The Earl's Inconvenient Wife

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Lady Roderick?”

  Breaking out of her thoughts, she returned her attention to Marion. “Yes?”

  “There are many books in his library, if you’re inclined to read.”

  She nodded and stood. For some reason, this day seemed unusually long. It wasn’t even four, and it felt as if she’d been married to Roderick for ten years. God help her manage through a week of this!

  Once she reached the library, she scanned the shelves. Her gaze immediately went to the history books. She rolled her eyes. If she wanted to fall asleep again, they would be perfect. She scanned over the other volumes and noticed some were in other languages. Well, there was no way she’d read those. Other books covered topics on wars, politics, the royal line, laws, and other mind-numbing topics. That was it. Tomorrow, her mission would be to find decent books to read. She could see herself dying from many things, but boredom wouldn’t be one of them!

  The butler came into the room with an object wrapped in brown paper. She walked over to him as he set it on the desk. He jerked when he saw her. “I’m sorry, my lady. I didn’t know you were in here.”

  “What is it?” she asked, motioning to the package.

  “A book for Lord Roderick.”

  “Oh?”

  She glanced at the many books lining the shelves. What would Roderick need with more books? If it was something interesting, she could see the point, but as it was, one more boring book wasn’t going to make a difference in this place.

  “Can I get you anything?” the butler asked her.

  She shrugged. “Do you have an interesting book I could read?”

  With a slight grin, he said, “I have a few mysteries on hand if that would be to my lady’s liking?”

  Relieved, she nodded. “Could I read one?”

  “I’ll retrieve the best one I have.”

  After he bowed and left the room, she approached the desk and studied the package. She touched it, and sure enough, it was another book, and it came from White’s.

  “A book arrived for you, my lord,” she heard the butler tell Roderick as he entered the library.

  She barely had time to turn from the package before Roderick hurried over to pick it up. She wasn’t sure, but she thought he looked embarrassed about it.

  “I found it,” he called out and then darted behind his desk. He slipped it into the top drawer of his desk and looked at her. “Is there a reason you’re in here?”

  If he hadn’t appeared so flustered, she might have been annoyed he decided to hide a book from her, but she found the whole thing amusing. “Actually, I came to find a book to read.”

  He straightened up and motioned to the books around them. “In that case, have your pick.”

  “None of them interest me.”

  “Well, you could buy some. I’ll set up an account for you at the bookstore.”

  She debated whether or not to ask him about the book he just hid but wondered if she knew him well enough to tease him about it. It couldn’t be a boring book. Sighing, she decided it might be best to avoid any kind of humor with him. He didn’t strike her as someone who knew what a joke was. Clearing her throat, she said, “The butler is lending me one of his mysteries.”

  He gave a slight grimace before he sat down and gathered some papers to put in front of him. “I suppose they will do for a distraction.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “What’s wrong with a mystery?”

  “Nothing. You’re free to waste your time as you see fit.”

  “Waste my time?”

  He waved his hand as if to dismiss the irritated tone in her voice. “You’re a lady. I wouldn’t expect my books to appeal to you.”

  “By that, you mean that boring books don’t appeal to ladies.”

  He chuckled. “No.”

  “Then do you mind saying exactly what you mean by it?”

  The butler came into the room and handed her his book. “I trust you’ll enjoy this, my lady.”

  She smiled her thanks and waited for him to leave before she turned back to her husband. “He doesn’t read boring books like yours,” she told Roderick.

  “It’s not my business what he reads or doesn’t read.” Roderick scanned a few papers on his desk and set them aside. “I have some things to tend to before dinner. I’ll see you then.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you just dismiss me as if I were a servant?”

  “No. I—” He looked up at her and sighed. “Well, there is a matter I must discuss with you, and I suppose the sooner I do, the better.”

  “Oh?” Bracing herself, she got ready for the confrontation she’d been dreading all day.

  “Yes.” He tapped his fingers on the desk, stood up and went to shut the door.

  She took a deep breath. It was so bad he wouldn’t let the servants overhear? Well, no problem. She could handle whatever he had to say. In fact, she decided she might as well beat him to it. “Perhaps if you weren’t inclined to run off and leave me here all by myself, I wouldn’t resort to careless spending.”

  He paused on his way back to the desk and turned to face her. “What?”

  “I will not be guilty of spending money when you are free to run doing who-knows-what all day. Despite your estimation of me, I can understand those books on your shelves, but I have better things to do with my time than to spend it in utter boredom. I choose not to read them, you understand.”

  “What does this have to do with spending money?”

  “A lot, actually. If you’d have thought to take me to the museum or park or some other spot in London, I would have been perfectly happy not to go shopping. Not that I expect you to believe me. You have it set in your head that I only care about money and things it can buy, even when I tell you otherwise.”

  “Shopping?”

  Why should she be surprised that he hadn’t heard anything else she just said? Groaning, she said, “Yes. My sister and I went shopping. You can’t blame me for it. I didn’t want to spend all day here by myself.”

  “How much did you spend?”

  Ignoring the narrowing of his eyes, she told him.

  His jaw dropped. “Good heavens! You could have at least been married to me for a month before you spent that kind of money.”

  “If you had taken the time to be with me or take me somewhere, I wouldn’t have gone shopping.”

  “So I’m to blame for your reckless spending?”

  “Well, not exactly. I just can’t say no to my sister, and since she’s the only one in London besides my parents that I’m comfortable with, I spent the day with her.”

  “You’re not comfortable with me.”

  “No, I’m not.” It was true so why deny it? And why did he act surprised? He must have known!

  “So what good would it have done if I had spent the day with you?” He shook his head and turned back to his papers. “Forget it. I have pressing matters to tend to. You spent an outrageous sum of money today. You can’t keep running through town as if I’m a prince.”

  She had a mind to take those blasted papers from him and insist he listen to her—really listen to what she was saying—but what good would it have done? All they would do was go in circles. As long as he believed the worst, all he’d hear were words that confirmed his suspicions. Not knowing what else to do, she stormed out the room.

  That night she refused to go to dinner, and she made it a point to lock all the doors to her bedchamber. But he didn’t make an attempt to enter her room, and she wasn’t sure if she was relieved or upset. After two hours of being in bed, she lit a few candles and started reading the mystery.

  Of course, she was relieved he didn’t come to her room. It was ridiculous she’d think that just because he came to her room, he’d want to talk to her. The only thing she was good for was getting him an heir, and since he tried for one the night before, there was no point in being around her tonight.

  She snapped the book open and gasped. A careful study of the binding assured her she’d done no
damage to the book. Good. Not that she couldn’t go out and buy another copy for the butler, but the last thing she wanted to do was spend more of Roderick’s precious money. She gritted her teeth. She was going to put that thickheaded husband of hers far from her mind and enjoy the murder mystery in her hands…even if it killed her.

  Chapter Eight

  “We’re what?” Claire asked the next morning as Roderick sat across from her at the table.

  He grabbed his fork and held it above the baked eggs on his plate. “We’re leaving for Weston today.”

  Stunned, she watched as he started eating his meal. She glanced at her plate full of fruit and eggs and tried to gather up the appetite needed to eat. Sure, she expected to leave London and go to his estate at some point, but she never expected to go so soon after they got married. She thought they might linger on in London until the Season was over. Turning her gaze back to him, she asked, “Why are we leaving today?”

  “Because you and your sister don’t know the meaning of restraint when it comes to spending money. At least at Weston, my money will be safe.”

  Her cheeks warmed from a mixture of embarrassment and anger. She struggled with knowing how to respond to him, but so far talking to him had been like talking to a brick wall. The man refused to listen to her so why bother? She placed her hands in her lap and watched him as he continued to eat. She willed him to look up and notice her, but his focus stayed on his plate.

  Finally, when she couldn’t take it anymore, she took a deep breath, steeled her resolve, and said, “No.”

  The word, though short and to the point, seemed to echo through the room, and she sensed the servants’ surprise. He was, after all, the master of the house and used to being obeyed. But at the moment, she didn’t care.

  His eyes wide in disbelief, he stopped eating and looked at her. “No?”

  “No, I will not go to Weston.”

  “You can’t say no.”

  “I just did.”

  “But you’re my wife. You have to do what I say.”

  She shrugged, feigning a bravado she didn’t feel. It wasn’t like her to raise a fuss. All her life, she’d followed her parents’ instruction without a single argument. But something about her husband seemed to bring out the worst in her, and if someone hadn’t known her before her marriage to him, they would swear she was one of the most contentious ladies alive.

  Grunting, he set down his fork and wiped his mouth with the napkin that’d been in his lap. “It’s a pity your father didn’t take the time to inform you what your role was to be as my wife before you two conspired to trap me into this farce of a marriage.” She opened her mouth to protest that she had nothing to do with it, but he continued, “You are a countess, and I demand you act like it.”

  Her mouth formed a thin line and she crossed her arms. “You, my lord, are no gentleman, for if you were, you would not talk to me as if I were a wayward child.”

  “When you stop acting like one, I’ll stop treating you like one.” He set one hand on the table and stared at her, daring her to respond.

  She ran through a list of possible things she might say to put him in his place, but her mind drew a blank. Finally, out of nothing but pure frustration, she snapped, “You have food stuck between your teeth.”

  Then she threw her napkin on the table and hurried out of the room before he could have the last word. It was horribly childish. She knew this, and yet, she ran up the stairs, nearly tripping on her skirt as she went. When she reached her bedchamber, she collapsed on her daybed in relief. At least for the moment, she was free of the big oaf and his condescending way of looking at her.

  Yes, she wished she had been firm and told her sister no yesterday, but she couldn’t take it all back and do it differently. What was done was done. And quite frankly, she was in such a sour mood that she’d encourage her sister’s extravagant spending today if they went out right now. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm the rage simmering just beneath her surface. It was true. She was a married lady, and it didn’t do well to run off like a scared little rabbit in her own home. It probably wasn’t a good idea to argue with her husband in front of the servants either. She groaned and rubbed her temples. If only her father hadn’t seen it fit to cry scandal at the ball. She might be going to Hyde Park today with Lord Clement. She was sure he would be amiable toward her, unlike Roderick who despised her.

  At some point, her anger and lack of sleep from the night before led to exhaustion and she fell asleep. In her dream, she relived that awful night where her fate was sealed with Roderick, and when she stood by him in the small church to repeat her vows, the church melted away and she found herself inside a prison with chains dangling from the stone walls. With a wicked grin, Roderick lurched toward her. She tried to run, but she couldn’t move, and before she knew it, he picked her up and chained her to the wall.

  She woke with a gasp and jerked up. She rubbed her wrists which felt cold, as if she had truly been in chains. How realistic that dream was!

  Marion entered the room with a concerned expression on her face. “Are you all right, my lady?”

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded. “Yes, Marion. I had a nightmare, that’s all.”

  She offered her an understanding smile. “It’s jitter, I’m afraid. Once you settle into the marriage, you’ll feel better.”

  Claire doubted it but nodded to appease Marion. Marion went over to the trunk in the corner of the room and opened it.

  “What are you doing?” Claire asked, narrowing her eyes as her maid went over to the armoire and opened it.

  “I need to pack your things for Weston, my lady,” Marion replied.

  Claire gritted her teeth. Despite her protests, Roderick was really going to go through with this and haul her off to Weston where she’d be away from her family. She couldn’t believe it. Sure, he told her he was going to do it, but a part of her thought he might be bluffing. Well, now she learned he didn’t bluff, and even if he intended to go to Weston, that didn’t mean she had to. She stood up and debated what she was going to tell that big oaf when she saw him.

  “You’ll need a suitable dress for travel. Which coach dress would you prefer to wear?” Marion asked, motioning to the blue, maroon, and tan dresses.

  With a groan, she picked the blue one. While Marion helped her into it, her mind scrambling for a way she might get out of leaving for Weston. In all seriousness, she couldn’t figure out why she needed to go there. It wasn’t her who spent the money. But she had a terrible time saying no to her sister, and that was proving to be a disastrous weakness on her part.

  “Is there something you require, my lady?” Marion asked, looking expectantly at her.

  “Yes. I require a word with my husband. Is he hiding in the library?”

  “No. He just left.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. “Where did he go?”

  She shrugged. “It’s not my place to know, my lady, and he didn’t say.”

  She sighed. Maybe it was just as well. It would give her time to figure out what she would tell him when she saw him. “All right. I’ll go to the drawing room and send a letter to my family.”

  They might as well know her new husband was whisking her off to his country estate, making it more difficult to see them. On her way out of the room, she caught sight of the book the butler lent her and retrieved it so she could give it to him. He’d been kind to her in letting her borrow it, and she saw no reason to delay in returning it. She left the room and walked down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she saw the butler carrying in a new decanter of wine into the library. Curious, she followed him, wondering if her husband was in the townhouse after all. To her surprise, the only person in the library was Lord Clement.

  The butler placed the new decanter on the table and looked in her direction. “May I help you, Lady Roderick?”

  Lord Clement rose to his feet as she entered the room. Turning her attention to the butler, she held the book out
to him. “I wanted to return your book.”

  He took it. “I hope you enjoyed it.”

  “I did, thank you. Where is Lord Roderick?”

  “Lord Roderick isn’t here. He’s expected to come back soon.”

  She nodded, looked at Lord Clement, and decided even if her husband wasn’t there, there was no reason why she couldn’t make Lord Clement feel welcome. “Are you comfortable waiting in this room? The drawing room seems like a better room to be in until Lord Roderick returns.”

  “I’ll be happy to wait in there,” Lord Clement said.

  “Would you like tea, my lady?” the butler asked.

  “Yes.” She motioned for the door. “I’ll keep you company, Lord Clement, until my husband returns.”

  He nodded his consent, so she led the way out of the room and went into the drawing room. She settled onto a settee and waited for Lord Clement to sit in a chair. The butler left so she turned to him and smiled.

  “I trust you’re doing well?” she asked.

  “I manage,” he replied, setting his cane by the chair. “I hope my friend isn’t being difficult.”

  Her cheeks warmed. How much did Lord Clement know? Did Roderick tell him she duped him into the marriage? She sighed. Most likely, he had. He and Lord Clement were friends, after all. Around her husband, it was easy to be angry, but under the sympathetic gaze of his friend, she found her wall crumbling.

  “It didn’t happen the way he thinks,” she whispered. “It was an accident. I lost my balance and fell, and he went to help me up.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and continued, “He hates me.” As soon as she said the last part, she wished she could take it back. Really, she didn’t know him well enough to be so intimate in sharing her fears.