by Rose Gordon
“What are you doing?” she asked, blinking at him
“Directing the coachman to take us home,” he replied easily.
“No,” she snapped, her eyes widened. “You promised to take me to Rockhurst. That's where we’re going.”
“You just said you would have come home anyway, so I see no reason to go to Rockhurst,” he returned flatly.
“That was before.”
“Before what? Before I agreed to dance to your tune like some trained monkey in a traveling circus sideshow?” he asked sarcastically.
“Don’t speak to me that way,” she said evenly, belying the fire in her eyes. “I didn’t ask you to court me. You suggested it and I agreed. To be honest, I think it’s a rather good idea.”
“You would,” he retorted before leaning out the carriage and yelling to Billings, his artifact of a coachman, to go on to Rockhurst.
“I don’t know what that snide comment was about, but if you want to share my bed at any point in the future, you’d better woo me like there is no tomorrow,” she said cheekily.
He let out a harsh bark of laughter. “You make it sound like you have a choice.”
“Don’t I?” she countered with what he knew to be false bravado.
“No, actually you don’t. I don’t know the rules to marriage in America, but I know them well enough for England. And since you married an Englishman, who happens to have an English title, at a ceremony that took place in England, therefore, making you now English, you shall have an English marriage. And in England, the husband does not get denied entry into his wife’s bed.”
“Is that so?” she returned haughtily.
“Yes, that’s so,” he mocked. “It’s only due to my generosity that I have agreed to this madness and have not demanded my husbandly rights.” He knew that was a cruel card to play, he just didn’t care.
“Then perhaps you’d like to just flip my skirt up right here and now,” she suggested coolly.
He clenched his jaw. “What did I tell you last night?”
“You said not act like a whore,” she corrected. “I’m not. I’m merely suggesting that since you seem so overly concerned about your ‘husbandly rights’ you should just take them now.”
He ground his teeth. “I’m not ‘overly concerned’ as you put it. I’m just telling you that you cannot deny me your bed.”
“Fine,” she ground out, leaning forward. “I’ve accepted that. My acceptance is why I made my suggestion. However, if you want a wife who is willing to accept your presence in her bed, I suggest you mend your ways. Otherwise, you’re going to be going to bed with a woman who is the equivalent of a cold fish. I may not be able to deny you entry, but I can deny you my willingness and participation.”
He was at a loss for words. This was not how he’d seen the conversation going. Not that he’d planned to force her, he’d never do that. He just wanted to explain that it was only because he cared for her that he’d agreed to do this. However, her last words, though they may not have come out exactly right, he got their meaning. She’d let him use her body, but she wouldn’t enjoy it; therefore, he wouldn’t, either. He knew beyond a doubt he’d only enjoy sharing her bed if she was willing and participated in equal measures. He’d be lying if he said otherwise.
“I see I’ve made my point,” she said evenly, breaking into his thoughts for a second.
She’d made her point all right, he conceded in his mind. She’d made it loud and clear. And now it was up to him to figure out how to win her affections.
Chapter 6
Madison tried in vain not to fidget in her seat. It was the one nervous tendency she had that was always guaranteed to give her away. Something about Benjamin unsettled her and put her off. She couldn’t describe exactly what it was though. At least she’d been able to get through her speech with a bravado she didn’t feel. She’d doubted a few times he’d believed her, but now she could tell by the look carved into his marble face that he’d believed every word. Good. She didn’t want him to think her a weakling he could run over. She knew she’d have to allow him into her bed at some point, but at least she could put him off for a while as he tried to gain her approval.
The ride to Rockhust went quickly enough. Madison kept herself occupied with sewing while her husband brooded in silence. They arrived just after dark to find a small supper had been prepared. Having not eaten more than a handful of crumbs in two days, Madison had to remind herself not to act the part of a glutton. She could raid the kitchen later.
After dinner, the uncomfortable situation intensified. It was no secret there were hard feelings shared between her husband and Brooke and Andrew. And it was also no secret who was the cause of all those hard feelings: Benjamin.
“Perhaps we should all retire,” Brooke said tentatively, swaying back and forth while holding Nathan, her three month old son, trying to get him to sleep.
“I agree,” Andrew added, shooting a pointed look at Benjamin.
Relieved she hadn’t had to be the one to suggest it, she gave an exaggerated yawn and said, “I’m mighty sleepy myself. I think I shall sleep ‘til noon.”
Brooke nearly stopped mid-sway and made a little high pitched urp sound in her throat before resuming her sway while Andrew bent his head to study the floor, presumably to hide his grin. These two may know she was an early riser, but Benjamin didn’t. If she could just slip out before he awoke, she could hide from him all morning.
“Well, then, let’s be off before I have to carry you to bed,” Benjamin said lightly, offering her his arm.
Madison lightly placed her fingers next to his elbow and allowed him to walk her to the end of the hall. “I know the way from here,” she said, loosening her grip on his arm.
His free hand came to settle on top of her hand that was trying to break free, keeping it firmly on his arm. “I’m sure you do,” he said smoothly. “All the same, I’ll escort you there.”
“There’s no need,” she said hastily. “It will take you far longer to get to the gamekeeper’s cottage than it will for me to get to my room. Perhaps you should head there before all the wild animals come out for the night.”
He gave her a half smile. “I appreciate your concern for my safety and wellbeing. However, I assure you, if there are wild animals out there looking for dinner, which I’m certain there are not, they’re already out, so an extra ten minutes will not make a whit of difference. And, if there are wild animals out there looking for dinner, which as I already said, I’m sure there are not, I will gladly brave them for the honor of walking you to your room. Now, which way is it?”
Madison shook her head. The man was determined, she’d give him that. “To the right, then to the left, then up the stairs, then take the west hall until it splits, then go north until it dead-ends, then go left and my room is the third door on the right,” she said with a bright smile. Just see him bungle those directions.
But he didn’t. He led her straight to her room. “You do know it would have been easier if at the top of the stairs we’d just gone left, then taken the first right, don’t you?” he asked with a teasing smile.
“I know,” she returned.
“Do you,” he asked, leaning closer to her.
She shifted positions so her back was against her door and she was looking at him directly. “Yes, I just hoped you’d get lost and give up,” she admitted with a teasing smile of her own.
“I don’t think that’s what it was,” he mused aloud, cocking his head in feigned contemplation. “I think you wanted to spend more time with me.”
She swallowed.
“I think you weren’t ready for me to leave yet,” he continued. “I think you enjoy my company more than you want to admit. I think you’d also like to enjoy my company further by allowing me into your room…”
She opened her mouth to deny his charge.
“…but I’m not going to come in. No, I think I shall go see what the renovated gamekeeper’s cottage is like instead.”
She glared daggers at him. He was far too arrogant.
“Perhaps we should strike a compromise,” he said with feigned contemplation. “What do you say if we both indulge our inner desires and settle for a goodnight kiss, hmm?”
She stared at the cocky man. He honestly thought to accuse her of practically begging him to stay for a night of heated passion and then he suggests a kiss to tide her over. He was cracked. “I think not,” she said.
“Why not? Are you afraid you won’t be able to stop at one?” he taunted, a corner of his mouth tipping up.
Fighting the urge to slap the smug look off his face, she went up on her toes and pressed a quick peck against his handsome, hair bristled cheek before moving back against the door. She thought he’d frown and demand she kiss him again, on the lips this time. But instead, she noticed his face broke out into a wide grin like she’d seen at their wedding and he said, “That’ll do.”
She blinked at him. That wasn’t expected. What was he up to?
“Good night, Madison,” he said softly before leaning over and brushing a warm kiss over her brow.
Too stunned to say anything in return, she watched as he walked away whistling. When her mind was finally able to form a rational thought, she reached for the door handle and found it was already opened. He must have turned it for her when he leaned in for the kiss, she thought, bringing her cool fingers to where her skin still felt like it was on fire from his kiss.
***
Benjamin felt wealthier than a king as he walked away from Madison. She’d kissed him. It may not have been on the lips. It may not have been out of love and adoration. It may not have been because of any great passion she felt. It may have only been to rid herself of his presence. But it didn’t matter. She’d kissed him. And he’d liked it.
He liked that he could still feel the scorching heat of her lips on his cheek that branded him far more than if she’d slapped him. He liked that she’d had the spunk to act that way with him. She could have just denied his request completely or just stood there and acted rigid while he pressed his lips to her. Instead, she’d completely surprised him with her cheeky peck on his cheek.
Downstairs, he was walking out of the house when he caught sight of Townson holding his little boy against his shoulder. “Thank you,” Benjamin said softly, so not to wake the baby.
“You’re welcome,” Townson said quietly, seeming to understand what Benjamin was thanking him for. “Would you care to sit a minute?”
He really didn’t want to. He’d rather be alone planning his next move. And yet, he found himself taking a seat across from Townson and his sleeping son. How fortunate he was, and he probably didn’t even know it, Benjamin thought. To wake up every morning next to the one you love and have a child with her. A wave of jealousy for Townson similar to the one more than fifteen years ago bubbled inside him.
He’d once let his jealously of Townson get the better of him and no good had come of it. The two shared a common relation (of sorts): Townson’s mother. Lizzie, the dowager countess, raised both of them. She’d raised Andrew as her son, which he was, and himself as her brother, which he wasn’t. Through a sloppy genealogy and several sordid affairs, Benjamin and Elizabeth Black shared a common connection: the previous Duke of Gateway. When the old duke was a green lad, he had a liaison with a maid that resulted in Lizzie’s conception. Fortunately for Lizzie, the current duke at that time (Benjamin's supposed grandfather) took her in as a ward against the wishes of everyone else in the family.
Before she came of age to be introduced to society, which her grandfather fully intended to do, the man died, leaving her a ward to the duke at the time, her newly married biological father. Her father had been forced to make a match for her in order to his receive funds. So he matched her with the first wastrel who asked: Thomas Black, the former Lord Townson.
Immediately after Lizzie and Thomas’ marriage, the new duchess inadvertently exposed Lizzie’s bastardy, thus causing Thomas to exile his breeding countess to Essex. Lizzie would have spent the rest of her days in the country raising Andrew and forgetting all about her previous ties if not for Benjamin’s mother’s adultery with a footman, and presenting her husband with an undeniable cuckoo. The duke had no choice but to accept Benjamin legally, but refused to accept him otherwise. Instead, after his wife ran off with her lover to Italy, he contacted Lizzie and asked her to raise Benjamin in Essex. With no other source of income, she agreed and Benjamin was bundled off to Essex.
Benjamin and Andrew's respective fathers, the old earl and duke, had demanded they not share company past age five, which led to Benjamin living with his nanny and Lizzie coming to visit him every afternoon. It all sounded rather confusing and convoluted, but when one doesn’t know any different, one grows accustomed to the idea.
Benjamin knew that Lizzie, who as Andrew once so eloquently put it, was neither his sister on blood nor paper, had a son and since he himself didn’t have a mother, jealous feelings formed.
Those jealous feelings came to the forefront when they began school and Lizzie informed him he couldn’t acknowledge her in public. He’d sat in silence as he watched the woman he’d grown to love hugged and kissed Andrew goodbye, and not doing more than sending him a small glance. Jealousy gave way to bitterness that night and in all his thirteen year old wisdom, he’d mentioned rumors about Andrew's parentage. Word quickly spread and like Benjamin predicted, Andrew was the outcast at school. However, what he hadn’t counted on was the bullying to become as bad as it had. With some quick thinking and skillful manipulation, Benjamin was able to offer Andrew a cover of protection from a disaster he’d thoughtlessly created.
Benjamin was fairly certain that to this day Andrew didn’t know Benjamin was the one behind the initial rumors. He’d like to keep it that way, too. He’d created enough problems with his petulant jealousy and any mention of it now would only cause to create more problems that neither of them needed. However, that didn’t help Benjamin’s current jealous state. It only helped to remind him to think before he acted.
“What are your plans?” Townson asked, bringing him out of his fog.
“You mean with Madison?” he countered, folding his arms.
Townson nodded.
Benjamin blinked back a vision of déjà vu. He remembered having a similar conversation with Townson once, except the roles were reversed. “I’m not sure yet,” he admitted.
“Would you like some advice?” Townson asked, repositioning Nathan in his arms.
“Since the general consensus around here is that you’re the best husband there ever was, please,” Benjamin returned somewhat sarcastically.
Townson grinned. “Well, with you as my competition, I was a shoo in.”
“Thank you,” Benjamin returned dryly.
“You’re welcome,” Townson retorted with a smile. “Now, what I was going to suggest is to take it easy with her. She’s not delicate necessarily, but she’s not very trusting, either. That horse’s arse she was courted by in America was one of the worst kinds.”
“I know,” Benjamin told him solemnly. He remembered his month in Robbie’s company, that was bad enough, who knows how much worse he’d gotten in five year’s time.
“You do?” Townson asked, not just with his voice, but with his eyes, too.
“Yes,” Benjamin confirmed. He’d bet he knew more of her situation with Robbie than Townson did. He’d received several rather explicitly detailed letters from Robbie describing his and Madison’s courtship.
“All right,” Townson said quietly. “Just treat her right, please.”
“I will,” Benjamin vowed, standing up to take his leave. “I know my actions in the past haven’t always been respectable, but I promise I will do right by her.”
“See that you do,” Townson said gruffly, his concern for his sister-in-law’s happiness plain as day in his eyes.
Chapter 7
Benjamin slept a whole fifteen minutes before it was time to get up. He’d spen
t most of the night thinking of ways to woo his wife. He knew love matches were rare and elusive, but he couldn’t help wanting one. The problem was convincing his wife she wanted one, too. What a cruel twist of fate, he thought, rolling out of bed. Most times it was women who longed for a love match and tried to get their husband to love them. And yet, not his wife. No, his wife seemed to have as much interest in love as he did in hair ribbons. Which, just to clarify, wasn’t much.
After he dressed and ate breakfast in his own company in Rockhurst’s giant breakfast room, he decided to go to Bath. He’d never been a welcomed guest to Rockhurst before and it felt uncomfortable roaming the halls in search of his wife when he was clearly unwanted. To be fair he’d told her he wouldn’t impose on her charitable activities, which seemed to be what she was up to this morning. He’d walked in and found Madison and her younger sister Liberty with a few other ladies sewing clothes for the needy.
In her usual polite way, she’d sweetly offered to teach him how to sew. And in his usual not-interested-in-female-pursuits way, just as sweetly declined and informed her he’d be back for lunch and she’d be spending the afternoon with him.
For now he’d go to Bath. He remembered from his brief time in America that she’d liked to paint. He’d caught Brooke on her way up to the nursery and after he’d nearly beat Madison’s whereabouts out of her, he casually asked if Madison needed any painting supplies. Brooke then informed him she hadn’t seen Madison paint since before they’d left New York. Thus, he was on his way to go buy painting supplies for her.
He knew the selection in London would be better, but surely he could gather enough of the basics in Bath to occupy her for now.
It was a perfect plan, he mused as he rode Greer, his stallion, to Bath. She could teach him how to paint this afternoon. Not that it would do any good; he was abysmal at the hobby. But that wouldn’t matter. They’d be spending time together doing something she liked. And if he proved to be as bad of an artist as he imagined, he’d pose for her. He liked that idea even better. If he posed for her, she’d have to touch his body to position him perfectly for her portrait. Perhaps he’d even suggest she paint him nude.
