you. I'm happy to do whatever will accomplish my goal."
"Even if it involves an innocent's ruination?"
"Every female has to spread her legs sooner or later. It's not much of a loss for her, but a gain of everything for me."
"That being?"
"A close alliance with your family."
"Have you a speck of remorse about any of this?"
"No."
"I'm astounded." He toasted her with his glass. "You're even more of a mercenary than I supposed."
"Why? Merely because I insist on a Grand Match for her?"
"No. Because you'll stop at nothing to get what you want."
"Precisely. Don't you forget it." "I won't. I shall be completely on guard throughout my visit."
Margaret was furious. They were bartering over her as if she were a prized cow. In light of Lavinia's enthrallment with the nobility, her motives weren't surprising, but Margaret was disgusted by Romsey's blasé approval of violence to coerce Margaret into an untenable union.
How could either of them presume she'd blithely walk down the path they'd engineered? The moment she left Lavinia's boudoir, her initial order of business would be to have a new lock nailed to her door.
"And if I elect to force the matter," Romsey asked, "and I creep into her bed, what should I teach her first?"
Lavinia cocked a brow. "I know what you like. I've heard all about you."
"Have you?"
"Yes."
"Why don't you show me? Let me see if you've heard correctly."
She climbed onto his lap, her knees on the sofa cushion, her thighs draped over his. As they conversed, she was sliding the straps of her nightgown down her arms so that her breasts were bared, the nipples jutting out, and they were directly in his face. Almost reluctantly, he clasped the two mounds and petted the tips with his thumbs.
Margaret was mesmerized. She hadn't known that adults carried on so decadently. She felt as if she'd opened a portal to a secret world, and she couldn't keep herself from watching.
Lavinia purred, arching her back as she riffled her fingers through his lush, dark hair, and she wore a satisfied smile, as if she'd finally enticed him into behaving as she'd wanted all along.
She kissed him on the lips, the embrace going on and on, though Romsey appeared loathe to participate. As it became more heated, her hands were everywhere, touching and exploring, and oddly, Margaret's own anatomy was affected by the spectacle. Her own nipples came to life, growing rigid and poking at her corset. Blood pounded in her veins, her womb shifted and stirred.
Lavinia slipped to the side, and Margaret was desperate to see more, but the sofa blocked the view so she couldn't figure out what Lavinia was doing. It seemed that Lavinia was unbuttoning his trousers, but why would she? And why would Romsey let her?
The encounter was the strangest Margaret had ever witnessed. Lavinia was smug and preening, on fire with lust, but Romsey was impassive and aloof and had scarcely moved. How could one of them be so vain and inflated, while the other was so impervious?
Lavinia glanced up and smirked. "Are you ready, darling? Shall I escort you to paradise?"
"Would it be worth my while?"
"Of course," she declared. "I'm renowned for my prowess."
He was skeptical. "Are you?"
"Definitely."
Lavinia waited, on a precipice of anticipation, as Romsey studied her with no visible emotion. Ultimately, he shook his head. _
"I doubt you could impress me, Vinnie"—he used a nickname for Lavinia that Margaret hadn't heard before—"so I believe I'll decline."
"You can't be serious!" Rage mottled Lavinia's cheeks, and she climbed to her feet.
"Oh, but I am. I really don't like you enough to have you go down on me, and considering my offensive habits, that's saying a great deal."
"You are a beast!" she fumed. "I don't know why I put up with you!"
"Maybe because you're eager to have a viscount in the family?"
"I don't want one this badly. You lesser nobles are a penny a dozen."
"Yes, but don't forget my dear father. He won't live forever. Someday,
"Even if it involves an innocent's ruination?"
"Every female has to spread her legs sooner or later. It's not much of a loss for her, but a gain of everything for me."
"That being?"
"A close alliance with your family."
"Have you a speck of remorse about any of this?"
"No."
"I'm astounded." He toasted her with his glass. "You're even more of a mercenary than I supposed."
"Why? Merely because I insist on a Grand Match for her?"
"No. Because you'll stop at nothing to get what you want."
"Precisely. Don't you forget it." "I won't. I shall be completely on guard throughout my visit."
Margaret was furious. They were bartering over her as if she were a prized cow. In light of Lavinia's enthrallment with the nobility, her motives weren't surprising, but Margaret was disgusted by Romsey's blasé approval of violence to coerce Margaret into an untenable union.
How could either of them presume she'd blithely walk down the path they'd engineered? The moment she left Lavinia's boudoir, her initial order of business would be to have a new lock nailed to her door.
"And if I elect to force the matter," Romsey asked, "and I creep into her bed, what should I teach her first?"
Lavinia cocked a brow. "I know what you like. I've heard all about you."
"Have you?"
"Yes."
"Why don't you show me? Let me see if you've heard correctly."
She climbed onto his lap, her knees on the sofa cushion, her thighs draped over his. As they conversed, she was sliding the straps of her nightgown down her arms so that her breasts were bared, the nipples jutting out, and they were directly in his face. Almost reluctantly, he clasped the two mounds and petted the tips with his thumbs.
Margaret was mesmerized. She hadn't known that adults carried on so decadently. She felt as if she'd opened a portal to a secret world, and she couldn't keep herself from watching.
Lavinia purred, arching her back as she riffled her fingers through his lush, dark hair, and she wore a satisfied smile, as if she'd finally enticed him into behaving as she'd wanted all along.
She kissed him on the lips, the embrace going on and on, though Romsey appeared loathe to participate. As it became more heated, her hands were everywhere, touching and exploring, and oddly, Margaret's own anatomy was affected by the spectacle. Her own nipples came to life, growing rigid and poking at her corset. Blood pounded in her veins, her womb shifted and stirred.
Lavinia slipped to the side, and Margaret was desperate to see more, but the sofa blocked the view so she couldn't figure out what Lavinia was doing. It seemed that Lavinia was unbuttoning his trousers, but why would she? And why would Romsey let her?
The encounter was the strangest Margaret had ever witnessed. Lavinia was smug and preening, on fire with lust, but Romsey was impassive and aloof and had scarcely moved. How could one of them be so vain and inflated, while the other was so impervious?
Lavinia glanced up and smirked. "Are you ready, darling? Shall I escort you to paradise?"
"Would it be worth my while?"
"Of course," she declared. "I'm renowned for my prowess."
He was skeptical. "Are you?"
"Definitely."
Lavinia waited, on a precipice of anticipation, as Romsey studied her with no visible emotion. Ultimately, he shook his head. _
"I doubt you could impress me, Vinnie"—he used a nickname for Lavinia that Margaret hadn't heard before—"so I believe I'll decline."
"You can't be serious!" Rage mottled Lavinia's cheeks, and she climbed to her feet.
"Oh, but I am. I really don't like you enough to have you go down on me, and considering my offensive habits, that's saying a great deal."
"You are a beast!" she fumed. "I don't know why I put up with you!"
"Maybe because you're eager to have a viscount in the family?"
"I don't want one this badly. You lesser nobles are a penny a dozen."
"Yes, but don't forget my dear father. He won't live forever. Someday,
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