The Duchess (Montgomery/Taggert 16)

Claire sniffed in satisfaction and looked away. She was determined not to look at them again.

When they arrived at Bramley it was one o’clock in the morning and Claire knew that she should go straight to bed. She hoped that Brat hadn’t had any trouble covering for her. But as Oman helped her from the carriage, she looked at Trevelyan and Nyssa standing in the darkness, standing close together, and she didn’t want to leave them alone. She kept thinking of them in Bonnie Prince Charlie’s big bed.

“I’m starving,” Claire announced. “Absolutely famished. Oman, I know it’s late, but do you think there’s any food in the tower? I absolutely must have something to eat.” She could feel Trevelyan looking at her but she wouldn’t meet his eyes. She didn’t want to see that he knew what she was thinking.

When Oman nodded that he did have food, Claire put her head up and followed him into the tower, Nyssa and Trevelyan behind her.

Once in Trevelyan’s writing room, Claire walked to the window seat and looked out. She still didn’t want to look at Trevelyan and see what he knew. She should go back to her own room, back to where she belonged, but she kept seeing that woman kiss Trevelyan.

Oman served a cold supper in the bedroom. Claire took a seat across from Nyssa, then, to her surprise, Trevelyan pulled his chair up so that he sat next to Claire. So he can see her while she eats, Claire thought and bent her head over the food.

Nyssa spoke to Trevelyan in Peshan.

“She wants to know if you’re a virgin,” Trevelyan said.

Claire’s head came up. “Tell her it’s none of her business. Tell her that in my country it’s impolite to ask such a question.”

Nyssa spoke.

“She says that it’s impolite in her country also but that she’s the Pearl of the Moon so she can do whatever she likes. She asks if—” Trevelyan broke off and spoke to Nyssa. The two spoke for a few minutes. Oman was serving food and as Claire glanced at him, she saw that he was shocked.

“What’s she saying about me?” Claire asked.

“Nothing much,” Trevelyan answered.

“I want the truth. I want you to tell me what she’s saying.”

Trevelyan looked at Nyssa then at Claire. “She says that you have the look of a virgin. She says it’s a shame that you haven’t…”

“Haven’t what?”

“Nothing,” Trevelyan muttered and filled his mouth with food.

“I want to know!” Claire felt near tears. For hours now she’d watched the two of them together and she’d been angry every second of those hours. She was tired and she wasn’t thinking clearly. “Tell me what she’s saying. I’m not a child who has to have secrets kept from her.”

Trevelyan looked at Claire, his eyes intense. His voice was quiet when he spoke. “Nyssa said that it’s too bad you believe in keeping your virginity because, according to her, Captain Baker is a great lover.”

Claire looked at Nyssa, sitting there in her diaphanous robe, her exquisite little face with its slight smile, and Claire was furious, furious that so much was assumed about her. Why did this semi-harlot assume that she, Claire Willoughby, knew nothing?

“Tell her I’m not a virgin, and that I’ve had many lovers.”

“I’ll tell her no such thing.” Trevelyan sounded shocked.

Claire glared at him. “You are going to pretend to have scruples? You? You with your twenty-five women in one night? You are balking at one lie? Tell her I’ve had as many as a dozen lovers in one night.”

Trevelyan’s eyes started twinkling. “That’s too many.”

“Oh, is it?” Claire frowned. “How many’s an impressive number?”

“One man who kept you awake all night.”

“Just one?”

Trevelyan laughed at that. “One good one.”

“All right, tell her that then. Tell her I’ve had the world’s best.”

“And who would that be? Harry?”