by Vikki Vaught
Drawing herself up to her full height, she snarled, “You know I could never live on the pittance your father left me.”
Andrew looked at her, daring her to look away. “If you ever hurt my wife again, I will stop the allowance so fast your head will spin. Hold your vicious tongue and leave us alone. Do I make myself clear?” Turning his back on her, he walked away before she had a chance to reply with more of her vitriol.
When he returned to the house, he went to the library and knocked on the door. Not hearing a response, he opened it to find an empty room. He went to the ballroom and found Kathleen standing with her mother. Even though she looked understandably distressed, he saw no tears. Her courage tugged on his heart. She didn’t deserve this and it was his fault. He should have taken a firmer stand with his mother when they’d talked yesterday. Now, she had ruined their wedding.
He walked over and reached for her hand. He bowed to his mother-in-law. “I apologize for the baroness, ma’am. She had no right to tell you anything. I talked to your son and assured him it will not happen again. I also had a long talk with my mother. She shall not bother my wife in the future. Please excuse us. I want to take my bride home. It’s been a long day for both of us.”
Georgia looked at him. He could see worry clouding her eyes. “Please come by in the mornin’ before you leave.” Then directing a scathing look at him, she added, “I want to make sure Kathleen is in better spirits, young man.”
“Mama, I’m fine. I’m tired, that’s all,” Kathleen interjected.
“I shall be happy to stop by, ma’am,” Andrew told her. “Just know—I care deeply for your daughter. I will make sure she is happy, please believe me. We shall see you in the morning.”
Oh, God, why did my mother have to be such a witch!
He would do whatever it took to make this up to Kathleen. He would treat her with all the care he would use with a fragile piece of porcelain. She deserved that and more. Her fortitude convinced him he had a precious jewel beyond measure. God had given him a gift he would treasure for the rest of his life.
CHAPTER TWELVE
On the ride to Andrew’s townhouse, Kathleen remained quiet and withdrawn. While she answered his inquiries, the joy from earlier in the day had fled for both of them. Even though she fought valiantly, a lone tear managed to slip down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away as she kept blinking to keep another at bay.
Clasping her hand, he gave it a gentle squeeze. He wanted to pull her onto his lap and tell her all would be fine, but it was too soon after the wounds his mother had inflicted. Her demeanor shouted her need for distance. Kathleen would not want him to see how anguished she actually was. In fact, he’d never seen her shed a tear before. His young bride was too strong and stubborn to accept comfort when her emotions had to be raw.
When they arrived at his townhouse, he escorted her inside and introduced her to the servants his butler had assembled to greet their new mistress. While his bride said the right things and smiled as she thanked everyone for her warm welcome, he could tell she was just going through the motions.
Placing his hand on the small of her back, he guided her upstairs to her new suite of rooms. “Would you like to rest for a while, my dear? I’m sure you must feel a bit drained after the upheaval my mother caused. I should have been more direct with her.”
She smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Her behavior is not your fault. I’m sure you asked her to keep silent. She’s suffered a great disappointment regarding your marriage. I’m not the bride she expected you to wed.”
Slipping his arm around her waist, he declared, “Well, you’re the bride I want, and that’s what matters. I hold you in high regard. And…I think you’re beginning to return my feelings, or at least I hope you do.”
This time when she smiled at him a trace of her usual sparkle came through. “I do hold you in great affection, and what is more important, I now respect you and believe we can make our marriage a happy one.”
Relief flooded his system. He should have known his brave Kathleen would not be defeated by the likes of his mother. “I feel the same way. We have reached your new bedchamber. Try to rest between now and dinner. I shall tell Chef Marcel to delay dinner until eight o’clock. When I return for you in a couple of hours, we will endeavor to put this out of our minds and enjoy our evening.” He opened the door for her, kissed her cheek, and went down the hall to his rooms.
Ensley had his evening clothes ready for him, and although it was barely six, he decided to go ahead and change. His valet shaved him, and then he donned his dinner attire. Once he completed his ablutions, he went downstairs to his study to peruse some reports his secretary had left for him. He hoped Kathleen would rest, although, he doubted she would fall asleep. Too much occupied her mind, thanks to his mother.
Hell’s bells!
Why did she have to be cruel?
Anger surged through his blood every time he thought of his mother telling Kathleen’s family of the scandal. Now, they were going to question his motives concerning her, no matter what he had said to them. He’d tried to be truthful when Hawks had asked him if he did. His affection for Kathleen grew stronger every day. As he’d told her brother, it would be easy to love her. He just wasn’t ready yet. Neither was Kathleen for that matter.
He still needed to reconcile his disappointment over marrying this early in his life. He’d not had the chance to sow all his wild oats as he’d expected to do before marriage. He didn’t feel ready for the responsibility of a family yet.
Devil take it! Why did this have to happen? He certainly hoped Kathleen would not get with child right away. They needed more time to become closer to each other…to hopefully fall in love. Since she’d had so much to contend with today, he would suggest they wait until they arrived at Grainger Hall and settled in before they consummated their marriage. They had the rest of their lives to be together, what would a week matter? Although his desire grew stronger each day, he would wait for her sake. While he longed to awaken the passions he believed Kathleen was capable of, rushing into making love could do more harm than good.
Once he looked over his reports from his secretary, he uncovered a missive from his solicitor and read it. The man had traced Kathleen’s grandfather to the Hawks in Ambleside. They were definitely related. What he found even more astonishing, the present baronet had been searching several years for any heir from his uncle’s family with no success.
From what his solicitor had discovered, Sir Malcom Hawks, the current baronet, had no living heirs. He’d lost his son in a boating accident three years ago and while his son had married, his wife had not given him any children. Kathleen and her brothers were now his only living relatives. That meant Alex was in line to inherit the baronetcy and the considerable wealth that went along with it.
What a revelation. He wanted to rush upstairs and tell her the good news, then decided it would be better to wait. This would affect her entire family. When she had mentioned finding their English cousins to Alex, he had brushed it off. He told her he wasn’t interested, however, if she wanted to pursue it, he had no objections.
When he glanced at the clock on the mantel, it showed the eight o’clock hour. Time to go collect his lovely bride. He hoped she was restored to her usual equilibrium. Knowing his strong-willed wife, he was fairly certain she was.
When he arrived at Kathleen’s door, he quietly knocked. He heard no response. He tried again and still nothing. Turning the knob, he cracked open the door and called out, “Kathleen, may I come in?” Still no answer. Getting concerned, he stepped into the room and approached the bed. Kathleen lay fast asleep with her kitten snuggled against her. He could see tear tracks on her pretty cheeks, and his heart ached for her.
Should I wake her up, or let her sleep?
He stood beside the bed, watching her. Her gorgeous hair spread across the pillow. It looked so soft. He fought the urge to run his fingers through the silken curls. He really should wake her. She had not eaten since
noon, so she must be hungry. Speaking softly, he murmured, “Kathleen? It’s time for dinner.”
She stretched like the kitten at her side and slowly opened her eyes, then smiled at him. “Oh, I fell asleep. I’m sorry. If you’ll give me a few minutes to freshen up, I shall be ready to go to dinner.”
“Of course, I’ll wait outside for you.” he replied.
Kathleen joined him soon after, and he escorted her to the dining room. He’d had the footman set a place for her beside him, so they could talk. After he helped her take her seat, he asked, “Would you like some wine?”
Smiling, she murmured, “That would be lovely.”
Picking up the wine decanter, he poured her a glass and one for himself, then took his seat. He signaled the footman to let him know they were ready for the first course. While the man served, he asked, “Did you enjoy your nap?”
She met his gaze. “I did. I feel much better after a couple hours of sleep. How did your conversation go with my brother? I think I convinced my mother we’re in love.”
“Once I assured him I hold you in great affection, he seemed to accept it well enough. I let him know that whether we were caught in a compromising position or not, I was glad I had married you.” Wanting to smooth some of the tension between them, he decided to go ahead and tell her what his solicitor found out. “I heard from my man of affairs today, and he’s established the connection between your family and the Hawks in Ambleside.”
Her eyes widened with interest. “Really? Please tell me everything he discovered.”
“As it turns out, Sir Malcom Hawks, the current baronet, is your father’s first cousin. He has searched for your family—”
She exclaimed, “He has? Tell me. Don’t keep me in suspense.”
Her eyes flashed brilliant green as she sat up in her chair, waiting for him to answer her. “He lost his son three years ago. That makes your brother his heir—”
“Pardon? How can that be?”
“The males on your grandfather’s side of the family are direct descendants of the old baronet, your great-grandfather, and all the baronets before him. That side of your family goes back to, I believe, the twelfth century, when the first male received the baronetcy for bravery during the crusades. When Sir Malcom Hawks dies, your brother will become the new baronet.”
She shook her head in obvious disbelief. “Oh, good Lord. There’s no way Alex will want that. We’re Americans, not British citizens. Surely there is a way for him to decline.”
He met her worried gaze. “I’m not sure. I’ve never known anyone to turn down an inheritance of this magnitude. From what my solicitor discovered, Sir Malcom Hawks is a wealthy man, and your family will inherit all his assets upon his death. There is no one else. If your brother refuses, everything would revert back to the crown.”
She stood and sent her chair back at least a foot. “Oh, what have I done? I never should have told you to look into this. I do not want to tell Alex.”
Andrew moved around the table and took her hand. “But, Kathleen, think about what this will mean to his new son? I know your brother is well able to take care of his family, but he isn’t wealthy. Even though your brother plans to take his family to America each year, the majority of the time, they will reside here. Anthony will go to school in England. He’ll be accepted by his schoolmates much more readily as the son of a baronet.”
“I never thought of that,” Kathleen mused. But them her tone escalated again. “Oh this is too much. We’ll need to tell Alex, but for now, can we talk of something else?”
He wished he had not said anything. Now Kathleen had something else to worry over. He should have stayed to his original plan and saved this news. “There’s no rush. We can talk to your brother another time. He may be more accepting than you think. Few men would turn away a fortune. Now tell me about John. I enjoyed meeting him. He looks close to my age.”
Andrew watched Kathleen and her face seemed to soften a bit, and she resumed her seat. “He is. John is twenty-five. I’m pleased he could attend our wedding. I wish I could spend some time with him. He was gone for such a long time and has only recently returned. I haven’t had much opportunity to visit with him as I would have liked. He’s been out to sea for the past six months. And he’s only going to be in town a week.”
Andrew went back to his seat. Perhaps it would be better if they delayed going to his estate. While he made light of it, her brother needed to be told of this new development. Now, that his mother had already tried to create a scandal, it wasn’t as important for them to go there right away, since her family now knew of their indiscretion. He felt confident his mother would stay away from Kathleen, at least in the near future. She certainly would not want to jeopardize her allowance. Of course, he did feel they needed to be by themselves to help solidify their relationship.
“We could wait until your family leaves for Baltimore before we go to Grainger Hall. I don’t have anything pressing that needs to be handled there. That would give you a chance to spend some time with John. Would you like that?”
Kathleen’s face brightened. “Oh, that would be wonderful. I’ll be able to spend more time with the children as well, especially the baby.”
Placing his napkin next to his plate, he stated, “We shall depart next Friday after their ship leaves, so you can see them off. This will be better. We’ll tell Alex about my discovery together. He may react differently than you expect. I don’t want you to worry over it though. Now my dear, if you’re finished eating, I will escort you upstairs. I’m sure you must be tired.”
“Actually I feel wide awake now. I suppose you could be right. Alex could take the news better than I expect. Although, I doubt it. Regardless, we do need to tell him soon. There is nothing more we can do tonight, and I don’t want to spoil our evening. I do think I would like to take a nice relaxing bath.”
Andrew helped her up, offered her his arm and led her upstairs. At her door, he gave her a kiss on her cheek. “Goodnight, my dear. Take your bath and relax. I shall see you in the morning.”
Kathleen’s green eyes widened, and he saw a hint of disappointment in them. Dare he hope the upset earlier would not dampen their wedding night?
“Won’t you…uh, aren’t you joining me…umm, after my bath?” she stammered.
Desire shot through him. Perhaps she wasn’t too distraught after all. “Do you want me to visit you?”
Kathleen blushed. “If you would like to—I mean—after all, it is our wedding night.”
“Nothing would please me more. I’ll give you an hour, then I shall come to you. I’m glad you’re not too tired.” Then squeezing her shoulder, he stepped away and walked down the hall to his room.
Andrew was ready to jump out of his skin by the time he entered his room. He had expected Kathleen to be relieved he hadn’t planned to join her, instead, she acted as if she wanted him to. Women…would he ever understand the workings of their minds? Of course in this instance he liked how his wife’s mind worked.
Very much, indeed.
He heard Ensley moving around in his dressing room. When his valet came out, he told him, “Please prepare a bath.”
“Certainly, my lord. Right away.”
Once his valet had everything ready, Andrew dismissed him, letting him know he would not be needed again until he called him in the morning. He sank into the hot water, relaxing his muscles. They felt tight and no wonder, after the stunt his mother pulled, and then there was Kathleen’s reaction to the news concerning her brother.
He dismissed these problems from his mind, not wanting them to dampen his mood. He fantasized about his new wife in her bath. How he would have loved to help her. He could envision the water lapping at her pert breasts, her nipples peeking through the bubbles.
Damn, he had a cockstand just thinking of her. Perhaps he should take the edge off his desire or it would be over too soon, and he would be unable to fulfill Kathleen’s needs. Tonight needed to be about her, not him. He’d need to t
ake it slow. He’d never taken a woman’s virginity. From talking to other men, he understood it would cause her discomfort at the very least. How he prepared her would make all the difference in the world.
As images of his nubile young bride continued to filter through his mind, his arousal increased, and he stroked his shaft. While he continued to fantasize, he worked himself into a frenzy. Her soft, pale skin would glow in the candlelight. He’d take his time as he entered her for the first time. Slowly, ever so slowly, her moist heat would surround him. His heart raced as he stroked faster and harder. He quickly reached a stronger climax than he’d had before, and as a rakehell he’d had his share. He groaned and slumped against the tub.
The rake in me is in full form.
He jerked up straight. What had he done? He’d let his cock do the thinking instead of his head. Feeling guilty for having a sexual fantasy involving Kathleen, he stood, grabbed the linen towel and stepped from his bath. He ruthlessly dried his overheated body, then donned his dressing gown.
Glancing at the wooden mantel clock, he had thirty minutes before he would go to her. Needing something to sooth his conscience, he poured a glass of brandy and sat in front of the fire, then took a sip.
Forcing his brain to think of something else, his thoughts turned to the wedding. When he had recited his vows, the magnitude of what he was promising hit him hard. From here on out, Kathleen would be the only woman in his bed for the rest of his life. That worried him, because he’d always liked variety. It was why—other than Arlene—he’d never kept a mistress.
His skin itched and his breath caught in his throat.
Will I be able to resist temptation?
What if I can’t?
And there would be plenty of temptation at every party they attended. Last week, Noreen had cornered him at a soiree. She’d made it perfectly clear she still wanted him, and she didn’t care if he were married or not. His rakish side howled at him to take her, to enjoy one last dalliance. What could it hurt?
