Chapter 85

“If you despise me so much, then why didn’t you tell Charles what I really asked of you? Why save me with a lie?”

“Oh, good God!” she exclaimed impatiently. “I didn’t lie for you. I just didn’t want Charles to find out what an out-and-out bastard his best friend is.”

“Why would you bother?”

“Because the foolish man likes you, that’s why. And I like him. Why should he be upset by any of this? You’ve caused him enough hurt this year, don’t you think? This battle is strictly between us, and that’s how it’s going to stay.”

“Battle? That’s an odd word to use.”

“I think it’s very appropriate. We are at war, you and I. We have been for a long time.”

“Maybe it’s time we stopped, then. Maybe it’s time we made love, not war.”

“Make love?” she scoffed. “You must be insane. You don’t want to make love to me any more than I want to make love with you. You want revenge, that’s all, for what I said to you last Sunday.”

Sebastian saw with a sudden and