“Oh, very well, but let it be known I am not particularly happy about this.” Laura agreed and returned her attention to the horrid woman. It didn’t surprise her that all the rage and haughtiness had gone out of old lady. “If you agree to my husband’s demand I won’t press charges. However if you break the agreement just once, I’ll have you and your son arrested.”
In crushing defeat, Jane nodded. “You’ve finally won, Garth. You’ve completely destroyed us and left us with nothing. I hope your happy and can live with yourself knowing the difficulties and the struggle we will have surviving.”
“I didn’t destroy you, Aunt Jane. Your greed and obsession to take everything from me did that. Sell the crumbling estate. If you do and if you’re prudent you can live comfortably from the sale.” Though he should, Garth didn’t feel an ounce of remorse. For the very first time he saw the starch and fight go out of the woman. He watched her nod several times before she slowly turned and dragged herself out of the room.
A sigh of relief rippled from him and only when he heard the sound of the front door closing did he turn to his wife. “It’s finally over.”
“Yes. Do you think they’ll be alright?” Laura asked with concern.
Nodding, he smiled. “The old bats a survivor. She might be down and out right now, but it won’t take her long to rally and she’ll take charge of things.”
“I’m sure your right. Shall we go into supper?” Laura hoped he wouldn’t be upset that she’d made other arrangements for the dinner.”
“By all means.” Taking her arm, he threated it through his own and together they left the parlor. He frowned when she stopped outside the breakfast room. “Is there any reason why you’re not moving?”
Smiling brightly, she nodded. “Yes, I thought we would eat in here.” She waved at the open doorway. “It’s ridiculous to eat so formally since there’s only us and silly to sit so far away from each other we have to shout to be heard. Besides, the dining room is so gloomy.”
It was several moments before he could find his voice. “I see.” Was all he could manage to mumble and with his mouth in a tight line of displeasure, he led her into the breakfast room. Once he seated her at the table, he took his own chair and busied himself with the serviette. Blast it all, his wife was making another change and he didn’t like it. Not one little bit. Yet as the meal was placed in front of him, he reluctantly admitted she had a point.
“Isn’t this much better?” Laura asked with smile wreathing her face.
Blowing out a breath of vexation, he gave in. “Point taken. Just promise me you’re not planning to make any more changes.”
Guiltily she dropped her gaze to the soup bowl and started to eat. Feeling his eyes still on her, she knew he was waiting for an answer and because she didn’t want to lie to his face, she decided to change the subject. “I thought I would go to the dressmakers tomorrow. Will you be accompanying me?”
With a scowl, he shrugged, he sensed his wife was hiding something from him and decided to leave it for now because he didn’t want be upset or ruin their intimate dinner. “If you want me to?”
“Would you mind not going? I’d like to for once be able to decide my own gowns.” She was relieved when she saw acceptance in his eyes.
“No, I don’t and I understand. Just don’t make them to low cut. I don’t want other men ogling you.” And that was putting it mildly, just the thought of anyone else having a glimpse of his wife’s breast was enough to set the beast inside him raging. It went silent when she nodded in agreement. Hell, he was becoming possessive, but picturing some faceless man drooling over his wife was unacceptable. He wouldn’t allow it. Laura belonged to him and that was that as far as he was concerned.
With a refuel shake of his head, he realized he was not only protective of her, but he was also becoming very possessive of his wife and he wasn’t certain if he liked the idea or not. Yet he supposed it was all part of marriage. After it was his duty to keep her safe and make certain no harm came to her. From hooded eyes, he watched while she ate and a contented smile lifted the corners of his mouth.
His wife might be determined there would be no more intimacy between them, but she was very much mistaken. Hell, how could she expect him to deny the temptation of making love to her when she was sharing his bed? It would be impossible and he had every intention of burying himself inside her again when they retired for the evening. He knew that once he started kissing her, any resistance she put up would melt away and she wouldn’t put up any argument.
It amused him and it also gave his ego satisfaction that she had no willpower against his kisses. What man wouldn’t be smugly relishing knowing that he could seduce his wife so easily?
Chapter Fifteen
After leaving the workman to get on with remodeling the kitchen, Laura had just wandered into the foyer when someone knocked on the front door. When Thomas opened it and she saw who it was, she smiled brightly and hurried forward. “Oh, Lisa I’m so sorry I haven’t been in touch with you. So much as happened that I haven’t had a chance to let you know I have what you want.”
“Don’t let it worry you, Laura. I’m just relieved that you managed to find it.” Lisa hugged her friend.
“Could you please fetch some tea, Thomas, we’ll be in the family parlor.” Laura took her friends arm and led her down the hallway and into the room. Once they were seated, she frowned. “How did you know I found it?”
“Lord Stevens has been giving me such threatening glares and hasn’t once approached me. I knew then that you found it.” Lisa reached out and took her friend’s hand. “You don’t know how much I appreciate what you did for me. I’m so sorry though that you were forced to marry lord Brookes.”
“There’s no need to feel remorseful. Everything turned out better than I could ever hope for. Marrying Garth was the best thing that ever happened to me.” And it was true, Laura didn’t have one regret. Well, maybe one and that was when her husband started kissing her, she was powerless against the passion he stirred up inside her and she was unable to fight her own desire. Though she had tried to resist his allure she’d failed miserable. Each and every night they had been intimate and though she was annoyed at herself she also didn’t have any regrets well, except one.
“Truthfully? I was worried, especially with his reputation with the ladies.” Lisa could see though her friend was happy.
With a wave of her hand, she dismissed Lisa’s concern. “He promised he would remain faithful and I believe him. Other than his getting worked up over the small changes I have made to his home, he doesn’t interfere in my life.”
About to question her friend further, Lisa waited until the butler left and their tea was poured. “I’m dying to know everything that happened and how did you aunt and father react to your betrothal? What about lord Brown, he was so determined you were going to be his wife.”
Laura told Lisa everything, well, not quite everything. What happened in the privacy of their bedchamber was strictly that, private. After visiting for over an hour her friend had to leave. She promised she would send the diary around just as soon as she spoke to her husband. Sighing loudly, she leaned back against the sofa. She was scared witless after letting her husband make love her the last two nights. She was afraid she might be already falling in love with him.
Just as she predicted she couldn’t stop it from happening, her heart had a mind of its own and opened up to him. It was letting him in whether she liked it or not. All she could do was pray that it wouldn’t be broken. Sadly though, she had no idea what his feelings were, if he had any he kept them to himself. It was frustrating not knowing, but there was little she could do about it.
After overhearing him tell his friends he wasn’t going to let himself love her, it was doubtful he any emotions for her other than passion. The last thing she was going to do was confess how much she was starting to care of him. She would be humiliated if he laughed or reject what she was offering him. No, better to stay silent and perhaps one day he woul
d tell her what lay in his own heart.
Surely, he was starting to feel something for her. No man could make love to a woman the way he did without having some emotional connection to her. But how could she be certain, he could have been just as passionately and worshiping with his previous lovers? She rubbed her brow in confusion, she knew it was foolish to let herself become upset, but she couldn’t help herself. Now that she was falling in love with him, she wanted to mean something to him other than his wife or another willing body in his bed.
Heaving out a miserable sigh, she decided not to fret about it anymore, it would probably take time before she had her answer. Until then, she would try not to fall any deeper for him. Even though it had been a very long time since someone had loved her, she wanted the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with to offer his heart to her because he loved and cared for her. She didn’t want him to feel pressured or be forced to admit to something he wasn’t feeling.
What she would do if he never did she couldn’t predict what would happen. Blast it all, why had she been so foolish? Annoyed with herself she stood up, she left the parlor and strode down the passage until she reached the library. Entering the room, she sat down behind her desk and opened both her father’s account book and her solicitors. It was obvious from the first page that there was a discrepancy in the column of numbers.
A shake of her head, she wasn’t surprised to find that her father had been syphoning off funds. He had certainly enjoyed spending his ill-gotten gains by all the purchases he’d made. Well, he’d be living frugally now and if he spent the allowance she was supplying to quickly, he’d be penniless until the next month.
She made notes as she continued to turn the pages. The amount of money coming in from several business’s her mother had made was staggering. Pride swelled inside her over her mother’s clever investments and she was determined to follow in her footsteps. She also if she was blessed with children would like to leave them something off their own.
Knowing that if she had daughters they would have to rely on a husband to support them and if she had sons, she wanted them to competent in making their own money. She would make sure they were taught to invest and not to be idle or live off the profit of others. Perhaps when she did fall pregnant she would speak to Garth and see if he would be in agreement.
If he wasn’t, she would still do it, surely he wouldn’t though. She knew he took care of his own finances and invested in certain ventures. Yet men were unpredictable and you could never tell from one moment to the next what they thought or would do. She was just closing the account book when she heard her husband roar her name. She was positive it shook the rafters and she winced knowing that he had finally discovered his kitchen was being torn apart.
Heavens, she never considered he’d react to furiously, with dread stirring in the pit of her stomach, she snapped the books close and rose to her feet. As she walked out the room, she prayed that her husband would have enough willpower not to strangle her, but she was afraid that he might not be able to stop himself. After all, he detested any changes and he would consider this one a major one.
***
Back from his morning ride, after leaving the stables and half way across the back lawn, Garth abruptly stopped and stared in horrifying disbelief. His immaculate garden was littered with debris and there was a gaping hole in his kitchen wall. He roughly shook his head not wanting to believe what he was seeing, but when he finished he saw the same gruesome picture. Wave after wave of fury rolled over him, with his fists clenched his stride quickened and shoving his way past the laborers, he entered the house and roared.
When he reached the foyer, he saw his wife casually strolling towards him with an innocent, angelic smile on her face. It was enough to send his temper soaring. “What… you… what in the hell gave you the right to destroy my home?” He bellowed at her.
For the very first time in their brief marriage, Laura was actually afraid of her husband. She swallowed down her fear and forced herself to keep the smile on her face. “When I discovered the deplorable state of the kitchen I didn’t think you would mind if I made some changes.” She cringed when his thunderous roar nearly knocked her off her feet.
“Deplorable state! There was nothing wrong with the bloody thing.” His roar was filled with boiling rage. “I specifically asked you if you were going to make any more changes and you damn well said nothing, nothing.”
“If you will only calm down and let me explain you’ll see it was necessary.” She tried to make him see sense, but by the furious glare he was giving her knew she’d failed.
“Damn you woman. It will probably take me thirty to forty years before I calm down and I don’t want to hear any of your excuses. I forbid you to do anything else to my home. Do you understand? Is that clear enough? Now you are going to fix this mess. I want the wall put back and all the work will cease. I want everything put back the way it was until you decided to ruin everything.” This time he wasn’t backing down. She’d gone too far this time.
“You are the most, tenacious, pigheaded man in creation. You’re being utterly ridiculous, but if that’s what you want, fine. You don’t have to worry I won’t attempt to change anything else. Heaven forbid that your precious junk is packed away or you kitchen is modernized. If you will excuse me, I will give your demands to the laborers and the staff.” Without waiting for permission with her chin angled in the air, she walked away.
With furious eyes filled with mistrust, he watched his wife disappear down the passage. The blasted woman had no right to destroy his home when there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. “Those bloody heirlooms you call junk a worth a bloody fortune.” He shouted, then slammed his way into the study, spun around and kicked the door shut. He still couldn’t believe what she planned to do behind his back.
How in the hell did she imagine that he wouldn’t notice the destruction of his home? After pacing several time, he left the house, he knew that if he stayed and saw his wife again he just might be tempted to strangle her. Since Gideon only lived a block away, he decided to call on the man and have several drinks. When he reached the townhouse, he banged on the front door. “Owen, my good man is Gideon in?”
“Yes, my Lord, his in the study.” Owen stepped back and let his lordship enter.
“No need to announce me.” Garth stepped inside, strode over to the door and opened it. “I need a drink. No, make that several dozen.”
Surprised to see his friend, Gideon leaned back in his chair. “I see. What’s happened?” He stood up and went to pour Garth a drink.
“My wife, that’s what’s happened. The blasted woman tore down the wall of my kitchen. Before that, she had all my family heirlooms packed up and stored in the attic and she did it without even consulting me.” Garth reached out, took the tumbler of whiskey and drank it straight down. When he finished he held it out to be refilled.
Fighting to keep his laughter buried, Gideon poured his friend another drink. “I see. Don’t you think you might be over reacting?”
“Over reacting! Like hell, the next time I turn my back I probably won’t have a place to come home to. The woman’s bent on changing everything.” Forced to speak between clenched teeth, Garth knew that if he didn’t he’d probably start bellowing again.
About to answer, Gideon sighed when Killian strolled in and poured another tumble and handed it to the man. “Seems Garth’s wife is destroying his home.”
“Ah, she’s making changes is she?” Killian said with amusement as he sat down and accepted the drink.
“Damn it, there’s nothing funny about this. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be furious if some woman came into your house and started changing everything.” Garth growled.
“But she isn’t just any woman. She so happens to be your wife. Have you taken into consideration that when you married her your home became hers?” Gideon was surprised that Garth hadn’t taken that fact into account.
For several minutes, Garth was
thoughtful, when he grasp what his friend said was true and that he hadn’t even realized he hadn’t even taken that part of marriage into consideration. It was her home now as well and though he didn’t want to admit it, she had a right to change things she didn’t like. But still, she had no right to do it without seeking his permission first. “I suppose your right, but she should have asked me before she just went ahead and did it.”
A nod of agreement, Killian was surprised to see his friend so rattled and so outraged. “She’s a female, Garth and they usually don’t think before they do something. Rarely do they think before they act things through.”
Gideon gaped, then shaking his head, he laughed. “Not every woman is like your hellion, Killian.”
“And thank God for that small mercy. One of her in the world is one to many. And one day I’m going to be the poor blighter stuck with her.” Killian grumbled.
Glad to have his mind taken off his wife, Garth asked. “What’s she done now?”
“I saw her being escorted outside Henley’s ballroom with that fortune hunter Butler. I knew what was going to happen, so I had no option but to follow them and do you think the infuriating chit was grateful. She had the nerve to tell me to mind my own business and I had not right to interfere in her life. Before I could tell her differently, after freezing me with her glare she turned her back, walked away and left me standing there.” Killian grew annoyed all over again just talking about it.
This time, Gideon was unable to smother his laughter. “I’m surprised you stopped her from being compromised. After all, old chap you would have an excuse to call off the betrothal and you would finally be free of your hellion. That ball and chain you’ve been dragging around with you for years would be unlocked and you’d be liberated.”
“If it had been anyone else but Butler I might have. She might be a pain in my backside, but she doesn’t deserve to be forced to wed the sly, conniving prat.” Killian grumbled and took a long swallow of his drink.
Cupid's Arrow Book One Bewitching The Earl Page 12
