“Good Lord, Reeve, if you’re so bent on having the chit, go over to Duncan’s house and collect her! Have your little affaire d’amour—you know I’ll have no choice but to forgive you!”

Reeve advanced on Loretta suddenly, taking a hard grasp on her chin, forcing her to meet his snapping gaze. “You know what kind of man Duncan Kirk is,” he said in a dangerous hiss, “and you know what he’ll do to her! Damn it, woman, don’t you have a soul?”

“If he seduces her,” Loretta spat out, “he certainly won’t be the first! Your precious Maggie belonged to Philip Briggs before you knew her, remember!”

Reeve released Loretta so forcefully that she nearly lost her footing. He moved past her, to pour a double shot of rum into a glass and, between swallows, he chuckled. The sound was raw and frightening and Loretta edged away, out of reach.

Finally, he whirled on her, the fiery blue of his eyes warning of his rage even before he spoke. “That will be enough, Loretta. Quite enough.”

“Why?” Loretta spouted, wondering at her daring. “Because you can’t bear to think of pretty Philip putting his soft hands on her?”

Reeve tossed back the last of his rum before answering with a cutting, “When it comes to women, it’s more than Philip’s hands that’s soft, and you know it as well as I do, Loretta.”

The flimsy hope that Reeve might not have considered Philip’s personal foible collapsed under his words. She gave a long sigh and searched her mind for something to say that would make Reeve care for her again. Only for her.

“I love you,” she said.

“Please,” was the caustic reply.

Loretta’s voice was shaking and this time her tears were no artifice; they were real. “What do you want of me, Reeve? Just tell me what you want and I’ll—”

“I want you to leave.”

Loretta’s glass fell to the carpet with a thunk. “What?”

“I said, I want you to leave. I’ll provide for you, of course—you can have the theaters and my solicitor will draw up some kind of agreement for your support, but I want you out of this house, Loretta. Now. Tonight.”

“Reeve!” Loretta was standing before him now, clutching at his muscular arms. “In the name of heaven, don’t do this! If you want that—that woman, then have her! I’ll be waiting when you tire of her, I swear it!”

Something very much like disgust moved onto Reeve’s face, sobering Loretta, allowing her to get a hold on her dignity.

“This isn’t about Maggie, Loretta. It’s me, it’s you—” He paused, sighed. “It’s over.”

“No!”

Reeve gently freed his arms from her grasp and stepped away, turning his back.