A Deceptive Wager

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “I don’t know much about Lord Halloway. I know his sister. She’s friends with my wife.”

  “Yes, I noticed that this morning at the wedding.”

  “She’s a sweet lady,” Benjamin said as he settled back into the chair and crossed his legs. “You got fortunate. You could have ended up with someone who was a real shrew.”

  Aaron rolled his eyes. How was it possible there were so many gullible gentlemen running loose in London?

  “I love being married,” Benjamin said with a stupid grin on his face. “It’s the best thing that can happen to a gentleman. My life was incomplete until Emilia came into it.”

  Aaron, who’d been sipping his brandy, nearly gagged on the drink. What rubbish! What absolute and complete nonsense. He’d heard that Benjamin could be gullible, but he didn’t think anyone could be so daft as to claim that their life was better after marriage. His wife must have bewitched him. Yes, it had to be some strange spell she cast upon him. That was the only way to explain it.

  “We should have a dinner party,” Benjamin continued, his eyes lit up. “You’re friends with Mr. Morris. I am, too. Our wives are friends. I’m sure Emilia will be delighted to have you at our townhouse for dinner.”

  “No, that’s not necessary.”

  “I know it’s not necessary, but it will be fun. It’ll give us a chance to get better acquainted, too. This will be a wonderful occasion. We need to do it before Mrs. Morris has her child. After the baby’s born, I doubt they’ll want to attend dinner parties for a while.”

  “I’m not interested in going to a dinner party.”

  “Oh. Then you wish to host it?”

  What? Where did Benjamin get that ridiculous notion from? “No. I don’t wish to go to any dinner parties, and I don’t want to host them. Unlike you and Roger, I don’t like my wife.”

  Benjamin’s eyes grew wide. “Why not?”

  “Because all ladies are evil, that’s why. You’re a fool to trust your wife. She’s not the best thing that’s happened to you. The day you got married was the day your life was ruined, but you’re too naïve to realize it. You and Roger both have the same problem; you’re both willing to trust people who don’t deserve it. I can’t help how you two are willfully deluding yourselves, but I’m not going down the same path. I’m intelligent. I know exactly what I got myself into when I married today. I will not be taken in by the wiles of an enchantress the way you and Roger have been. I will keep my wits about me at all times.”

  Benjamin opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

  Aaron set his glass on the table and stood up. “I feel sorry for you and my dear friend. One day, both of you are going to realize just how tainted ladies truly are, and when you do, I don’t know if either one of you will be able to handle it. Good day, Lord Valentine.” Without looking back, he left White’s.

  Chapter Five

  Kitty tried to eat the meal in front of her. The cook had prepared a delicious dinner. It would be highly rude of her not to show him she appreciated his talent, but it was nearly impossible to eat when two very cross-looking people insisted on staring at her. Ignoring Aaron and Miss Britcher, she put the fork up to her mouth and forced the small piece of steak into it. It took all of her effort to chew the tender meat that was peppered with amazing flavor. She was doing this for the cook. She needed to offer him a compliment by eating what he’d made.

  “You take too long to eat,” Miss Britcher whispered in her ear. “Your husband is nearly done. It’s not good to keep him here waiting for you to finish.”

  “If he wants to leave before I’m done, that will be fine with me,” she whispered in return.

  “What are you two saying?” Aaron, who was sitting across from them, asked.

  “I was urging your wife to eat faster,” Miss Britcher replied. “It’s not good for a lady to dally at the dinner table when her husband is nearly done.”

  Aaron offered a nod then turned his attention back to the plate in front of him.

  Kitty rolled her eyes and made herself swallow the steak she’d been chewing.

  “Mind your manners,” Miss Britcher whispered. “No one likes a contrary wife.”

  But they sure didn’t mind a contrary husband. Nope. A husband was allowed to do whatever he wished. It was always the wife’s responsibility to be on her best behavior. Kitty would have voiced the thought aloud, except she was tired. All she wanted to do was go to bed and forget this day ever happened. It was unfortunate that when she woke up, she’d find out this hadn’t all been a terrible nightmare.

  Once she finished the meal, Aaron asked to have a word with her in private. She grimaced. The last thing she felt like doing was talking to him, much less continue to be in the same room with him.

  “You must not react that way when your husband wishes to speak with you,” Miss Britcher whispered. “He’s likely to think you don’t want to be with him.”

  “I don’t want to be with him,” Kitty hissed.

  “I don’t want to be with you, either, but here we are,” Aaron told her.

  Her face grew warm. She hadn’t realized she’d been so loud.

  “We’ll talk in my library,” Aaron continued. “Then you’ll go to the drawing room where Miss Britcher will be waiting for you.”

  Miss Britcher indicated she would be where he wanted her and left the room. Since Kitty knew she couldn’t get out of talking to him, she followed him. She considered bolting out of the townhouse, but she was sure Aaron would have a servant track her down and bring her right back here. He couldn’t control her if she wasn’t under his roof.

  When she reached the threshold of the library, he stood at the door and waited for her to go into the room. She glanced behind her. Not a servant was in sight.

  “I don’t have all night,” Aaron said.

  She scowled at him but entered the room. As he shut the door, she headed straight for the decanter.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “If I’m to tolerate your presence, I shall require a drink,” she said.

  “That’s brandy.”

  She took the top off the decanter and poured the obnoxious-smelling drink into a glass. “I’m well aware of that.”

  He frowned. “Do you make it a habit of drinking it?”

  She put the lid back on the decanter and carried the glass to a chair. She plopped in the chair, and though it was unladylike, she propped her feet up on the ottoman in front of her. She didn’t know if it was Aaron’s restrictive rules or Miss Britcher’s nonstop lecturing at her, but she felt the need to rebel, and this was the only way she could do it. Because of them, her life might as well be over. She drank the brandy, making sure she took a sip instead of gulping the whole thing down like she had when she and Lilly were disguised as gentlemen at Mr. Christopher Robinson’s townhouse.

  “Well?” Aaron asked.

  “Just tell me what tyrannical thing you’re going to do next, and I’ll be on my way,” she said.

  “I’m not amused by your behavior,” he replied.

  She shrugged. “You already think the worst of me. I might as well play the part.”

  He gritted his teeth. “I have no doubt you would if you weren’t chaperoned.”

  Deciding not to answer, she sipped more brandy. The drink was as awful as she remembered. She didn’t know why so many gentlemen liked to drink it.

  “This marriage isn’t starting off well,” Aaron said.

  “How can it when you treat me like this?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with the way I’m treating you.”

  “You’re being a brute.”

  “If I wanted to be a brute, I’d lock you up so you couldn’t go anywhere.”

  “I fail to see how that’s much different from hiring a witch to keep constant watch over me. I’m not a wife. I’m a prisoner.”

  Aaron sat across from her and crossed his arms. “If you wish to be free, then I suggest you obey me in all things. The sooner you do wh
at I want, the sooner you can get out of here.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes. You have one purpose in this place, and that is to give me an heir.”

  “You stated as much in the carriage right after the funeral. Oops. My mistake. I meant the wedding.” She took another sip of brandy. “I’m sure everyone else in attendance thought they were at a wedding this morning.”

  “I don’t care for your tone.”

  “I don’t care if you care or not. I went from being my brother’s prisoner to being yours. At least my brother didn’t have me chaperoned at all times.” It was so humiliating that she couldn’t even relieve her bladder without Miss Britcher being close by. The dressing screen did nothing to lessen the horror of having every aspect of her privacy invaded.

  “You will continue to be chaperoned until you give me a healthy son,” Aaron said. “I suggest you do everything you can to take care of your body until that’s accomplished.”

  Noting the way his gaze went to the brandy, she decided to take a couple more sips just to spite him.

  He glowered at her. “Miss Britcher has been instructed to tell me when there’s evidence you’re not with child. If, of course, such evidence is going to be forthcoming anytime soon.”

  “I suppose we’ll have to wait and find out.” She still had a couple of weeks before she was due for her lady’s time, but she saw no need to let him, or Miss Britcher, know that.

  “I will not touch you until that time comes. If there is a child already growing in your womb, you will visit my manor in the country until the thing is born. Miss Britcher will make sure it goes to a couple who doesn’t mind raising someone else’s brat. I will not acknowledge anyone’s child except my own.”

  She would expect nothing less from this brute of a man. She took another sip of the brandy, relieved when she realized it was relaxing her. Her stomach had been tangled up in knots the entire day. It was a much-needed reprieve to feel them loosen up. She just might be able to sleep tonight. Unless…

  “You don’t intend to take me to your bed this evening, do you?” she asked. “I wouldn’t want you to defile yourself on the same day we made vows to be husband and wife at the blessed funeral.”

  “I’m not amused by your words.”

  “I’m not amused by yours, either. In fact, nothing you’ve said or done ever since I met you has amused me.”

  “There better not be a child in your womb right now.”

  “And you better not be siring children with the ladies you share dalliances with.” She figured if he was going to keep accusing her of immoral behavior, she might as well do the same to him. “I won’t have any of the money I came into this marriage with going to taking care of your illegitimate brats.”

  He gasped as if he couldn’t believe she’d said that straight to his face. Good. It was only right he was subjected to the same treatment he was giving her. An idea came to her. She ought to hire a gentleman to chaperone him. Her brother hadn’t realized it, but she’d sold a few things she’d sewn over the years. She’d saved all of it and put it all in a secret compartment of her jewelry box. She didn’t know how much a chaperone charged, but maybe she had enough to pay for one. Surely, there ought to be someone desperate enough for money that he’d be willing to oversee everything Aaron did in the same way Miss Britcher oversaw everything she did. At the very least, she had to try.

  “I can see this marriage is going to be as miserable as I expected,” Aaron muttered, his expression growing dark.

  “You get what you deserve, my lord,” she replied nonchalantly and then sipped more of the brandy. Now that she’d gotten used to it, it wasn’t so bad. She had no desire to drink it all the time, but should the need arise, she could do so without going into a coughing fit like she had last time.

  “I have no intention of getting under a lady’s gown.”

  “I don’t believe you. Your mind has been surprisingly focused on getting under mine.”

  “Only to have an heir. I shall not enjoy a single moment of the act.”

  “I’m sure I won’t enjoy it either since it’ll be with you.”

  “It doesn’t matter if we enjoy it or not. It’s the only way God saw fit for a gentleman to have a child. I’d express my grievances with the Creator, but it’s not like He’ll remove ladies from the Earth so that gentlemen can live in peace. We are where we are, and we must make the best of it.”

  “I doubt that’s possible when you’re so sour.”

  Aaron straightened his spine and didn’t say anything for a long moment. When he finally spoke, he said, “That’s enough of your contrary talk. I brought you in here to discuss your spending allowance. You will not spend more than one pound a week.”

  “One pound a week? Why, my lord, you are so generous with my dowry. I don’t know what I shall buy first.” She definitely couldn’t afford to replace any of the gowns Miss Britcher had thrown out. “Perhaps I’ll buy a fan so I can lift it up to my eyes so I don’t have to look at you.”

  “One pound is all you’ll receive,” he said, ignoring her sarcastic retort. “Everything you need has been provided for you in this house.”

  “How fortunate for me,” she muttered.

  “I’ve instructed Miss Britcher that she must not let you put anything on credit with the shop owners. I won’t allow it.”

  Oh, how she hated this marriage. The more she found out about her husband, the more she hated it! She slammed the glass on the table and glared at him. “What other restrictions will you put me under? Shall I only take a certain number of breaths in a minute? Shall I walk a certain way? Or would you like to dictate how tall I am?”

  “Don’t be absurd.”

  “Why not? You’re dictating everything else for me. Why not manage everything?”

  He let out an exasperated sigh and stood up. “I’ve had enough. All of you ladies are the same. Not a single one of you makes any sense.”

  “And you’re worse than my brother. Which, by the way, is quite a feat considering how awful he is.”

  When she saw that he was genuinely surprised she made such a comparison, she marched out of the room. He was insufferable. There was no reasoning with him.

  She decided not to stop by the drawing room. She was sure Miss Britcher would go up to her bedchamber as soon as his lordship instructed her to do so. She grunted and ran up the steps that would take her deeper into her prison.

  ***

  “I didn’t realize you had so much to contend with,” Aaron told Miss Britcher a few minutes later. “I can see my bride is a wild vixen.”

  “I’m not surprised considering the colors she likes to wear,” Miss Britcher said, hands folded in front of her as she stood in front of him with a posture so stiff one might question whether or not she was capable of sitting. “It’s unfortunate the people who were responsible for her upbringing failed so miserably at the task.”

  “It is unfortunate.” He’d known Kitty was going to be difficult, but even his mother, for all her wanton behavior, hadn’t treated his father with such disrespect. “I trust you’ll know how to tame her.”

  “Of course. I’ve been hired to care for unruly ladies in the past. All of them were younger and unmarried, but the same rules will work for Lady Northton. It’s a matter of letting her know her behavior won’t be tolerated.”

  “Good.”

  That was exactly what he’d hired her for. It was nice to know his money was going to good use. He couldn’t wait until he had an heir. Kitty better make sure he was born healthy. Aaron simply didn’t have it in him to keep going to her bed in hopes of having more than one. Knowing she’d allowed other gentlemen to take their pleasure with her made him nauseous. God willing, she’d conceive in the first month, and he’d never have to defile himself with her again.

  “I don’t envy your task, but I’m glad you’re willing to do it,” he told Miss Britcher.

  She offered him a nod.

  “You may go,” he said when he realized she
was waiting for him to give her permission to go.

  She gave him another nod then headed out of the room with a determination that made him envious. If he possessed such poise, Kitty probably wouldn’t have acted so inappropriately. He blamed his upbringing for it. His father was always the gentleman. He’d raised Aaron to be the same way. The best Aaron could do was hire a lady like Miss Britcher to do the hard work for him. With a sigh, he returned to the library.

  Chapter Six

  Kitty tried not to show her annoyance as Miss Britcher followed her up the steps to Lilly’s residence. “I’m here to see Mrs. Morris and Lady Valentine,” Kitty told her. “You can stay out there while I talk to them.” She gestured to the carriage they’d just left.

  “I have to make sure you’re really here to see ladies,” Miss Britcher replied. “For all I know, this could be a ruse for you to spend time with a lover.”

  Kitty’s face grew hot. “Why would I do that in the day where everyone can see me?” This time she motioned to the people who were walking in front of the townhouse.

  “You could be friends with Mrs. Morris but use a visit with her as an excuse to visit her husband. Quite a clever idea, if I may say so myself.”

  They reached the top of the steps before a suitable reply came to Kitty. “How many times have you used this particular ploy to share an afternoon’s delight with your friend’s husband?”

  Miss Britcher’s eyes grew wide. “My lady, I never once played the harlot.”

  “Then why do you assume that’s what I’m doing?”

  “I don’t have to be a harlot to know what one is like.”

  Kitty groaned under her breath. There was no reasoning with her. She might even be worse than Aaron. At least there were moments when Aaron had to pause and think over how he was going to respond to her.

  The footman opened the door, and Kitty gave a slight jerk since she hadn’t knocked on the door yet. “Good afternoon, Miss Farrow. Mrs. Morris is in the drawing room with Lady Valentine.”