A Penny's Worth of Affection novel Chapter 22

"I beg your pardon?" he replied incredulously, "What are you trying to say?"

She shrugged and turned away from him to hunt for her discarded shoe. "I asked you to stop. That should be enough to tell you how little it meant to me."

He uttered a curse and grabbed her arm, whirling her about to face him. She stared into his stormy eyes defiantly, angry at how easily he had insulted her. "Let me go, Your Grace!" she ground out frostily.

"No! Not until you explain yourself." He shot back, his words dripping with fury. He gripped her shoulders and glowered at her. "You did not enjoy being kissed?"

"I thought there was nothing to discuss? Why do you suddenly seek my opinion about a simple kiss?"

He shook her so hard; the pins fell out of her hair, causing it to tumble around her shoulders. "You little minx," he growled at her, "Are you throwing my words back in my face?"

"Unhand me this minute!" She hissed at him, "You are an obnoxious, arrogant bastard, and I do not blame your betrothed for seeking warmth and affection at the hands of another man! Tell me, how do you intend to confront her about her infidelity when you are guilty of the exact same thing? You are nothing but a..."

"I warn you, Miss Inglewood," Phillip cut in, his voice tightly controlled despite the blazing fury Penny could see in his eyes, "I do not tolerate being addressed thus. I have harmed people for speaking less than you have just done."

"I am not afraid of you," Penny declared, jabbing her finger at his cravat defiantly. "If anything, I feel sorry for you."

He let out a bark of laughter, "You feel sorry? Pray tell, what have I done to invoke your pity, Miss Inglewood?"

"You do not need me to tell you your faults. Now, let me go. Go find somebody who gives a whit about you. Perhaps they will take pity on you and enunciate your faults."

They stood for a minute in silence, glaring daggers at each other. Despite her anger, she could feel herself weakening under his gaze, a part of her yearned for the feel of his lips, the fire of his kiss. Her breath hitched as she saw the anger melt away from his expression to be replaced by a smouldering heat. It would be utter folly to kiss him again, not after the way he had brutally dismissed the previous encounter.

He dropped his arms and took a step back, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, casting a black look. "You are quite an annoying woman."

He sighed and raised his eyes to heaven in exasperation. "Are you always this hard-headed, woman? I have no wish to maul your person. I simply want to help you with your hair. Now, turn about before I change my mind."

Chastened, she meekly did as ordered. He gathered the mass of dark curls, his fingertips brushing her bare shoulders, sending fresh tingles of delight along her spine. He rather expertly twisted the hair and deftly refastened the ends with the pins, leaving Penny to wonder how he had come to such knowledge. No doubt from the numerous women he had debauched and had found a need to dress hastily. A dreadful thought seized her. Did she now count as one of those very women? Dear heavens! What had she become?

He moved to stand before her, admiring his handiwork before nodding in approval. "That will have to do I'm afraid. I am no lady's maid."

She huffed, still oddly put out by the thought of him redressing some loose woman's hair in a like manner. "Well, you certainly seem quite versed in the art. You did well enough I suppose."

He looked at her for a moment and grinned devilishly. "Why, Miss Inglewood! I believe you are jealous of my accomplishments."

She snorted and turned away from him so he would not see the hot colour that suffused her cheeks. She retraced her steps to the very last turn they had taken before ending up here, gritting her teeth as he chuckled in amusement and followed her.