Free Sins of Omission by Irina Shapiro Page A

wouldn’t enter into anything without being sure of her intended’s character; not after Lionel.  Was Hugo steering her toward Luke Marsden? she wondered. His endorsement would mean the world to her since Hugo Everly was the one man she trusted implicitly; him and Archie.
    Frances closed her eyes and pictured Luke’s face.  He’d been elaborately coifed and attired for his soiree, but no amount of rice powder or rouge could disguise his masculinity.  Luke was an impressive man, with eyes that were like bits of melted chocolate, warm and inviting.  Beneath his wig, he wore his hair cut short, and it was a dark blond, streaked with gold from time spent outdoors.  His touch had been gentle, as if she were a porcelain doll that he was afraid to break.  Luke was wealthy and well-connected due to his position.  Did he really wish to court her, or were his overtures just the opening act in a game of seduction intended to make her his mistress?
    Lord Everly would never approve of that , Frances thought.  If Luke was paying court to her, it had to be with honorable intentions.  The thought of marrying again made good sense, but the reality of what it entailed made Frances shake with nerves.  The memory of Lionel was still fresh, her skin recoiling from any contact that hinted at pain.  How could she possibly consent to be any man’s wife when she couldn’t bear the thought of being touched?  What if a man who appeared to be gentle dropped the mask as soon as they were wed and subjected her to the same humiliation and brutality that Lionel had?
    Frances had been pondering all these things when they arrived at home only to hear the heartrending screams coming from upstairs.  She had been galvanized into action, desperate to help Neve, but seeing that sweet baby nearly tore her heart to pieces.  She wanted to hold it and pretend for just a moment that it was her Gabriel, but instead she turned away and allowed Neve and Hugo their moment of parental joy.  They deserve this baby a lot more than I deserved Gabriel , she thought bitterly.  Valentine had been created in love and joy, while Gabriel had been a product of violence and fear, a child of hatred, not meant to thrive.  But he had been so beautiful, so innocent, and so vulnerable.  Surely there had been some measure of redemption in his birth, which had ended in further heartbreak.  No physical pain that Lionel had inflicted on Frances hurt as much as holding her lifeless son in her arms, knowing that he was gone from her forever, and that in time, she would forget his face and the way he smelled, the weight of him in her arms, and the joy she felt for one fleeting moment in time. 
    She would like another baby eventually, but getting with child involved bedding, the thought of which made her heart skip a beat with anxiety.  Frances flopped onto her stomach and hugged the pillow.  What was it like to feel desire and freely give yourself to a man?  She’d noticed the glances exchanged between Hugo and Neve, had seen him kiss her, and her melt into him as he pulled her closer.  She trusted him completely, and he accepted her trust and made himself worthy of it.  Neve wanted Hugo’s baby, and had not felt the soul-crushing resentment that Frances had endured while carrying a child of the man she’d despised.  She thought she’d despise the baby as well, but oh, what a surprise he had been.  When she got with child again, she wanted it to be with a man she loved and trusted, a man who cherished her the way Hugo cherished Neve.
    Of course, there was one man Frances trusted, and that was Archie.  Frances rolled onto her back and threw off the covers, suddenly hot.  Archie.  He was her friend, her protector, and her guard, per Hugo’s instructions.  An idea began to form in Frances’s mind as she considered her future.  It was several hours before she was finally able to sleep, but the terrible restlessness had subsided, and by the time her eyes