OOD morning, love.” Nicholas’ teeth caught at Reggie’s lower lip and chewed for a moment. “Did anyone ever tell you what a delightfully rumpled picture you present at sunrise?”

She grinned impishly. “Meg is the only one who sees me at sunrise, and she doesn’t say things that go to a girl’s head.”

Nicholas laughed, pulling her closer. “Your indomitable Meg doesn’t like me, you know, and I can’t imagine why. I’m such a likable fellow.”

“You are an insufferable fellow, and you know it.”

“But a likable insufferable fellow.”

She laughed.

What a marvelous way to be awakened, Reggie thought, snuggling closer to the solid length of her husband. And she wasn’t tired, even though she had been loved ardently into the small hours of the night. Not tired. Feeling wonderful. She would have to insist he force himself on her more often.

Thomas’ wail was the only thing that could disturb their idyll, and she heard it in a moment.

“I was wondering when he would get around to that.”

Reggie grinned at him. “I’d better see to him.”

“You will hurry back, won’t you?”

“Most definitely, sir.”

When Reggie returned to her bedroom twenty minutes later, it was empty. She checked the sitting room, then went to Nicholas’ bedroom. Both rooms were empty. She returned to her own room and waited. He did not appear.

Where had he gone? And why? Would he use her, then treat her with indifference? But she was jumping to conclusions. There had to be a perfectly good explanation for his disappearance.

Reggie rushed Meg with her toilet and then nearly flew out of her room and down the stairs. Voices from the breakfast room drew her in that direction. At the door, she stopped short, suddenly chilled. Nicholas, dressed only in trousers and a short green velvet lounging jacket, stood at the buffet table. His back was to her, as was Selena Eddington’s. Selena stood next to him, so close that her shoulder touched his upper arm. His head was bent toward her and Selena was laughing at whatever he was saying.

Red flashed before Reggie’s eyes. “Am I intruding—again?”

They whirled around. No one else was in the room, not even a footman, yet Nicholas didn’t look at all abashed.

“You didn’t have to come down, love.” He smiled. “I was just getting a plate of pastries to bring up to you.”

“I’m sure you were,” she replied frigidly, her eyes locking with Selena’s. “Madame, kindly pack your valises and be gone from my house before noon.”

Selena’s smug expression turned swiftly to outrage. “You can’t do that. Lady Miriam invited me.”

“Lady Miriam is not mistress here. I am. And we Edens are positively famous for throwing people out of our home.” Having gotten that out of her system, Reggie turned and left.

Nicholas caught up with her in the main hall, grabbing her arm. “What the devil was that all about?”

“Let go of me!” she hissed, yanking her arm away. This time he took hold of her shoulder.

“Come in here.” He dragged her into the library and closed the door behind them. “Are you mad?”

“I must be, to have believed you had changed!” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“My bed was still warm when you went looking for another conquest! Well, cavort with all the women you want, sir, but do not toy with me again.”

“Can you believe I would want another woman after last night?” he replied, truly incredulous. “What you saw was nothing. Selena just happened to be there when I came in for your pastries. I meant to feed you, mind you, so you would have no excuse to leave your room this morning.”

“You have a house full of servants to fetch pastries, sir,” she pointed out.

“They are being run ragged by all of our guests. I had time to do it because I was waiting for you to return.”

“I don’t believe you.”

He sighed in exasperation. “This is absurd, Regina. You had no call to fly off the handle, and certainly no call to boot Selena out. I told her so.”

“You didn’t!”

“If you will just consider how ridiculously you are behaving—”

The fire glittering in her eyes gave him pause. “Am I? Yes, I suppose I am. I’m a fool, too, and the stupidest ninny. But you, sir, are a bastard, through and through. You can’t bear for your lady friend to leave? Then by all means let her stay. Let her move in for good, in fact, for I won’t be here to see it. And if you try to stop me from leaving, I will—shoot you!”

His face darkened to a furious expression, but she was so caught up in releasing the months of fury that she didn’t know how dangerously angry he was. When he turned around without making a single reply, she ran in front of him and blocked his exit. “Don’t you dare walk out when I’m still fighting with you!”

“What more is there to say, madame?” he said bitterly. “You have finally brought it out in the open. I have no defense, you see.”

It bowled her over. No lies, and no excuses.

“You… admit you still want her?”

“Want who?” he growled. “I speak of my bastardy, of course. I tried to spare you, if you will recall. I did my best to prevent your marrying a bastard.”

“You could have changed,” she retorted hotly.

“How do you change the circumstances of your birth?”

“Birth?” She frowned. “What is the matter with you, Nicholas? I’m talking about your behavior. You are a bastard.”

There was a charged pause, and then he asked, “Miriam never told you? She never revealed my black secret?”

“What are you talking about?” Reggie asked him. “Yes, Miriam told me about your birth. She delighted in telling me. What does that have to do with anything? If you ask me, you should be glad she’s not your mother.”

It hit him like a thunderbolt. “You mean— you don’t care?”

“Care? Don’t be absurd,” she said. “I have two cousins who are bastards. Does that mean I love them any less? Of course it doesn’t. Your birth was no fault of yours.” She took a breath, then sailed on. “You, sir, have a mountain of faults without adding that one. I am through being only half a wife. I meant what I said. I will not stay here and watch you renew old alliances. If I see you with that woman once more, I swear I will put to good use the lessons Connie taught me and carve the two of you to pieces!”

He wouldn’t—or couldn’t—stop laughing. It was enough to make Reggie scream. At that moment, Eleanor entered.

“Is there a war going on in here, my dears, or is this just a family squabble?”

“Family?” Reggie cried. “He doesn’t know he’s part of a family. He would prefer to be a bachelor. He thinks he is a bachelor.”

Nicholas sobered. “That’s not true.”

“You explain it to him, Ellie,” Reggie said. “Tell him it’s one way or another. He’s either a husband or he isn’t.”

Reggie flounced out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She’d gotten no more than halfway up the stairs when his words came back to her, and she nearly stumbled. I did my best to prevent your marrying a bastard.

She stood stock-still, staring into space. Could that be the reason for his horrible behavior? Why hadn’t she thought of that when Miriam oh-so-casually dropped the information? Did Nicholas believe she couldn’t bear being married to a bastard?

Oh, that fool, that idiot! Reggie sat down on the stairs and her own laughter began spilling out.