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to do is tell a few certain people and the ton would be aghast.”
    She bit her lip. “You have no proof. Would you like to be sued for slander? Attacking a proper lady’s reputation without fact or merit is risky.”
    He shrugged his shoulders. “I am willing to take that chance, unless you find a way to convince me otherwise.”
    Susanna barely breathed as dozens of thoughts rushed through her mind. She wasn’t virtuous, but he had no way of knowing it. He was testing the water, trying to break her by blackmail. She refused to fall victim, refused to allow his cold words to taint that night of passion she held dear to her heart.
    “Be my guest, but expect a barrister and a Bow Street Runner on your doorstep.”
    He folded his arms across his chest in challenge. “You act innocent, but I doubt you are. Men have needs and waiting for a proper woman is torturous. Not that I know anything about that. Deandra was quite willing before our nuptials.” He smirked as she cringed. “I do not see a man of Beckinworth’s reputation waiting long. Perhaps he sought solace elsewhere? Do you know of his travels in Europe?” Triumph sparked in his eyes as she clenched her fists. “He was living with two prostitutes in Amsterdam when his parents died. He visited brothels all the time while at Eton. We often shared ladies, but rarely spoke outside idle chitchat.”
    Tears beaded under her lashes but Susanna used anger to push them back. She heard similar rumors and even mentioned a few to Camden. He admitted to them but promised those bachelor days were over. “I am asking you politely to leave me alone. I’m not a frightened little girl you can bully. Not anymore. If you do not step aside, right now, I will tell my father and fiancé about this. I will not keep this harassment quiet any longer.”
    His grin widened clear across his face. “I swear Beatrix was not this difficult.” He cocked his head. “She barely argued the first time I cornered her. And now, even though she is married, she hungers for our occasional rendezvous.”
    Susanna felt sick. Beatrix had slept with him? She never would have imagined that Bea, the obedient, proper child, indulged in affairs. “I’m leaving. You will not follow me.” Stomping around a reading desk as tears burned and threatened to fall, she knocked over a chair as he hurried after her.
    Gaynor tripped, just as she planned, but still managed to wrap his strong arms around her and haul her away from the doors. Refusing to scream, and not wanting the entire household to witness the attack, she fought her captor and clawed at him with her nails. Cursing her gloves, she stomped hard on his foot, but he merely grunted.
    Pinned helplessly against him, her head spun in disbelief. He laughed at her useless efforts and tossed her on the nearest sofa. She landed with a hard thud and cried out as the sharp edge of a discarded book jabbed her spine. She barely had time to shove the book to the floor before he jumped on top of her. He straddled her waist and grabbed her flailing arms to pin them at her sides. She kicked and thrashed, screaming for him to get off, uncaring that anyone could burst through the door and find them. In fact, she wanted someone to find them— she didn’t give a damn about her reputation. He would force her, rape her, and she wasn’t strong enough to stop him.
    Pinning her arms with his knees, he painfully squeezed her breasts and trailed his hands down her torso as she hissed and cried out. Ripping the lace from her bodice, he forced his fingers beneath layers of fabric to grasp warm flesh. He pinched her nipple and shifted his knees to rub his crotch against her.
    She jerked her hands free as his shifting knees loosened around her arms. Instead of shoving and pushing him off, Susanna ripped off her gloves and slashed his face, aiming for his eyes. Blood beaded across his cheeks in deep lines as he hauled back in pain. She grabbed the book and rammed it into his gut.