Her sister sighed. “You cannot be so certain you will not forgive him, so this rash plan of yours—”
“Is a perfect revenge,” she ended. “He will look upon my painting and wish with his whole heart that he could have me but will be forever denied!”
“And what if he should use this painting as evidence that you have been compromised and must marry?”
She scoffed. “He would be a fool to do so, for the man who would have done the compromising is the one whosawme naked. Not the marquess. If Mr. Fairbanks should agree, he will initial the painting as he does all of his work. There will be no doubt in the marquess’s mind who saw me naked, and I daresay he shall be miserable with want and jealousy.”
Leigh’s brows puckered. “Will you at least consider not having your face painted?”
“No.”
“Cress!”
She met her sister’s stare. “The marquess tried more than once to seduce me. I did not even allow his kisses. I did exactly as you told me.”
Her sister blushed. “I only told you what mama advised me,” she muttered.
Cressida smiled. “You told me to allow no kisses, no illicit touches until we have a firm engagement offer. In truth, you said not until the wedding night, but I should flirt and tease until he is mad with wanting me. I did. And he has often told me he does not wish to ruin my delicate sensibilities, but he will go mad from wanting to take me into his arms and kiss me.”
“All part of the courtship,” her sister said tartly, with a fiery blush about her cheeks.
Cressida laughed lightly, even though her heart felt heavy. “I really thought he liked me, Leigh, and was perhaps falling in love with me. I daresay I was open to falling in love with him, for I quite liked him, often imagined myself as his hostess, and even thought his kisses might be pleasant.”
Though he has never made my heart flutter like it did earlier. Squashing the traitorous thought, she folded her hands in her lap.
“Oh, Cress.” Leigh sighed. “That the marquess has a mistress does not mean he does not like you. He…he is simply a man, a rather dreadful gentleman, but not irredeemable.”
“That sounds like rubbish,” she said softly. “Does your husband have a mistress?”
“No.”
“Are you certain of it?”
Her sister’s cheeks burned even redder. “Should that man find the energy to have a lover, considering he comes to my bed every night, I should be impressed with him.”
Cressida’s eyes widened. Her sister had never spoken so brazenly to her before, and curiosity roiled through her. “What does he come to your bed and do?”
“Cressida!”
She grinned. “I am old enough to know.”
“You are only two and twenty.”
“Some say I am approaching spinsterhood. Surely you can tell me what supposedly goes on between a man and woman after marriage.”
“No.” Then her sister laughed. “You are incorrigible, and I am far too indulgent, especially with this little scheme of yours.”
“It is the perfect revenge,” she said darkly. “Your husband has no mistress, and it is clear he loves you, Leigh. Mama says she is embarrassed to see him wear his affection for you so publicly. Papa adores mama, and she feels the same about him. I do not think papa has ever kept a mistress.”
“As if our mother would allow it!”
“Precisely. Why must I accept it because other ladies do? Why can’t I have a faithful husband…one who will regard my heart and treat it with respect and kindness even if he is not in love with me? Did you see his reaction when I saw him in the gardens with that lady? He scoffed and tried to diminish my hurt as me being missish and then had the gall to say I shall return inside the ball and prepare for his dance and the announcement of our engagement. As if I am some biddable miss to simply obey his commands and overlook he had someone’s breast in his mouth and was bearing her down to the grass only minutes from our waltz and a declaration of our betrothal! How dare he?”
Her sister sighed, and they fell silent as the carriage pulled to a stop in front of their father’s townhouse in Grosvenor Square. As she made to exit the equipage, a hand on her arm arrested her movements. Her sister cast her a worried stare.
“Promise me you will be careful with Nicholas Fairbanks. Tread with all the care as if you are dealing with a lion.”
Oh dear. “I will,” she promised.