“Barl Lindin? No-one,” he said… and felt his breath catch at the betrayal. Felt a helpless rage that it should strike him as betrayal. Barl Lindin was no-one and for the sake of everything he valued she had to remain no-one.

“She must be someone,” said Maris. “Or why would Venette care? What has she done that she should be punished at your estate?”

“Maris, it’s Council business. I can’t—”

Her lips were sweet, her breath sweeter. She kissed him with ardour, stirring heat to raging flames. Now her breasts pressed against him as her hands slid around his ribcage, tugging them heart to drubbing heart.

“When we are wed,” she breathed, “we’ll be as one. And then you’ll tell me everything, Morgan.”

Shuddering, he gasped as her lips found the wild pulse beating at the base of his throat. He raised his hands to push her away, to end this madness, but instead they slid down her back to her cotton-clad buttocks. She laughed as he clutched her, laughed again as he pulled her hard to him.

“I’m not afraid, Morgan. If you want me now, take me. With you I am wanton. I’d be no other way!”

The blood was thundering in his ears, lust like a wildfire burning away restraint. Maris was grinding her hips against him, her fingers kneading his buttocks, little mewling cries escaping her lips. The closet’s shelves, laden with tablecloths and napkins, tins of polish, spare heavy silver candlesticks and other mansion oddments, pressed across his shoulderblades and into the curve of his lower back. Somehow the pain of it only added to his pleasure. Still mewling, close to sobbing, Maris shifted herself, snatched one of his hands from her clenched buttocks and fumbled his fingers between her legs. He could feel the heat of her through the thin, striped cotton of her dress.

“Morgan,” she groaned, her eyes slitted. “I’m unbreached, but I know enough to know where I want you to touch me.”

He’d kept himself from Luzena, but before her he’d tempted fate with eager young women. Not many. He’d learned quite young to keep his passions in check. But before the lesson had sunk in he’d played the rutting stallion. He knew what to do. The question was, should he do it?

If I heed her, there can be no going back. I can’t use her and discard her. This act will make me hers.

Which would be for the best, surely.

Her face flushed, her breathing stormy, Maris unlaced her bodice and bared her breasts for his taking. Crushing her pale flesh in his hands, he stared into her glazed eyes.

“You’re certain, Maris? You want this?”

“More than anything,” she said, her voice husky. “Now, Morgan. Hurry.”

He nodded. “Then ward the door.”