Secret Brides [3] Secrets of a Scandalous Marriage (13 page)

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James slammed shut his bed chamber door behind him, the wood reverberating. He cursed savagely, resting his hands on his hips. Damn it. What in the hell had that kiss been about? Correction. Those kisses—multiple. Something about Kate’s beauty and niceness. Something about the dancing and the candlelight. No, that was no excuse. There was no excuse. He’d acted like a total cad. Fine. She was not an innocent. She wasn’t eighteen, and they hadn’t been at a come-out ball. She was a woman on trial for her life, living under his roof because he’d made a bargain with her. But it didn’t sit well with him that he’d taken advantage of her. Damn. Damn. Damn. He’d just have to make it up to her … somehow.

He tugged viciously at his cravat, unwinding the garment from his neck and flinging it into the corner of the room. He breathed heavily, letting the fabric sit there for a moment before he stalked over and yanked it up. What had he told her? Sometimes being perfect wasn’t a choice.

That was the bloody truth. Only he hadn’t been perfect tonight, had he? Far from it. Christ. Wasn’t this always the struggle he’d had? His perfect pristine exterior warring with the way he
wanted
to be? The perfectionistic side of him had earned him perfect marks in school, a perfect reputation, and the rebel in him made him purchase a printing press and publish scandalous pamphlets. It’s what caused him to fling his bloody cravat in the corner. And it’s what compelled him to go retrieve it.

He scrubbed his hands across his face and groaned. What the hell was Kate to think of him now? She was a widow, damn it. Albeit an unconventional one. But he bloody well knew better than to kiss a recent widow, not to mention someone who essentially was working for him, and on top of it all, just
happened
to be accused of murder.
Bad. Bad. Form
.

James yanked his shirt over his head with both hands. He closed his eyes. All right. He could admit it to himself. He was attracted to her. Insanely attracted to her. So attracted that he’d forgotten all about his self-imposed monklike celibacy and pulled her into his arms. He’d wanted to do a hell of a lot more than kiss her, actually. He’d wanted to rip the flower from her hair and the bodice from her gown. He’d wanted to—

He clenched his jaw. Damn it. He was getting hard again just thinking about it. Thank God for Louisa. There was no telling how long that craziness with the kissing would have lasted if the maid hadn’t arrived.

James folded his shirt and placed it in the wardrobe. He wouldn’t call for his valet. He was too wound up tonight. He sat on the edge of the chair next to his bed and shucked his top boots. He stood up, unbuttoning his breeches, and pulled them off too.

He needed to sleep. A good night’s sleep always helped.
If
he were able to sleep tonight. Too many nights he’d lain awake thinking of the beauty who slept down the hall from him. That was it. He was going mad. He’d seen a pretty face before, even incomparably lovely faces. They hadn’t been enough to turn his head. Hell, Lily and Annie were beauties, but he had nothing more than brotherly feelings toward them both. What was it about Kate that made him toss out his gentlemanly code and forget every rule of conduct that had been burned into his brain since childhood? What was it about her that made him want to forget about his enforced celibacy and pull her into bed and make endless love to her all night long? He couldn’t possibly
be
more inappropriate. Kate might be a murderess, for God’s sake. She was the outcast of the
ton,
the entire town actually. Even if she were acquitted somehow, magically—which he highly doubted—it was not as if they could have a future together. Being with her would make him an outsider from his life, Society, everything he’d ever known. True, he’d made money by publishing scandal, but few people knew about that, and he bloody well didn’t want to be in the center of it himself.

No. He’d do well to remember why he’d met Kate Townsende in the first place. She was writing a pamphlet for him. That was all. She’d asked for his protection, and he’d asked for her story. It was a business transaction, nothing more. He bloody well wasn’t about to jeopardize his life and livelihood over it. It was true he was known for wanting to fix things, help people, and he was doing that by hiring Abernathy and the Bow Street runner. But it had to end there. Kate was merely an author whose story he wanted. He must remember that.

Even if it killed him.

CHAPTER 17

It was just past sunrise when Lord Colton’s magnificent coach arrived in the alley behind James’s town house. Kate slipped out the back door with a cloak over her head, her face covered. Despite the heavy coat, the winter wind whipped along the bits of skin she had exposed. She rubbed the tip of her icy nose with her gloved hand. The coachman standing next to the conveyance quickly helped her inside, and the door closed behind her with a solid thump.

“You made it,” came Lily Morgan’s cheerful voice as soon as Kate sat back against the seat cushions.

“We’re so glad to have you,” Annie Holloway added with a bright smile.

The curtains on the windows were quickly pulled. Kate glanced around. The three women were alone inside the coach. “Are we the only ones going?” Kate asked, trying to keep the disappointment from her voice at the prospect that James wouldn’t be there too.

“No. We’re just taking separate coaches in case anyone follows us out of town. Besides, it certainly would be cramped in here with six of us. The men will follow us in Medford’s coach.”

Kate smiled and nodded, suddenly feeling joyful again. She would be spending an entire day in the country on a farm … with James. It was silly, she knew, and she couldn’t explain why she suddenly had butterflies in her stomach, but the fact remained that they were there, winging around giddily and reminding her she didn’t know the last time she’d been so … happy.

“It’s going to be so cold,” Kate said, biting her lip.

“Nonsense,” Lily replied. “It shall be bracing.” But even as she said it, she handed Kate a wool blanket that Kate quickly spread across her lap.

“Absolutely,” Annie added, from beneath her own wool blanket. “We’ll make the best of it.”

Kate smiled at the sisters. “It’s nice of you to pretend … for my sake.”

The coach took off with a solid jolt, and Kate leaned back against the seat, a smile on her face. She’d never imagined she’d make it to the country again and, cold or no, she intended to enjoy herself.

“Now, while we’re on the way,” Annie began. “Tell us, we’re positively on tenterhooks to know … what is it like to live with Lord Medford?”

Kate blushed, thankful for the darkness in the coach on this early morning to hide the pink that must be on her cheeks. “Whatever do you mean?’

“We just cannot picture him living with a woman,” Lily replied. “It’s quite a phenomenon actually.”

“Yes.” Annie nodded. “How does he act? What does he do? I mean, I’m sure he’s a perfect gentleman, but—”

“Of course he is,” Kate responded, perhaps a bit too quickly. “And he’s been so kind by indulging my little whims.”

“Ooh, like what?” Lily leaned forward, bracing her arms on her lap.

Kate couldn’t help the slow smile that spread across her face. “He threw a ball for me the other evening.”

Annie’s jaw dropped. “A what?”

“A ball.” Kate giggled.

“With just the two of you?” Lily asked, bouncing back against the seat again, her eyes wide.

“Yes, well, the two of us and Louisa … and Locke.”

Lily’s pretty violet eyes grew even wider. “Who is Louisa? And Locke? The butler?”

Kate pulled the blanket closer to her face and tucked it under her chin. “Louisa is the maid. I promised her James would dance with her. You see, she’d never danced at a ball before and … Oh, the two of you must think I’m an awful ninny.”

“Nonsense. I think it sounds absolutely divine,” Annie said, tucking her blanket under her chin.

“I just cannot imagine Medford dancing with a maid and the butler. He’s usually so … proper,” Lily said.

“Oh, he didn’t think a thing of it. He’s not a snob at all,” Kate said.

“Oh no, not a snob, dear. I’d never think that. He’s just very accustomed to … following rules,” Lily replied.

“I still say it’s divine.” Annie sighed.

“I agree.” Lily’s face wore a wide grin. “And just the sort of thing our Medford needs.” She winked at Kate.

Kate furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed,” Lily replied. “Medford’s a bit … how shall we say…? Ordered? Orderly?”

Kate smiled shyly. “I have noticed that everything is in its place in that house, if that’s what you mean.”

“Yes, you’ve never seen such order,” Annie replied. “Though he hosted my debut ball there and I must say it was absolutely lovely. Perfect actually.” She laughed.

“It was,” Lily agreed, nodding.

“The ball he hosted for me was lovely too,” Kate said with a dreamy look surely in her eye, but she wasn’t so much remembering the ball as the kiss afterward.

“Did Medford dance with Louisa?” Lily asked.

“Absolutely,” Kate replied.

“I knew it,” Annie said. “Medford’s a capital fellow. I mean, he owns a printing press for goodness’ sake. He’s not about to say no to dancing with a housemaid.”

Kate giggled at that. “He didn’t. And here I thought it was my plain roots that made me think it was a good idea.”

“It’s an excellent idea,” Lily replied. “Absolutely excellent.”

The three women spent the morning talking, laughing, and telling stories. By the time they arrived at their destination more than an hour later, Kate was feeling as if they were old friends. A pang of loneliness beat in her chest. But they weren’t old friends, and they wouldn’t be. She might spend a few pleasant hours with these nice ladies but they would be separated soon by prison and—she gulped—possibly worse. And even if she were not found guilty, it was not as if Lady Lily and Lady Annie would remain friends with her. A former duchess with a blackened reputation including murder charges and a thwarted divorce? Why, just being seen with her could ruin them. No wonder they’d taken the extra precaution of bringing two coaches to the countryside.

The coach pulled to a stop and Annie let the coachman help her down before turning back around to address Lily and Kate. “You two stay here. I’ll ensure no one is about. We can’t have anyone seeing you.”

Kate nodded but felt hideously conspicuous. She was putting her new friends in danger by asking them to accompany her on this trip. Even though they were taking precautions to keep her identity and location a secret, there was always the possibility that someone might see her and trace her back to James’s house.

“Where exactly are we?” Kate asked Lily after Annie left.

“We’re on a farm outside Jordan’s estate,” Lily replied. “We asked the owners to allow us to come and stay for the day. They were going to town today as a matter of fact and won’t be here. It’s perfect.”

Kate clapped her hands. Leave it to the efficient sisters to plan everything so well.

Only a few minutes later, Annie returned and motioned for them to follow. “They’ve got the barn all ready for us,” she said. “And there isn’t another soul for miles.”

“Excellent,” Lily replied, and the coachman helped the other two women down the steps. Just as Lily had predicted, the wind in the country was bracing, but Annie quickly explained the plan. “We decided we would stay in the barn, mostly, to escape the cold, but if you’d like to build a snowman or something, just say the word.” She giggled and Kate returned her happy smile.

“The barn will do nicely,” Kate said. “I’m already freezing.”

“And there’s a surprise for you too, Lily,” Annie added with a wink.

“What?”

“A litter of piglets was born in the fall. Two of the babies are still with their mum.”

Lily squealed and Kate finally had an answer to her question. Apparently highborn ladies squealed when they were happy too. She suppressed her smile.

“You’ll have to excuse me, Kate. I love animals of all sorts. Especially baby ones,” Lily said with a laugh.

“Oh, I’ve always adored piglets,” Kate said. “Where are they?”

“Follow me.” Annie motioned and Kate and Lily stepped behind her toward the barn. If the men’s coach had already arrived, Kate didn’t see it anywhere. She had to pinch the inside of her arm to keep from asking Annie where James was. He’d arrive soon enough, she told herself. And in the meantime, why, there were piglets.

They stepped inside the barn, and familiar smells immediately surrounded Kate: hay, animals, wood. She breathed it in. She’d never thought she’d miss the smell of a barn. But she did. She desperately did.

A movement off to the side caught her attention. Kate looked over and immediately froze. The men were already there. James leaned against a stall, his boots crossed at the ankles, looking particularly handsome in fawn-colored buckskin breeches, a white lawn shirt, and a midnight-blue wool overcoat. The man looked wonderful in a cravat and topcoat but he looked even more ravishing in less formal attire.

“There you are,” called a handsome man whom Kate didn’t recognize. “Lily, did Annie tell you there are piglets here?”

“She did, Jordan,” Lily called back. “And I cannot wait to see them.”

Ah, so the handsome man was Annie’s husband. A very nice choice, indeed.

“They’re here,” Jordan replied, gesturing to the stall next to where the three men stood.

Lily, Annie, and Kate edged closer and all three leaned over to look inside the stall. The mama pig was curled up in a pile of hay in the back of the stall snuggling her two little piglets.

“That may be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Lily whispered. “They’re still so tiny.”

“Apparently, they’re a special breed that doesn’t get very big,” Jordan added.

“Don’t even think about it,” the third handsome man warned, arching a brow. He had to be Lord Colton, and he was just as good-looking as his wife was beautiful.

“What?” Lily asked innocently, pushing the tip of her slipper into a bit of hay. “And this, by the way, is my husband, Kate. The Marquis of Colton, but you may call him Devon.”