides, gossip has no need to make sense.”

      It was true enough. She had been in London long enough to know that spreading rumors was the ton’s favorite pastime. And the more outrageous and titillating the scandal, the more it was enjoyed.

      Still, she found it ridiculous to suppose anyone would believe Stefan capable of seducing and abandoning his own ward.

      “Even supposing that a few spiteful tongues wag, it hardly matters.”

      “It happens to matter a great deal,” he snapped, stepping close enough for the heat of his body to sear through her thin muslin gown. “I am attempting to avoid any unnecessary attention being drawn to my visit here in London, a task that has become considerably more difficult, thanks to your interference.”

      Brianna was effectively trapped as she struggled not to react to the scent of sandalwood and warm male.

      “You still have not told me why you are pretending to be Stefan.”

      “I rarely reveal my secrets to a proven blackmailer.”

      Stung by his mocking tone, Brianna lifted her hands to shove them against his chest.

      “But you are willing to take one as your lover?”

      The blue eyes darkened, and without warning, his hands grasped her arms to jerk her against his chest.

      “Do you need further proof, ma souris? Shall I take you here and now?”

      Not at all certain that she could resist the desire to allow him to do whatever he wanted to her trembling body, Brianna gave a desperate shake of her head.

      “Please, Edmond.”

      “Please, what?”

      “Please send me to Stefan.”

      Edmond stepped back, his nose flaring with something that might have been anger.

      “Never.”

      “But…”

      “Enough.” Turning on his heel, Edmond stormed toward the door, pausing at the threshold to scowl over his shoulder. “You were foolish enough to force your way into this house. Now you will endure the consequences.”

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