Sterling Family - A Perfect Groom Part 35

"Ah," Gideon said smoothly. "Busy with other things, such as your new bride, I

expect."

An amused curiosity glimmered in Gideon's eyes, but Justin wasn't about to indulge it.

"I don't mean to be rude, but this is not a good time."

Gideon raised both hands. "Oh, no need to worry," he stated breezily. "I'll

be brief. Indeed, I only came to settle up our affairs."

Justin's gaze flickered. "There is no need," he said stiffly. Christ, until this moment he'd forgotten his d.a.m.ned wager with Gideon.

"Indeed there is," Gideon insisted. "We had an agreement, that the lady in question

would be yours within the month, and so she was. Granted, I certainly never expected that you would be forced to wed the chit -"

"I wasn't forced," Justin said tightly.

Gideon shrugged. "The fact remains, I trust the terms of our agreement have been*gratifying nonetheless. However," he went on, "I am a man who always pays his debts."

With a wink Gideon dropped a pouch into Justin's hand.

Before he could say a word, there was a whisk of skirts behind him - Arabella!

"Oh, h.e.l.lo!" she said upon seeing Gideon.

Justin half-turned. He knew the pouch contained the money from their wager. He mouthed a silent curse.

G.o.ddammit, he couldn't give it back, not without making a scene!

Pointedly he said, "Gideon was just on his way out."

"Yes." Gideon executed a low bow. "Again, my heartiest congratulations to the

both of you."

The door was no sooner closed than Arabella nodded at the pouch.

"Ah," she teased. "I saw his sly wink. What did he bring you?"

Justin's heart sank. "Nothing of any consequence," he said quickly.

"Really."

"Nothing of any consequence, is it? Hmmm, that sounds mysterious. Perhaps it's a

treasure. Let's give a look, shall we?" Laughing, she s.n.a.t.c.hed the pouch from his hand and peered inside.

Her eyes widened. "My word, there must surely be half a fortune here." She glanced up,

her expression curious. "Are the two of you in business together?"

Justin hesitated. "No," he said.

"I thought not. Frankly, I should be astonished, for Gideon has never struck me as a particularly

industrious sort." She pursed her lips. "Indeed, I know he is your friend, but he asked meto dance once - a tiresome experience, as I recall. All he could speak of was his excellent luck at thehazard table earlier in the evening. I've heard tales of men foolish enough to wager an entirefortune on a single roll of the dice. Let us hope he is not one of-"

All at once she broke off. Her gaze slid to the pouch in her hand.

Her smile slipped. Slowly she raised her head. "Justin," she said haltingly, and then,"It cannot be. Surely this is not -"She stopped. Something pleading flashed across her expression. "Justin?" The sound of his name verged on desperate.

For the longest time, Justin couldn't say a word. His eyes bored into hers. It was as if he'd been turned to stone*

Quietly he spoke. "Do you remember the wager I told you about?"

Her breath caught. Every drop of blood surely drained from her face. Anguish filled her eyes, those

beautiful blue eyes, the only hint of color in her face. And Justin was aware, with stark, chilling certainty, of the precise moment he shattered her trust and she splintered apart.

"Oh, G.o.d," she whispered, the sound half-strangled.

Arabella knew what it was. Payment for the wager to the man who claimed her virtue.The knowledge slipped into her heart like a dull, rusty knife.

She floundered helplessly, still reacting when he guided her into his study. He wrestled the pouch from

her grip and dropped it onto the corner of his desk.

Arabella remained where she was. It was as if an icy chill swept across her soul. Cold to the tips of her fingers, for a heartbeat she felt herself waver, like a flame in the wind.

He caught her under the elbow.

Quickly she righted herself. "I'm all right."

"Yes." He smiled slightly. "I forgot. You never have the vapors, do you?"

His hands displayed a tendency to linger. "And I won't now," she informed him.

Wrenching herself away, she marched toward the far corner of his desk. She had to put some distance

between them. She absolutely couldn't bear it if he touched her.

Her voice sc.r.a.ped the silence. "I believe you said there were five men who entertained the wager.

Five men who bet on who would claim my virtue. I recall quite distinctly, Justin, that you told me you were not among them. I remember it clearly."

He shook his head. "And I was not."

Arabella made a sound of impatience. "You make no sense!" she accused sharply."You just said -""I know what I said. But I was not among those who entertained that particular wager."Arabella lost her temper. "Do not lie to me!""I am not lying. I will not lie." He paused. "Gideon and I entered into a wager of our own. A private wager. We doubled the terms of the other men's wager."

"The wager for my virtue. Say it, Justin."

He seemed curiously reluctant. The seconds ticked by, one by one, and with each Arabella was suddenly

fiercely, bitingly angry. "Say it!""Yes. Yes. We agreed to double the terms of the wager for your virtue.""Was it a compet.i.tion then between the two of you?"He shook his head. "Gideon told me you'd already spurned his advances. The wager was that I could take your virtue." A pause. "Within the month," he added softly.And he had. He had. Oh, G.o.d. G.o.d. In the span between one heartbeat and the next, she relived theachingly tender way he'd taken her on their wedding night, every fleeting, burning caress*She was cringing inside, the memory suddenly tarnished. And now he stood motionless, leaning against the side of his desk, arms crossed over his chest, watching her.

How could he be so calm? Arabella wanted to scream and rage, to pummel him with her fists. Though

she was blistering inside, she forced herself to match his aplomb.

"How much?" she asked.

He said nothing.

Her gaze skidded to the pouch. "I can always look," she reminded him.

"Six thousand pounds."

She was right. Half a fortune. "Well," she said coldly, "you certainly must have

been very confident of your*persuasive abilities."

There was a taut, rippling silence. It flashed through her mind that he didn't know what to say, and so he said nothing.

"Ah, of course," she mused aloud, "the game was never to wed me*but to

bed me." She was torn between the urge to laugh hysterically and cry in sheer, utter shame. In truth, she might have well surrendered her virginity to him without benefit of marriage. Oh, perhaps not that fateful night Georgiana and Aunt Grace had come upon them, but in time*

After all, he was the handsomest man in all England, and she was but a plaything. And she, fool that she was, had played right into his hands! For when she was in his arms, his expert mouth draining her of strength and will, nothing else seemed to matter.

Oh, but she'd forgotten what a rogue he really was. G.o.d knew, he'd made no secret of it.

Being caught by Georgiana and Aunt Grace had simply forced his hand, forced him into marrying her.

The sense of betrayal was incredible. Wave after wave of burning shame washed through her, shame that bled to her very core.

But she wouldn't let him know it. No matter how much it hurt, she wouldn't.

Instead, she tipped her head to the side. "Is that why you agreed to wed me so quickly - that you might win?" She allowed no time to answer. "And here I was convinced you were to be commended for offering to marry me to save my reputation. Ah, poor Justin, forced to give up his name simply because he had the misfortune of being caught in the act of a mere kiss! I wonder, are you