Heat flushed her cheeks as she recalled just how wantonly she had responded to his erotic caresses moments ago.

She might have argued with him further but for the soft rap on the door. Aurora froze, watching in horror as her bedchamber door started to open.

In three strides she was across the room, pushing the door shut again.

"My lady," a female voice called through the oak paneling. "I've brought your morning chocolate."

"One moment," Aurora replied, almost frantic as she tried to think what to do. If the maid were to find Nicholas here, she would have no shred of reputation left.

Spinning, Aurora moved quickly over to the bed and yanked the bed curtains closed, concealing Nicholas behind the ivory brocade. She heard his soft chuckle as she returned to open the door, and had to grit her teeth at his misplaced humor. How could he put her in such a vulnerable position and laugh about it?

Stepping back, she allowed the maid to enter the room. Her heart hammering, Aurora tried not to glance at the bed curtains as the girl set the breakfast tray down on the bedside table.

"Thank you, Molly. You may go now."

"Yes, my lady."

With a curtsey, the maid left the room, and Aurora firmly bolted the door behind her.

"Is it safe yet?" Nicholas asked, his tone husky with laughter.

"Keep your voice down," she demanded in a fierce whisper. "The servants will hear you." She pulled open the curtains to find him lounging negligently on the bed, his dark eyes dancing. His audacity riled her to no end.

"There is no need for panic, Aurora."

"That is easy for you to say. It isn't your reputation that will be in shreds if a strange man is found in your bed."

"If a man were found in my bed, I expect my reputation would suffer no small amount. But there is little chance of that happening, since I am inordinately fond of women."

"Nicholas, this is not in the least amusing!"

"Oh, I think it is. I find it fascinating to see you in a passion. It requires work to make you lose that cool, regal air of yours."

Aurora raised her eyes to the ceiling, struggling for patience. "Will you put your clothes on and go away?"

"Where do you expect me to go?"

She controlled her vexation long enough to give him a quizzical look. "Don't you have somewhere to stay?"

"And if I said no? Would you take pity on me and invite me to live here with you?"

"I would have my butler help you to find lodgings," Aurora said repressively.

"You needn't trouble yourself, love."

"Seriously, where are you staying?"

"Aboard ship at the moment. But the docks are too far away for convenience, so I mean to take rooms at a hotel. I thought of staying with Wycliff – Brand claims a slight acquaintance with him – but Lucian is out of town, and the coincidence would only invite suspicion."

"I should think so," Aurora said in a tart undervoice. "You are mad even to be in this country. You are going to get yourself killed."

Ignoring her prediction, Nicholas glanced around the room. "This is a handsome bedchamber – I imagine the entire house is. You said you purchased it with your marriage settlement?"

"Yes." She gave him a questioning look. "You don't mean to go back on your word and nullify the settlement, do you?"

"Not at all. You earned it with your services to my sister."

"Yet you seem intent on destroying all my efforts on her behalf – and on giving me heart failure in the process."

"No, sweeting. I only want to talk. There is still the minor matter of our marriage to be resolved." He patted the mattress beside him. "Sit here beside me."

Aurora eyed him warily. "Surely you don't expect me to trust you after what you just did?"

"I thought you didn't wish the servants to hear. They will, you know, if I have to shout at you across the room."

His amused look suggested a reckless disregard for the consequences of discovery, but she didn't care to put his rashness to the test. With extreme reluctance, Aurora perched on the edge of the bed and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Very well, you may talk."

He contemplated her for a moment. "You seem eager to forget that you still have a husband."

"I am eager. I never expected this complication in our relationship, you must realize that."

"I do."

"I fulfilled my side of our bargain, Nicholas. You know quite well that lifetime commitment was no part of it. Our agreement was for one night only."

"So it was."

"Ours was to be a marriage of convenience, merely that."

"And it is no longer convenient for you."

"Or for you, either, I'm sure. You never wanted me for your wife."

"I think I could be persuaded to change my mind."

She gave him a startled look.

"We never had the chance to know each other," Nicholas said slowly. "To see if we would suit."

"The answer to that is quite obvious. You know very well we would never suit. You would never be happy with me – nor I with you. I could never fit into your world, among pirates and adventurers, on board a fighting ship. I would never feel comfortable with that kind of existence."

"I was considering settling down after the war ends."

"In America?"

"Yes. My home is in Virginia. My mother and sisters live there."

"What are you saying? That you want me to give up my life and return there as your wife?"

"I expect you would have to, since I obviously cannot remain in England."

Her gaze turned troubled. "This is my home, Nicholas. I have no desire to leave the only life I've known, to live in America among strangers. The war between our countries could last for years, and who knows when I could ever return here, or even see my family and friends."

"I didn't think you were overly fond of your family."

"I am not. But that is not really the issue. What frightens me most is the violent life you lead, the dangerous risks you take. I couldn't bear waiting for you to come home from some far off land, not knowing if I would ever see you again, or if you had been killed. Look at the peril you are in now. You are a condemned man. You could be arrested and executed at any moment." She shook her head. "I have already mourned you once. I won't go through that again."

He remained silent, his dark eyes searching hers.

"There must be another solution," Aurora said finally. "One that doesn't entail us living together as man and wife."

"The only way I know of to dissolve our union is through divorce."

Aurora felt the color fade from her face. Divorce, even if one could be secured – which would be extremely difficult – would ruin her. "A divorce would be disastrous for me. It would brand me a pariah in society. I could never show my face in polite company again."

"Perhaps," he said musingly, "I could try to have an American court declare the marriage invalid. I might have a case, since I was compelled to wed under duress."

"Couldn't we simply go on as if you had never returned?" she asked earnestly. "What would be the harm in leading separate lives?"

He studied her for a moment. "You realize that as long as we're wed, neither of us can ever marry again?"

"I have no desire ever to marry. Once was enough." She saw his eyebrow lift and bit her lip. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded. It's only that I suffered a great despair when I thought you dead, and I don't wish ever to endure that again. I vowed I would forget my loss and make a new life for myself. And I have thus far."

"I have a question," Nicholas said slowly. "Suppose we do remain legally bound. What happens if either of us should fall in love with someone else? You would certainly want to be free of the marriage then."

"There is little chance of my falling in love again. I loved Geoffrey for most of my life, and I don't believe I could ever love any man but him. But even if I could, I am determined I will never give my heart again. It is too painful to lose someone I care for."

Nicholas clenched his jaw for an instant, but then his mouth relaxed in a faint smile. "Have you considered my perspective? What if I come to love someone else?"

That possibility gave her an unaccountable jolt, but she dismissed it with a skeptical look. A rake like Nicholas Sabine was not likely to fall in love. "I doubt that will happen, but I will make you a promise. If you ever do find someone else to love, I will free you from our marriage. I'll agree to an annulment or a divorce – whatever it takes to end our union."

"So for now we do nothing?"

"Yes," she said, relieved that he intended to be reasonable. "In public we can pretend the other doesn't exist – "

"I am supposed to be your cousin by marriage. It would look odd if we failed to at least speak when we meet in public."

"Well, perhaps we could acknowledge the acquaintance in public."

"What about in private?"

"There is no reason for us to have any private contact." She gave him a stern look. "Or any contact at all. Indeed, I don't know why you are even considering remaining in England. You would do better to leave at once. If you remain, you will only get yourself killed. I couldn't bear that, Nicholas."

"Thank you for your concern, sweetheart, but I don't intend to die any time soon."

"You didn't intend to be imprisoned or sentenced to hang four months ago, either."

Nicholas cocked his head as he regarded her. "There is one other aspect we haven't considered. Carnal relations. If you and I are still wed, we cannot take other lovers without committing adultery."