Cupid's Arrow Book One Bewitching The Earl

by Mysty McPartland

  “Well I’ll be damned, you actually sound if you cared what happened to her.” Gideon teased.

  With a snarl curling his mouth, Killian glared in warning. “Like hell I do. I would have done the same for any chit and so would you.”

  Grinning, Garth was over his outrage and was enjoying the banter between his friends. He knew though when he returned home, he would have to apologize to his wife for over reacting and for bellowing at her. He sighed miserably knowing that she had every right to make changes and he was going to have to grin and bear it. But before she did, he was going to insist she speak to him about them first.

  Chapter Sixteen

  After explaining to the workers and staff, she knew the servants were discontent, but there was little she could do about it. As usual, Garth had over reacted and now he was going to pay the price for his bull headiness. It was his own fault and she didn’t have any sympathy for him. Unless Thomas could rustle up something for him to eat, he’d be going hungry tonight. She couldn’t blame the kitchen staff for quitting after reassuring them that they would be compensated and would have references, she went upstairs to her bedchamber.

  After ringing for Jenny, she found several satchels and started packing. There was no way she was going to remain under her husband’s roof and be spoken to so rudely or treated so disrespectfully. It was quite clear to her that he was overbearing and dictatorial.

  Well to blazes with him, if he wanted to live with his junk and have a kitchen that was still in the dark ages, well it was no concern of hers. When the door opened, she looked up and forced a smile. “We’ll be returning home now, Jenny. It’s seems my husband is too selfish to share his home.”

  “Are you sure, miss? Won’t his lordship be even angrier when he finds you’ve left?” Jenny could see the hard set of his mistress’s jaw and knew she wouldn’t change her mind, she could also see the anguish in her eyes that she was trying so hard to hide.

  “I doubt he’ll even care or notice I’m not here. After all our marriage was one of convenience and it was forced on us.” Continuing to pack, Laura was fuming and if she didn’t leave, she’d probably beat her husband over his stubborn head. It hurt though, it hurt tremendously, but she refused to stay with a man who wasn’t genuinely ready to share his home with her.

  From the beginning, she had been prepared to be a true wife to him in every way, but it seemed he didn’t want or need a proper wife. Well, since he wasn’t going to even attempt to meet her half way, there was no point in staying because in the end she knew they would both end up miserable. She would leave before they started despising each other.

  After packing and while Jenny was gathering her own possessions, she slipped downstairs to collect her account books and important papers. Returning to her bedchamber, she waited for her maid. Thoughtfully she tapped her lips wondering if she should write her husband a short note then quickly decided against it.

  She had warned him at the beginning if she wasn’t happy she would leave, once he discovered she wasn’t here, he would soon realize why she had left him. Since he had been so outraged, he would probably be relieved she’d moved out and he wouldn’t have anything further dealings with her. It was even doubtful he would come after her and demand she return home with him.

  If he did, she was not going to budge, if he wasn’t willing to treat her as an equal or show her respect she deserved as his wife, why bother to stay. Until he stopped being so protective and so possessive of his home there was no point. When her maid arrived, she was more determined than ever to return to her own home. “Come along, Jenny.” Picking up as many bags as she could carry, she walked out of the room without looking back or even taking time to consider that what she was doing was wrong.

  With a sigh of relief, she saw the deserted foyer and knew that Thomas would be busy in the kitchen trying to do what he could to find a solution to the dilemma he husband had caused. They left the house without anyone being aware of them leaving and with her head held proudly, she walked down the street.

  At least living on her own, she wouldn’t have to answer to any one if she wanted to make any changes. Yet even that didn’t lesson the anguish squeezing her heart, though she wanted to burst into tears and weep, she wouldn’t allow herself such a weakness. She refused to cry over a man who was to hard-headed and wanted to live in the past.

  Reaching her townhouse, she put her bags down on the stoop, lifted the knocker and let it drop. She smiled brightly when the butler answered. “Please have my bedchamber made ready and inform the cook I’ll be in for dinner please, Rolf.”

  “At once, my Lady.” Rolf stepped aside and let her enter before he stepped out and retrieved her satchels.

  Wandering into the parlor, she turned to her maid. “Settle back in your room, Jenny.”

  “Very well, miss.” With a bob, Jenny left.

  Alone, Laura sighed despondently, shortly she would send a note of too Mister Peabody and Mister Marsh informing them of her change of residence. She wondered what she was going to do to pass the time. Deciding she needed something to do, she spun around and marched into her father’s study. Seated behind the desk, she started opening the draws, with anger pursing her mouth, she lifted out a stack of unpaid bills.

  As she went through them she saw that unpaid accounts for her aunt’s dressmaker and her father’s tailor along with the jewelry shop, several other business that needed paying. Tossing them back on the desk, she went through the rest of the draws and finding nothing else, she stood up. Curios what they left behind, she went upstairs and drawing in a deep breath, opened the door to her aunt’s room.

  It was the very first time she would enter this room, stepping inside she looked around and could believe all the clutter. Her aunt it seemed hoarded away valuables like a squirrel did nuts. It was even came close to rivaling one of the rooms in Garths house Going over to the dresser, she lifted the lid on a large, red lacquered jewelry box. She gasped in shock when she saw all the sparkling gems. They were probably worth a small fortune.

  Picking up a diamond and ruby necklace, she held it up and rage swept through her. Obviously, it was her money that had paid for this. Along with all the bracelets, rings and earrings as well as the rest of the necklaces. Mister Peabody must have refused to let aunt Ruth take them. She smiled just picturing the woman’s outrage. Tossing the object back in the box, she snapped the lid closed. She went over to the wardrobe and threw the door open and saw it was nearly full of expensive gowns.

  Perhaps Jenny and a few of the other maids would like them, they would need to be altered, but she didn’t see the sense of throwing them away. After going through the whole room, she left and went into her fathers and discovered that it was very much like his sisters, but more masculine. She also found his jewel box filled and clothing in the closet. Tomorrow she would go through everything and have the bedchambers emptied.

  She wanted no reminders of the people who had made her life miserable. Going through the connecting door, she stood in the middle of what had once been her mother’s bedchamber. She decided to have it redecorated and use it herself. It saddened her though that there wasn’t one personal item. No doubt her father and aunt tossed everything away.

  Leaving the room, she went into her own and laid down on the bed. How long would it take Garth realize she was missing? she wondered and how was he going to react when he discovered she had left him? She wished she had an idea what he would do, but barely knowing him it was hard to predict, she would just have to be ready for anything she supposed.

  ***

  Not wanting to be alone with his wife, Garth asked Gideon and Killian for supper. When he tapped on the front door and it wasn’t answered, he reached into his pocket for the key. Fitting it in the lock, he let himself in and scowled. Where was Thomas and why wasn’t he at his post. Striding into the parlor, he rang the bell summoning the man. He ground his teeth when Killian whistled.

  “I can’t believe the change. I always tried to
avoid this room afraid I’d either trip over or break something.” Killian grinned knowing how hard his friend was fighting not to lose his temper.

  “I’m glad you find the situation amusing. Ah, Thomas there’ll be two more for dinner and inform my wife we have guests.” Garth was about to turn away, but caught his butler shaking his head. “What’s happened now?”

  “When you ordered your wife to return the kitchen to its former state the chef and kitchen staff quit.” Thomas held himself stiffly as he waited for his lordship to start bellowing.

  “Where is my wife?” Garth said through gritted teeth.

  Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. “Upstairs I believe, My Lord.”

  “Pour the gentlemen a drink I’ll go and fetch my wife.” Without waiting, he strode out of the room and up the staircase. Opening the door to her bedchamber his stomach knotted when he noticed several empty draws open and nearly empty wardrobe. He also noticed there were no personal items on her dresser. His hands fisted at his sides, he was finding it impossible to believe she had actually left him.

  His wife had walked out without a word or leaving a note. Surely, their earlier disagreement wasn’t the cause? No, it couldn’t be. Still it didn’t change the fact she’d left him. Outraged warred with emptiness. He hung his head as desolation swept over him, he wanted her back. She was his wife and belonged here, with him. Yet she had walked out because they had an argument.

  It was unbelievable that instead of sitting down and talking about the problem she decided to leave over their first quarrel. Anger swelled through him and he tossed up his head, his face set in determination, he growled. Well, if she was going to run at the first sign of trouble, he had no intentions of going after her.

  To hell with her, if she wanted to reside in her own home, let her because he certainly wasn’t going to get down on his hands and knees and grovel. Be damned if he would. He was a earl after all and he didn’t beg. Spinning on his heels, he stomped out of the bedroom, down the staircase and into the parlor. “It seems my wife want be joining us after all. She has decided to leave me because we had a fight.”

  Jaw dropping open, Killian stared at his friend in shock. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “I’m sure you’re mistaken, Garth. A wife just doesn’t up and walk out on her marriage, especially a newly married one.” Gideon was certain his friend was exaggerating.

  “No, it’s no joke and I haven’t made a mistake. She’s packed most of her possession and left. It can’t be any clearer than that.” Garth poured himself a brandy and drank it straight down before he poured another.

  Killian waited several minutes before he spoke again. “We’ll take our leave then. I expect you’re in a hurry to fetch her home.”

  Garth whipped around and sneered. “No need to rush off. I have no intentions of retrieving her. Obviously she made her decision and it’s what she wants. It was only a marriage of convenience after all and now our troubles have been solved there’s no need to continue living with each other.”

  “Damn it, Garth, she’s your blasted wife. Just think of the scandal it will cause when everyone discovers your living in separate households. Surely you want her back?” Gideon feared though from the fierce expression on his friend’s face, Garth wasn’t going to budge, he turned to Killian and shrugged.

  Sensing the Gideon wanted his help, Killian cleared his throat. “I know you’re angry at the moment Garth and you’re not thinking clearly. But damn it man, even if you were forced to wed she’s still your wife.”

  “I am neither angry nor irrational and gossip be damned. I will not go crawling on my knees to a woman who by her own choice walked out our marriage and me. If she wants a marriage in name only, she blasted well can have one. It makes no difference to me, I couldn’t care less if she stayed or went.” Slamming his glass down on the cabinet, he stormed out of the room and into his study where he shut the door with a reverberating bang.

  Damn her, damn her to hell and back. If she wanted a blasted end to their marriage, well can bloody well have it. He didn’t need her and now they were going to be living separate lives there was no need to honor his promise to stay faithful. There were plenty of eager chits ready and willing to satisfy his lust, he didn’t need a wife to fulfill him.

  Why should he deny himself any pleasure? Since she turned her back on their marriage, he wasn’t obligated to keep his wedding vows. He was now free to do as he pleased and by damn, he intended to do just that. Breathing harshly, his jaw clenched as a hollowness seemed to open up inside him.

  Using all his willpower he tried to stop it from spreading and when he couldn’t he growled. No bloody way am I going to weaken and go chasing after her. Be damned if I will. It’s only the shock that’s causing such devastation and in a few days it will pass. Finding out his wife had walked out on him had been unexpected and that was the only reason he was feeling so lost, confused and lonely. Nothing more.

  When he recovered from the unanticipated blow what he was feeling now would pass. Yet even as he tried to tell himself that, the anguished desolation only increased with each beat of his heart.

  ***

  When the door slammed on the other side of the house, Killian winced, after pouring himself and Gideon another drink, he sighed. “Well, do you have any suggestions?”

  “Nope, not a one. I do know though that Garths going to regret his decision when he calms down. Even a blind man can see he’s been hit by cupid’s arrow, but he’s to obstinate to admit it.”

  “Hell, I knew that he’d go and do something so foolish as to fall in love with her. I suppose that’s why he’s being so blasted stubborn about going to fetch her.” Killian sighed and sipped from the glass.

  Gideon chuckled. “If he doesn’t acknowledge it soon, he just might lose her altogether.”

  With a heavy sigh, Killian nodded in agreement. “Right now he might be pretending he isn’t hurting, but I predict in a day or two it’s going to be ten times worse. Blast it, I warned him not to open up his heart to her.”

  “You can’t help where you love, Killian. But your right, he will be suffer tremendously and I just hope he doesn’t go and do something stupid.” Gideon placed his empty glass down on the table and waved that he’d had enough to drink. “We’ll have to watch him to make certain he doesn’t. If we’re lucky, he’ll come to his sense and plead with his wife to come home.”

  “Yes, I agree. But it might take a while. Why do you think she walked out?” Killian leaned back against the sofa and stared at the liquid in his glass.

  “How in the hell I know what the woman was thinking. I can only assume she took offence to his stubborn refusal to let her make any changes to his home.” Gideon shrugged.

  “Mmm, well I have to agree she’s right. I used to shudder every time I came in here and tried to avoid it as much as possible.” Killian chuckled when his friend laughed.

  “You’re not the only one. Do you want to stay and wait for him to come back out?” With a resigned sigh, Gideon knew if Killian wanted to leave, he would remain.

  A shake of his head, Killian finished off his drink and twirled the tumbler in his hand. “I’ll stay, I haven’t anything better to do.”

  Pleased that his friend wasn’t going to bail, Gideon suggested several options that might convince Garth to change his mind about living separately from his wife. They agreed on most of them and now they had only to wait. He hoped before they had to interfere Garth would see sense, but if he didn’t, they’d have no other option but to step in and help. He had a gut feeling though it might not be easy to change Garth’s mind and he could see that Killian was thinking the same thing.

  Hell, why did the blasted man go and fall in love. When a man let a woman into his heart, he was not only doomed, it caused nothing but trouble. Blast that sod cupid and his arrows. If it were possible, he’d strangle the little bastard. Now after seeing the way Garth was behaving he be damned if he let himself hand over his heart to any chit. Nope, he�
��d never allow it to happen.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Had it already been a whole week since she walked out on her husband and marriage? Her head hung despondently, would the wretched pain never go away? For the last seven days she had kept herself busy by going through every room in the townhouse. Giving away or disposing of any reminders of her father and aunt. The only joy she had found was when she discovered some treasures of her mother’s. Though exhausted, she fell into her lonely bed each night only wanting to sleep, but it had eluded her.

  All she yearned for was Garth’s big body curled up around hers, mostly though; she’d craved his kisses and caresses. Truthfully, she missed everything about him and it surprised her since they’d only been married a short time. Yet by his absence, it was doubtful he even gave her a passing thought.

  And that hurt, hurt tremendously, but it was no use hiding from the fact or pretending he hadn’t even cared for even a little. With a long miserable sigh, she raised her head and knew that sitting around wallowing in self-pity was pointless. It would only make her feel worse and probably even more miserable. Determined to pull herself out of the depths of wretchedness, she was going to take her new gelding out for a ride.

  Hurrying upstairs, she didn’t bother ringing for Jenny and changed into her riding habit. After placing the saucy hat on her head, she flew down the staircase and outside to the stables. Once Spartan had been led out by the groom, she stood on the block and made herself comfortable on the sidesaddle.

  With a grimace of displeasure, she trotted out the yard with her groom following behind. It was so annoying having to ride this way, to plod along at such a slow pace and unable to ride by herself. But society rules in the city had to be obey or heaven help you if you flaunted them.

  Already she had caused a scandal by leaving her husband and living in her own residence. Nor had the sudden leaving of her father and aunt had helped matters either. Still she would survive the storm. Though she had longed for her freedom and independence, now she had it, she was realizing how dearly it had cost her.