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problem with the thought of having sex with me?’
    She was most annoyed to feel the colour deepening even more in her cheeks.  That he should be so direct.  But she would not let him see that he had discomfited her.  ‘I will admit that my personal preference would be not to indulge in such practices,’ she said stiffly.  She had put up with nearly six years of her husband’s abuse.  She had learned very well how to shut her feelings down whenever he came near her, move into a parallel world where she disconnected from him whilst he indulged his obscene fantasies.  But she had thought all that was behind her.  She had no intention of willingly going back to that situation again.  ‘And in any case, there is one more thing you should probably be aware of,’ she added quickly, knowing this could be an end to the matter before it had even begun.
    ‘ Yes?’
    She took a deep breath.  ‘I was married for over five years, and in that time I was not made with child.  My husband took me to a doctor in London who specialises in such things.  It was his expert opinion that I am unable to conceive. So if you desire a sexual relationship to provide you with more children, then I am certainly not the wife for you.’
    ‘ That is of no consequence.  I have Charles.’
    ‘ But surely …’
    Guy ’s expression was closed.  ‘I made the mistake once of bringing a child into a loveless marriage and I have seen the pain that causes.  In fact it comes as a relief to me that you are barren.  I would have been immensely careful to make sure we did not conceive any children.’
    Barren!  Up until now she had never considered herself in those terms.  She turned away from him to stare out of the window so that he should not see the affect his words had on her.  But at least that meant there was no need for them to consummate their marriage.  Guy could keep his mistress and all would be well.
    There was silence between them for a long moment.  Then she was aware of his hand reaching out to turn her around to face him.
    He eyed her steadily.  ‘So, Isabelle.  If there are no other obstacles that remain in your way to be tackled, I ask you again.  Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?’
    She made the mistake of returning his gaze, looking into the clear grey of his eyes as if she might understand what governed him.  They were sombre as they always were; yet they held a hint of something she could not put her finger on.  Almost as if he could see into the workings of her mind and understood the shadows that lurked there.
    ‘ I think at this stage, a simple yes or no will do,’ he added lightly.  And was that a twinkle in his eye? 
    Whatever it was, and however brief its duration, astonishingly it calmed her nerves and settled the matter for her.  There would be issues to resolve she knew, but realistically it was all very well having principles but where would they get her?  They certainly would not feed and clothe her for the rest of her days.   As Isabelle had intimated, she would be mad to turn down such an opportunity. 
    The sense that she was letting herself down was nudged firmly aside; it was after all, no more than countless other women had done before her.
      Her expression softened as just briefly, the image of Guy ’s son Charles, drifted into her mind.  He was a delightful little boy and her heart had gone out to him over the last couple of weeks, but she sensed a distance between him and his father that had disturbed her.  He was so obviously crying out for some love and attention - something that maybe she could give to him.  She found herself drawn by the prospect - after all she would have no children of her own to care for.
    The thought fired her imagination but she dampened it down, forcing herself instead to consider the somewhat curmudgeonly man she would be spending the rest of her life with.  Whilst she could not exactly say she liked him, even she could sense that he