It drove her mad. The only way Philippa could imagine changing Wick’s mind was to seduce him. True, she didn’t know much about seduction. Rodney had thrown himself in the straw at her feet, after all, and even the memory of him scrabbling at her ankles made her shudder.

One day when Kate took the baby off to nurse, Philippa drifted around the castle until she found Wick inspecting the work of three footmen as they polished some silver. Gathering her resolve, she poked her head in, and said as calmly as she could, “Mr. Berwick, Her Highness would like to speak to you in the nursery.”

But when he emerged from the door, she pulled him into the small sitting room next door. They didn’t say a word, just came together with a giddiness that made them both shake with silent laughter until the glitter in Wick’s eyes became something else, something hotter and more private than mirth.

She kissed him until they were both shaking, until her blood raced, until she could feel him, hard and rigid against her.

And yet, after a few minutes he put her away, looking down into her face with that impenetrable expression that she was growing to hate. There was a frown in his eyes.

“You mustn’t do this,” he whispered, rubbing his thumb over her lip.

“Why not?”

“I’m not worth it. I’m not worth you. This cannot—we cannot—be together.”

“We are together,” she said. “I lo—”

His hand slipped over her mouth. “Don’t say it. You must not. I am not a gentleman.”

“I love you,” she said, pulling her head sharply from his hand. “I will tell my father that; I will tell anyone: your brother, Kate, the footmen, the cook.”

She could see him swallow. “I could not bear it if you did that.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“I would not wish that on my worst enemy.”

“What wouldn’t you wish?” she asked, genuinely bewildered.

“To ruin the woman he loves,” he said.

“I’m already ruined.”

He ran one finger down her cheek, and then let his hand drop. “You were not ruined by the loutish Rodney, no matter what you think. There’s many a lady who anticipated the marriage bed. But make no mistake, you would be ruined by marrying a servant.” He turned and withdrew, leaving her there.

Wick walked straight out of the castle, down the great marble stairs, and to the lake. He moved blindly, seeing nothing but the disappointment in Philippa’s eyes. He felt a queer ache in his heart at the thought of it.

Yet what could he do? He loved her—God, he loved her the way he never imagined was possible. He would step before a raging bull, he would throw himself in—

But he couldn’t do what she wanted. Marry her? Make her into the wife of a butler? Never. Never.