“ Squeamish? Do you really find me to be so?” Her voice sounded strangled and unnatural. When Audrey turned to him, Lord Holbrook opened his mouth, likely to confirm exactly what she had no desire to hear. She held up a hand. “Forget I asked. I really don’t want to know what you think on the matter.”

A wry grin covered his features, but ne inclined his head in concession.

Squeamish. A prude. Everything she had thought she wasn’t-but was she? In the early days of their marriage, Lodge had wanted to try a few things during their bed play which she’d shied away from. But they’d seemed so very improper, so wicked and shocking.

With a frown, Audrey stood and once again smoothed her hands over her skirts. “Thank you for your time, Lord Holbrook.” Somehow, she got the words out without choking on them. “If you’ll excuse me.”

Then without waiting for a response, she left the drawing room and made for the stairs.

TWO

On his way back into the abbey from a ride with Lord Quinton and Sir Jonas Buchannan, Lodge Veazey caught a glimpse of his wife scurrying from the drawing room and up the stairs as though the hounds of hell were at her heels.

Sir Jonas stopped in his tracks and faced him. “Is something amiss with your wife?”

Apart from the fact that she was a bit too puritanical for his base, lustful urges? But Lodge couldn’t very well voice such a thing before anyone else. It wouldn’t do. He loved her too much to cause her such discomfort, and if anything was bound to cause her instant mortification, that would certainly do it.