She held up a hand to stop him. He was either going to tell her he loved her, which she somehow couldn’t picture happening, and also knew she couldn’t hear, or he was going to tell her it had been a mistake, which she already knew. Neither needed to be said aloud.

“There’s nothing to say, Upton. It’s over. We needn’t mention it ever again.”

His eyes were wide as he turned to look at her. “Needn’t mention it again? Did it mean so little to you? Do you do that sort of thing often?”

Indignation flooded through her. She stopped plucking at her gown. Her hands turned into fists along the tops of her thighs. “You’re questioning me? I am not the one who should have to answer for my behavior. I’m not the one who brought his mistress to a wedding!”

Upton’s face contorted with amazement. “My what?”

Based on his reaction, Jane immediately had her doubts, but she’d already said the vile word and she wasn’t about to back down. “You heard me. Your mistress.”

He sat up straight and leaned closer to her, his face still registering disbelief. “Who, pray tell, do you believe is my mistress?”

She turned her face away and sniffed. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Upton.”

“I would never dream of it,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Then you know I mean Mrs. Langford,” she replied through equally clenched teeth.

“I can assure you, Mrs. Langford is unequivocally not my mistress. I do not have a mistress. It’s not my style, but if it was, I certainly wouldn’t dishonor the widow of my deceased friend by making her my mistress. And I would never dishonor Cassandra and Swifdon by inviting a light o’ love to their wedding. Have you gone mad?”

Jane snapped her mouth shut. He sounded so convincing. Could she have made a mistake? Oh, God. Of course she could have. “But Mrs. Langford said…”

“She said she was my mistress?” Surprise tinged his voice.

“Not precisely, but she implied … She said you were ‘quite close.’”

Upton pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and shook his head. “Look, Jane, I admit Isabella seems to be interested in me, and she’s been quite rude to you, but she is not now nor has she ever been my mistress.”

“So, I’m the only woman you’ve kissed at this house party?” The words sounded ridiculous as soon as they left her mouth but she truly wanted to know the answer.

His laugh was a short, wry chuckle. “The one and only. Despite what you think of me and my reputation, I don’t make a habit of passionate interludes with ladies at my friends’ house parties. You were stunningly beautiful that night. To be entirely candid, I’ve dreamed about it since.”