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remorse. I am quite willing to marry you and cover up your indiscretion.”
    “ My indiscretion?” Lucinda gathered all her courage and forced herself to look into his eyes. She was so glad she’d spoken to Madame Helene. “I’m not willing to marry you at all. In fact, the very thought of it makes me want to puke.”
    He studied her for a long moment and then smiled. “I don’t see that you have a choice. Do you want me to broadcast your shame to the ton, to your family, to your father? ”
    “The only thing I am ashamed of is being taken in by you.”
    “You love me.”
    “I do not.” She steadied her voice. “My father will never force me to marry you.”
    “Are you so sure of that? He’s just assumed his new title. I doubt he’ll immediately want to deal with a scandal concerning his only child. It will affect the way he is seen by the elite forever.”
    “My father will never force me to marry you.” Lucinda repeated her statement as calmly as she could with a confidence she was far from feeling. “He trusts me.”
    “More fool him.” Jeremy gave a harsh laugh, all pretense of civility now gone. “I’ll give you another couple of days to consider your position, and then I’ll meet you again.”
    “My position will not change, sir. I can assure you of that.”
    “Brave words, my dear, but I’m not convinced you mean them,” he sneered. “I know how much your family means to you, and that you would rather die than besmirch your father’s honor.” He shoved his face close to hers. “And believe me, I’ll ruin you all if you don’t see sense and marry me.”
    Even as Lucinda recoiled from the violence in his eyes, he spun on his heel, shoved the curtain aside, and stormed away. Lucinda leaned back against the wall, wiped his spittle from her face, and waited until her knees stopped trembling. The bell sounded, announcing the beginning of the second act, and she took a deep, steadying breath. If she was a true lady, shouldn’t she be swooning at her despoiler’s feet instead of thinking up ways of killing him? In truth, her lack of sensibility seemed a blessing at this moment.
    If she didn’t return to the box, her mother would become anxious, and that was to be avoided at all costs.
    She started to walk back up the stairs. Jeremy was right about one thing: She would do anything to avoid upsetting her parents, particularly her father. He had so much to deal with at the moment. His new ducal responsibilities and his government appointments made for a heavy burden she had no wish to add to.
    But was she willing to sacrifice herself to a life with Jeremy by assuring her parents that she wanted to marry him? Wouldn’t those lies be equally as cruel as not telling them the truth? She stood for a moment at the top of the stairs and stared at nothing. She couldn’t tell them the truth.
    A couple of uniformed men came down the stairs on the opposite side of the landing, and Lucinda ducked out of sight. She might not be able to talk to her parents, but perhaps she could talk to Paul. It seemed she had little choice. If she made him swear not to ask her exactly who had dishonored her, he might at least have a fresh perspective on her dilemma.
    The thought of his knowing what she had done made her heart clench, and she brought her hand to her bodice. She could only hope he would still speak to her afterward and would be able to think of a way out of her horrible plight.
     
    Paul glanced up as Constantine reclaimed his seat beside him. “Where did you go? I lost you in the crush.”
    “I met with an acquaintance of mine, and stopped to ask her how she did.”
    “An old acquaintance?”
    Constantine squeezed Paul’s knee. “Not that kind of friend.” He hesitated. “In truth, I’m not even sure exactly who she is.”
    “Cinderella, perhaps? Did you retrieve her glass slipper for her at a ball?”
    “Nothing quite so romantic. I merely assisted her when she needed a way to escape an