Free The Marquis At Midnight by Kate Harper Page A

then stopped abruptly.
She drew a deep breath. ‘My Lord Morvyn, if you have come here to
see me then it is a wasted visit. I do not believe we have anything
to say to each other.’
    ‘How can you possibly know?’ he enquired
reasonably, ‘when you will not speak to me?’
    ‘I know all there is to know, my lord.’
Grace replied firmly. ‘So further discussion is clearly
unnecessary.’
    ‘Grace?’ Hester was bewildered. ‘Are you
already acquainted with Lord Morvyn? I had not realized the two of
you had met.’
    ‘Some time ago. He was a friend of my
husband.’
    ‘I see.’ Hester really
did not see, but
she was unsure what to say next.
    Morvyn himself appeared both stoic and
determined. ‘Lady Pemberton, I am far from clear why you hold me in
such disfavor. May I ask what I have done to offend you?’
    This was too much for Grace, who thrust her
work aside and sat up straighter in her chair to glare at him. ‘You
know perfectly well what you did.’
    ‘Believe me, I do not. Enlighten me.’
    His calm, reasonable voice seemed to
infuriate Grace even further. ‘You as good as killed Justin,’ she
snapped, rising to her feet, ‘and you ruined my life!’
    Hester gasped, but Morvyn, who had himself
risen to his feet, remained calm. Annoyingly so, in Grace’s
opinion. She would have preferred to have offended him to the point
where he left her entirely alone. If he left her alone, she could
forget the wretched man ever existed. As far as she was concerned
she’d spent far too much thought on the Marquis of Morvyn. For some
reason, he seemed determined to pursue her beyond what was
reasonable. Did the man possess no sensibility?
    Unfortunately, while she might rail at him,
a part of Grace knew that her indignation was fueled by her
incomprehensible fascination with him. It continued to disconcert
her, all the more so when she was forced to meet him. An even
smaller part acknowledge the most disturbing part of all; even
Justin had not sparked the wicked flame of attraction that this man
aroused in her. Based on nothing more than a dance and a kiss,
Morvyn had stirred feelings in her she had never before felt.
    The tense tableau was broken by the arrival
of Marsh and a footman, carrying a tea tray. Grace subsided slowly
back into her chair and their guest followed suit. There was
silence as the butler inspected the fire, checked that the maid had
deployed the tray as she should, then departed, closing the door
gently behind him.
    Grace’s last words still
hung on the air, however. For once, Hester was at a loss to know
what to say. She had no inkling that her friend held Morvyn in
distaste. Indeed, she knew the marquis very well, as he was a
particular friend of Porter’s. It was at times like these, she
reflected gloomily, she regretted that she was mistress of the house. She
cleared her throat. ‘Tea, my lord? Grace?’
    The small break had allowed Grace to collect
herself and she inclined her head. She had almost run from the
room, which would have been an unpardonable lapse of manners. It
would have also put Hester in a sticky spot, especially as Grace
had not told her anything about Justin or his association with
Morvyn. She knew that the marquis and Porter were friends. Besides,
it had been one of those things she had been happy to put out of
her mind. Talking about it only increased her anguish.
    But now? Well, now she had
to deal with Morvyn. What I would really
like to do , she thought
incredulously, is run my fingers through
that dark hair and have him kiss me again.
    Oh dear God. Clearly, she was mad!
    Hester was pouring tea, expression carefully
neutral. Later, Grace knew she would have every little detail out
of her, but now, she was a picture of serene gentility, passing the
teacups and offering sweet morsels of cake, which both Morvyn and
Grace refused.
    ‘My Lady Pemberton,’ Morvyn began, once
again in that same, patient voice that set her teeth on edge, ‘I am
not sure what your husband