When Strangers Marry by Lisa Kleypas Read Free Book Online

businessmen who could afford to keep them. Placées , the highly sought-after girls were called, and most of them were kept in great luxury.
    Max had laughed at her comment. “I don’t give a damn about virginity,” he had told her. “I want the companionship of a beautiful, intelligent woman. Name your terms, Mariame—I want you too badly to quibble over details.”
    His admiration had soothed Mariame’s grief and wounded pride immeasurably. She had heard the ugly rumors about Vallerand, and had long wonderedabout their truth. However, as she had seen the loneliness in Max’s dark eyes and the gentleness in his manner, she had decided to trust him.
    In the eight years since then, Mariame had never regretted her choice. Max was a tender lover, a generous provider, and a caring friend. Although he had taken care never to sire any children by her, he had paid for her son to be educated in Paris. The jewels and clothes he had given her through the years would be enough to keep her in luxury for the rest of her life, and she had no doubt that when he ended their relationship, he would give her an extravagant settlement.
    Because Max had been kind to Mariame, she had resolved never to stand in the way of anything he wanted. When he decided to break things off between them, she would let him go without protest. She had no wish to chain him to her, and she had wisely avoided falling in love with him.
    Mariame’s face lit with a smile as she wrapped her arms around Max’s shoulders. Lean-bodied and tall, she found it an easy task to rise on her toes and brush her lips against his. However, tonight Max did not respond as she had expected. He was unusually preoccupied, troubled about something.
    “I didn’t come here for that,” Max said, disentangling himself from her grasp.
    Mariame went to pour him a drink. “Then what are you here for, Max?”
    “I don’t know.” He walked around the room restlessly.
    “Sit, please, ma cher . It makes me nervous to see you pace like a hungry tiger.”
    Max complied, sitting on the settee with a brooding, unfocused stare.
    Mariame settled comfortably on the sofa beside him, her long, sleek legs dangling carelessly over one of his thighs. She handed him a snifter of brandy. “Perhaps this will help to relax you.”
    He took the glass and drank deeply, barely noticing the fine vintage.
    Mariame’s fingers walked up his thigh on a path they had often frequented before. “Are you sure you do not want to—”
    “No,” he muttered, brushing her hand away.
    Mariame shrugged. “ D’accord .” A sly, interested smile touched her lips. “ Alors , you might tell me more about this woman staying at the house.”
    Max gave her a sardonic glance, realizing that the rumors had spread even more quickly than he had expected. “The twins encountered Mademoiselle Kersaint as she was trying to flee from an undesired marriage.”
    “Ah.” Mariame’s sleek brows lifted expressively. “Not many women would dare to do such a thing. Who is her intended, bien-aimée? ”
    “Etienne Sagesse.”
    Her playful fingers stilled on the edge of his shoulder. “Sagesse… bon Dieu . How odd that the girl should come to you, of all people, for refuge. What are you going to do?”
    “I’m going to take advantage of the situation, naturally.”
    Her smooth forehead creased with concern. “Be careful, Max. I know that you would stop at nothing to repay Sagesse for what he did all those years ago. But you would come to regret it if you resorted to abusing an innocent in your care.” A fond smile touched her lips. “You do have a conscience, cher , though you try to pretend otherwise.”
    A reluctant grin crossed Max’s face. “I’m glad you think so.” He leaned his head back and stared at the cypress-paneled ceiling above. “Mariame,” he said, abruptly changing the subject, “you know that I would never end our relationship without providing for you.”
    “I have never feared that you would