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cannot deny that.
Nightmare? He frowned, offended by her choice of word.
I m sorry if that s the way you see our relationship. It needn t
be a nightmare if you don t let it.
No? I think you are right. Pausing to draw a fortifying
breath, she said, Which is why I want a divorce. It s the only
way out that I can see.
Helen Dickson 145
Kit looked at her hard for a moment and then shook his
head with infuriating calm, as if he d half expected this. A
divorce, he repeated. And would you care to tell me how you
intend to accomplish that and keep it from your father at the
same time?
I don t know. I haven t thought about the legalities of it
yet, but I will. I suppose it will involve solicitors and people
like that. Together I m sure we can come up with something.
No, Amanda. You will be wasting your time. To go
through that will be an embarrassing and completely futile
ordeal for you.
Futile? But why?
Because I refuse to consider a divorce, he stated firmly.
Then the marriage can be annulled and declared void on
the grounds of non-consummation.
His eyes narrowed. Ah I wondered how long it would take
you to mention that. Since we are talking of legalities, I believe
I have legal rights of my own I have yet to claim from you.
Panic stirred within Amanda. This wasn t going the way
she had planned it. Please, Kit, don t do this. An annulment
should not be difficult to obtain under the circumstances.
Why because you are still a virgin? And do you think you
will be believed when it is made known that you spent a night
here with me that the two of us were completely alone?
But nothing has happened between us, she cried. We both
know that. You must see that this is for the best for both of us.
Kit stared down at the tempestuous young woman. Her
eyes were stormy, her face both delicate and vivid in the soft
light. He wondered why, even now when she was almost
begging him to release her, he should feel this consuming, un-
quenchable need to possess her.
It is a dilemma for you, Amanda, I do realise that, but I
will not release you from our bargain. Absolutely not. We are
146 Rogue s Widow, Gentleman s Wife
bound together by ties that can never be broken. You see, he
said, slowly moving closer to her, one day a convincingly
wayward young woman with an unforgettable face and form
came to visit me in my prison cell. When she left she had
seared her brand upon my mind and my heart and stirred my
imagination to proportions I had never known before. Such
an impression did she make that when I was set free I was de-
termined to seek her out. And now I have found her I will not
let her go.
Kit s words caused the internal war going on between
Amanda s mind and heart to escalate to tumultuous propor-
tions. Trying to avoid both his searching gaze and the entire
discussion, she moved farther away from him, no longer
feeling entirely the injured and innocent party.
Have you always been so persistent?
It is one of my unattractive qualities, he replied smoothly.
Now, no more talk of divorce tonight or any other night,
come to that. It will get you nowhere. But come, I forget my
manners. I ve never entertained a guest in my cottage before.
I m most happy to have you here. Please, he said, indicating
the sofa set at right angles to the fire, make yourself comfort-
able and I ll pour us a drink madeira, I think.
Amanda sank into the sofa s deep upholstery. Surprisingly
she did not feel too disappointed that he refused to consider
her suggestion of a divorce deep down she had expected it.
He would be like a dog with a bone until she had fulfilled her
side of the bargain. Kit uncorked the wine and handed her a
glass, before seating himself in a wooden chair with a high
carved back across from her. She sipped the wine. It was rich
and full bodied and brought sunlight to mind. After a few
moments of companionable silence she felt that familiar twist
of her heart, that addictive blend of pleasure and discomfort
whenever she was with Kit.
Helen Dickson 147
She was young and had never experienced love. Kit was
strong and virile and his eyes glittered with a restless passion.
Her own restless spirit wanted to savour it, to touch it and feel
it, and with Kit she was at liberty to do just that if she wanted
to. But she held back afraid, afraid of what further disrup-
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