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more important matters...I can get you a special
license if needed. I assume you want to conduct your business as quickly as
possible.”
    Nico opened his eyes and wanted to smack the smug expression
off the man's face but knew better. Gray allowed a lot of things, but that
would be stepping over the line.
    “Yes. I require one. My problem is actually proposing.”
    Gray's eyebrows rose to his hairline. “You think she might
refuse? I would think Lady Cordelia is smarter than that. She knows the
consequences of her actions. More so than others, I would say.”
    “Why?”
    “Her mother. The woman’s reputation would make a courtesan
blush. It is said she had more lovers than the prince regent did. Except for
the present earl, her children have lived by strict guidelines.”
    The memory of their interlude came rushing back to him in
vivid detail. Cordelia must have iron control of her emotions. He must have
just tapped the surface of her passion. She would be the death of him.
    “All girls, correct? It stands to reason they would be held
to a higher standard.”
    Gray chuckled. “I would love to hear your soon-to-be
betrothed's ideas on that, but you mistake what I say. Not one of the girls was
presented...none had a season.”
    That gave Nico pause. “But Lady Cordelia...”
    “Is here because she did not want to stay with her drunkard
brother...or he turned her out. I would not put it past the bastard.”
    “All the others are married?”
    “Yes, one widowed. All to local gentry, and they had
dowries. What little Lady Cordelia had is probably gone. From what I
understand, the bastard of a father left her with nothing but a pittance.”
    “That is beyond odd.”
    “The whole family is odd.”
    Nico threw him a warning look. “Stupendous. And now they
will be my family.”
    “Look at it this way. She's a Carrier at least. You have a
way to mate. It is difficult enough to find a Carrier these days...and most
leave much to be desired. Besides, it seems that you two are compatible.”
    The duke shot him a mocking smile. Nico glared and tried to
fight off memories of Cordelia against him, her flavor on his tongue.
Impossible. His body responded immediately, his blood quickening, his fangs
stirring. He ground his teeth together. He had to keep his inner beast in
control or he would be no better than a newly turned Made.
    “Who knows, you might want to bond with her.”
    Those words threw cold water on Nico’s thoughts of his
bride. He had seen what bonding did to a vampire, how a simple mistake could
take away everything precious...including your life.
    Noticing the younger man staring at him, Nico shook off
those thoughts and smiled. “At the moment, I am not convinced the woman will
even allow me in her house.”

 
    *   *   *   *

 
    Cordelia took a sip of her tepid tea and winced. She could
not abide tea and would rather have coffee, but that was much too expensive…as
was chocolate. Living on her meager earnings from her articles in the The Daily Inquisitor did not allow for
luxuries. She could not complain since she still had a roof over her head—for
now. If her brother heard about her mishap, Alex might throw her out on the
street.
    With a sigh she leaned back in the chair. She was out of
sorts. Any sane person would be after last night’s events. Closing her eyes,
she remembered the way Nico’s mouth had tasted, the way it felt to have his
long, lean muscled body pressing her into the couch. She shivered, her body
warming at the intense memories. Cordelia opened her eyes. In one action she
lost her reputation and proved to everyone, including herself, that she was no
better than her mother.
    Fionna Bentley, the Countess of Collingsworth, had lived
life by her own rules, which apparently had been at odds with society. By all
accounts, her brother was Collingsworth's son, but she and her three sisters
had no real idea who their fathers were. There were rumors about Amelia,
Sophia, and Diana's