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Devellyn, if you’ve no interest.”
    He set his hands on her shoulders. “Just answer the damned question,” he growled. “That tipstaff down my trousers is interest enough, isn’t it?”
    Ruby held his gaze for a moment. “It’s just that you look ter me like a real fine gent, Mr. Devellyn,” she answered. “You got any notion how many o’ them we get over in Southwark?”
    He snorted. “Not many.”
    “Not many is right,” she agreed. “But I got me some aspirations.”
    “Aspirations?” He tried not to laugh.
    She slowly nodded. “I’m good,” she said. “Real good at what I do. And I’m tired o’ working the South Bank. I want ter go uptown. Ter be kept in style a bit. I want me a proper place, somewhere snug and warm. And I want me some fine clothes.”
    He grabbed her hands and held them still a moment. “Sorry to dash your hopes, Ruby,” he answered. “But I’m just here to rub a little rust off my pipe. I’m not looking for a permanent arrangement.”
    She fluttered her lashes at him. “Oh, I knows that, gov’nor,” she said. “But you knows other proper gents, don’t you? Like them two chaps downstairs? P’raps you could pass me name around if I give satisfaction? That pretty bloke w’the yellow hair—I fancied the look o’ him, I did.”
    Alasdair? The woman was still thinking of Alasdair? What a bloody damned insult!
    Suddenly, something in him snapped. “To hell with this,” he said. “You aren’t getting paid to talk.” He jerked her hard against him and crushed her mouth beneath his. He kissed her crudely, forcing her head back as he pushed her mouth wide and thrust his tongue deep. Oh, Lord. She tasted good. Like ripe fruit. Like cheap gin and red-hot sin, and something he craved but couldn’t name.
    She tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her go. Instead, he kept kissing her, kept thrusting deep into her mouth with his tongue. Trapped against his body, Ruby began to struggle, shoving at his shoulders with her palms. Even then, he almost didn’t stop. Lust and frustration surged through his body anew. He wanted to be inside her, wanted to keep kissing her so she wouldn’t speak of things he didn’t want to hear.
    She was beating him with the heels of her hands now.
    Good God, he had to get a grip on himself. Gasping for breath, he tore his mouth away and stared down at her. Suddenly, despite the darkness, he thought he saw real fear sketch across her face.
    “Oh, Lord,” he gasped. “I’m sorry.”
    She was still shaking. He really had frightened her. Roughly, he dragged a hand through his hair. Perhaps Ruby did not have as much experience as he’d thought. And whatever else she might be, she was a human being. He shut his eyes and felt the shame wash over him. “I’m sorry,” he said again. “I just haven’t…haven’t had…oh, hell, I’m sorry.”
    She turned her face away and said nothing. But he could sense her fighting down fear.
    He opened his eyes. “Look, let’s just get this over with, Ruby,” he said more gently. “Just take off your clothes and lie down on the bed, all right? Just let me have a quick pump and I’ll be on my way. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
    “I am not frightened,” she said, her voice so firm her cockney accent almost vanished. “I am not afraid of you, Devellyn.”
    He took her chin in his hand and turned her face into his, cursing the darkness that almost blinded him. But indeed, she did not look frightened. If she had been, she had reined it under control.
    “I don’t want to frighten you,” he said, dropping his hands. He no longer touched her in any way. “I’m not that sort of man, Ruby. That’s not how I take my pleasure.”
    “Awright,” she said, her voice soft. Then she leaned into him and set her hands on his chest. “That’s a posh-lookin’ crumpler, gov.” Her tone was light again. Stronger. “Let’s ’ave it orf, hmm? P’raps we’ll think of a better use for it.”
    He