Relief flooded her, but apprehension forced her to remain at the edge of the seat. “Thank you, sire,” she whispered twixt parched lips.
He sat back, crossed one leg over the other and grabbed his ankle. “Amethyst, you know very well Catherine and I have been estranged. It is not because of my other mistresses, as you thought. That is no reason for an estrangement. The reason is that I have ceased to love Catherine. We've grown apart, our ideals and goals have long since parted their ways and have followed diverse paths. We cannot talk, cannot see eye to eye on any subject, she is as bent on her beliefs as I am on mine.” He gazed into the fire and sighed. “The other reason is much more mundane.” He looked into her eyes. “I need an heir, a legitimate male heir, and Catherine is past her chi
