When had they changed their positions? she wondered vaguely. She’d started on top of him, hiding from Milly. Now she was pressed beneath him like a happy sandwich. She wanted to laugh at the silly thought.
He moved off her, and she felt the immediate chill of his absence. “Are you all right?” he asked, his voice a little stiff.
“Yes.” She stretched lazily. “Wonderful.” And strange. And weary but satisfied. She sat up, intending to kiss him, but he moved back.
“You’d better get dressed.” Her dress flew out of the dark and landed on her.
Feeling suddenly awkward and unsure of herself, she put it on. She could hear him putting his shirt back on andbuttoning his breeches—at least she assumed what those soft sounds indicated.
“Ready to return to my aunt’s?”
She stared into the darkness desperate to read his face. Was that it? Really?
“I will escort you, of course.”
“There’s no need.” She groped in the dark, found her shoes and slipped them on, suddenly feeling on the verge of tears. Which she refused to shed. “It’s a few dozen steps.”
“Nevertheless, I will—”
“No!” She moderated her voice. “Thank you.”
She felt a cool draft as the door was opened. “Well then...” He hesitated and she waited for him to say something, anything that would banish this cold stranger and bring back the man who had taken her to the moon and back.
Leo stood in the doorway not knowing what to say to make it all right. But he couldn’t. The damage was done.
“I’m sorry,” he said finally. “I didn’t realize. I should have... but I didn’t.” Didn’t think, more like.
“Realize what?”
“That you were a virgin.”
There was a short silence. He couldn’t see her expression. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Her voice was tight. Brittle.
Leo didn’t answer. He had no idea what to say. “We’d better go. That wretched girl might return.” It was a feeble excuse, but he couldn’t think of what to say or how to react. “I’ll escort you back to my aunt’s house.”
“I told you before, that’s not necessary.”
“But—”
“I’m perfectly capable of walking a few dozen yards by myself. Good night, Lord Salcott.” There was no arguing with that tone of voice. She didn’t want him anywhere near her. He couldn’t blame her.
She’d been a virgin. He’d ruined her—and probablyhadn’t even given her much pleasure in the process. While for him it had been glorious.
Back home, Leo stripped off and flung himself into bed. Sleep eluded him. Questions pecked at him endlessly—unanswerable impossible questions.
He hadn’t come to the summerhouse intending to seduce Isobel. Belle. It had just happened.
And she’d wanted it as much as he did—she’d made that more than clear. He hadn’t forced her. Seduced her maybe. Or maybe they’d seduced each other.
But one thing was crystal clear. He’d seduced a virgin, and Leo knew what he had to do: marry her. It was the honorable thing to do.
***
Izzy walked slowly back through the garden. An owl hooted overhead, mournful and lonely. She let herself into Lady Scattergood’s, locked the back door behind her and walked slowly up the stairs.
Was this how it was for most women, their first time? This plummeting from joy to despair? Exhilaration followed by devastation?
Was this how it had been for Mama? Had Papa shown her a glimpse of heaven and then walked away as if nothing had happened? Acting like a polite stranger.
