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“I haven’t seen Sir Percival for some time. Is he well?”
    Her heart sank. She deeply regretted allowing her dying
husband to arrange her marriage contract with the cousin who inherited the
Sibley estate. “He’s completing a major translation. I expect he’ll visit
during the holidays.” Percival Hedges was a serious scholar and a don at
Oxford. Cathryn was quite certain he was ill-prepared for a wife and the
responsibilities of being a peer. In the two times they had seen one another
since her husband’s death, he’d not attempted to embrace her, and Cathryn
suspected he was a cold fish. The thought made her shudder.
    “Well, he would probably advise you to have a chaperone for
your visit with Ahlquist.”
    She nodded agreement. It was imperative that she not be
alone with the rakish Lord Ahlquist. He was a dreadfully potent man, and she
suffered almost constantly with strong carnal urges. Her body yearned for a
man’s touch, even as her mind relished the unexpected freedom of widowhood. His
smile alone would melt her virtuous resolve, of that she had little doubt.
    Anyone who read the papers knew of the man’s reputation with
women, and now Waldemere’s warnings rang in her ears.
     
    The heavy oak door slammed behind Waldemere, and Julian
Ahlquist bristled with discontent. That had not gone well. Lady Sibley had far
exceeded her bounds and made a fool of him in front of his peers, goading him
to churlish behavior with her insistence to pursue Mrs. Burns’ inane request.
    And tomorrow at eleven-thirty was when he planned to visit Lilith.
That would cut short his time with the luscious blonde, as she had rehearsal at
one in the theater near her flat. Another reason to dislike the impertinent
Lady Sibley. He glanced at the clock on the wall, wondering how best to correct
her disrespectful attitude. Clearly, someone needed to put her in her place,
and he suspected he was the only man in the society up to the task. She seemed
determined to attend meetings and followed even the driest discussions without
a hint of boredom. Normally he welcomed her comely face in the sea of gray
whiskers, but he would not have a repeat of today’s performance. Now that she
was out of mourning he could deny her attendance, but she was popular with some
influential members. Elections were only two months away and losing would be an
insufferable blow. He cursed Melina Burns for threatening his academic
achievements with public quibbles. What trickery was the woman up to this time?
    He had two hours before his fencing practice. Perhaps Lilith
could soothe his bruised ego. A corner of his mouth turned up as he thought of
the bauble he had for his pretty courtesan and how grateful she would be to
him. She’d be on her knees before he shed his outer garments, and she would
keep his cock hard for an hour with her skills. That was a beautiful woman’s
proper place—on her knees or on her back.
    Lady Sibley’s full, rosy lips came to mind and he wondered
if she serviced men with her mouth. His cock twitched at the thought, and he
stuffed Melina’s irksome letter in his pocket as he headed for the door. Perhaps
he should make Sibley pay by seducing her. She was out of mourning, and he had
barely known her husband, so there was no honor at stake. A vigorous woman like
her must be lusting for a man by now—he would be doing her a favor.
    Perhaps he would postpone tomorrow’s visit to Lilith and
lift Sibley’s skirts instead. He’d caught a whiff of lemon when he retrieved
his letter—that would be a welcome change from Lilith’s heavy floral perfume.
    He was stiff as a poker by the time he entered his plush
carriage and called out Lilith’s direction to his driver. He stared out the
window at the bustling sidewalks of the city, but his mind was on his new
quarry. Sibley had dark-brown hair that peeked out from under her drab winter
hat. It had been years since he’d had a brunette. Even draped in her thick
cloak, he could see she