"Do you know what I think? I think you want him to vex you. I think you want him to look your way and press his attentions."
"I think I would rather eat a cockroach."
"Do you know the most surprising aspect of being made verwulfen?"
The abrupt switch in conversation made Adele suspicious. "What?"
Lena's eyes narrowed as she leaned forward. "I can actually smell your nervousness when you lie. You're lying to me right now. And to yourself."
Maybe it was true.
And who else did she have to discuss this with?
The memories were eating away at her.
"There was an incident between us," she suddenly blurted. "At the Ivory Tower four months ago, when the queen was nearly assassinated."
"What sort of incident?"
"Someone had shot Malloryn—not that I blame them. Entirely. He has that effect. But he was bleeding so much. And I.... It's not the first time I've given blood to a blue blood. I just thought.... I couldn't just leave him there."
"You gave blood to an injured blue blood?" Lena's eyes widened. "Adele!"
"I know." She slammed the ring back on her finger. "It's the first thing we're warned against as debutantes. An injured blue blood is at the mercy of his craving. They're no longer entirely in control of themselves."
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Bronze flashed in Lena's eyes as her own passion roused. To be verwulfen meant being subject to your emotions, and if she thought Malloryn had harmed Adele, it was quite possible she'd go after him.
Adele looked down into her lap, her cheeks heating. "No. It wasn't... like that."
At all.
She could still feel the press of Malloryn's lips to her throat. And the caress of his tongue. His hand on her breast, thumb rasping over her hardened nipple as he ground his hips between her thighs—
"It wasn't just the bloodlust that roused," she blurted.
Silence fell.
Lena's pretty rosebud mouth had dropped open. "Did he—?"
"No! He came back to his senses in time."
"But it was clearly a passionate interlude."
Adele squeezed her eyes shut. "He's never touched me like that before. He told me he never would. And I never wanted him to before that moment. But now, I cannot quite seem to forget it."
"Oh, dear."
"And then he disappeared for nearly a month, with a letter telling me not to worry. Nothing to bother myself over. But when he returned... it was as though nothing had ever happened between us. He avoids me. I avoid him." She curled her fingers into fists. "But I wish to God he'd never touched me. Because now I know he is not merely made of ice. I was content with our agreement before then. I would have remained content. But now I know. And it is torture."
"Aha."
"Aha, what?"
"That's why I catch him looking at you so often with that indecipherable look on his face." Lena eased onto the sofa before her, placing her hand over the top of Adele's. "So what are you going to do about it?"
"Going to do? Why, nothing. Malloryn despises me."
"That is not the Adele I know. She would be taking no prisoners. You should seduce him."
"The Adele you know would prefer not to have her husband laugh in her face."
"Did he seem disgusted when he realized what had occurred?"
"Well, no. He seemed slightly horrified he may have hurt me. Then he lectured me about how dangerous it was. And then he realized the queen was under attack, and what happened may as well not have happened. I assure you, it hasn't cost him a moment of sleep."
Lena frowned.
"I told you: The man feels nothing." Adele shook her head. "You're my dearest friend. I know you want only the best for me, but trust me... there is no hope my husband desires me."
"Was he aroused at the—?"
"Yes, but I assume that was a product of the circumstances. Most blue bloods do rouse when their bloodlust rises."
Alex gave a whimpering cry, screwing up his face as he gummed at Lena's chain.
"Well, I still think there's a chance you could—"
Alex promptly cast up his accounts all over his mother's gown. Adele jerked her skirts out of the way in surprise.
"Oh, Alex." Lena gave an exasperated sigh, staring at the state of her gown. She rolled her eyes and transferred him to her other shoulder as the baby settled, evidently feeling much better.
"Is he ill?"
"No. He's a great big glutton, is what he is." Lena patted his back gently, her gaze softening as she looked at him. "It happens occasionally after he's fed."
That sounded ghastly.
And yet her friend still smiled. Adele couldn't quite understand it. "Perhaps I'd best take my leave and let you change. I've dwelled here long enough."
And she recognized the look in Lena's eyes.
Her friend was not going to change the subject, not anytime soon.
"Oh, it's no problem at all," Lena replied, raising her voice. "Nurse?"
The door opened, and the nursemaid appeared. "Yes, mum?"
"Could you please see Master Alex to the nursery? I believe he needs changing. I'll be along as soon as I've cleaned myself up."
The nursemaid bobbed a curtsy. "Yes, mum."
"I should go," Adele murmured. "Thank you for the tea and scones."
Lena pointed a finger at her even as she bent to try and clean her hem. "Don't think I'll forget about this. I intend to pursue the topic."
"Excellent." Adele fetched her hat from the table where she'd left it. "The very thought of my husband desiring me should prove humorous, if nothing else."
And the idea of seducing him?
Well, that was simply ludicrous.
Adele stood on the portico of Lena's home and stared blindly at the gardens, still picturing the baby's face in her mind and the look of adoration on his face.
I want one.
What an utterly ridiculous instinct. Somehow she breathed out a laugh.
"Fuck whomever you want, Adele, but don't bring any bastards home to my house. There are limits...."
Which meant the only way she would ever conceive a child was with her husband.
And that was never going to happen.