Chapter Twenty-five

Desperate was the right word, but he did not wish to be reminded of his latest failure. “And you?” he said bitterly. “Are you desperate to be back in Arnold's arms? Don't you wish to be far away from me? To be treated like royalty and enjoy his wealth?”

She whirled back toward him, her blue-green eyes widening in shock. “You know I am not! How could you accuse me of that? You know very well I had no knowledge of his tricks and I would never sell myself for money."

He knew that, but Sylvia believed the best of people. Could she, in time, grow to forgive the baron as well? The thought made him cruel.

“You should know,” he said brutally, “that you were not the first woman he took as his lover since his marriage. He has quite the reputation of sleeping around.”

She licked her lips. “I wasn’t?”

“He’s had five or six.”

She set her coffee cup down on the table with a trembling hand. “You must think I’m the biggest idiot in the world,” she whispered, blinking fast. “Believing Arnold would a