face hardened.
I will introduce you to the
staff, although as yet there is not much of
it. The butler's name is Griggs. He's from
my London staff. The housekeeper is misses
Sneath. She's from the village."
Exhausted from the long trip, depressed
by what she had seen of stone vale, and
too proud to give an inch in response to
Lucas's small overtures, Victoria picked up
her skirts and climbed the stairs to her new
bedchamber.
Dinner that night was not an impressive
affair. Griggs apologized for the poor
quality of the wine and the lack of footmen
to serve. The food was limited, both in
quality and selection. The surroundings
were even less prepossessing than the
food. The carpet was threadbare, the
furniture scarred and unpolished, the
silver tarnished. The chandelier overhead
had obviously not been cleaned in years.
But it was the grim silence at the table
that really got to Victoria. She was not
a creature of long silences and she had
almost reached the end of her ability to
maintain one. It annoyed her now that
Lucas seemed oblivious to her efforts.
Well, my lord," she began after fortifying
herself with a large sip of wine.
Where
do you propose to begin spending my
money? On the gardens, perhaps? Or the
tenants" farms? Or maybe you would like
to refurnish the house itself? It certainly
needs it."
Lucas swirled the wine in his glass and
regarded her for a moment.
Where would
you like to start, Vicky?"
Why would my feelings on the subject
matter to you? Salvaging stone vale is your
project, not mine." She smiled a cold,
brittle smile.
And now that you have my
money, I am certain you will think of lots
of ways to spend it. My stepfather certainly
had no problem spending my mother's
money on his horses and his women."
It occurs to me, madam, that you are
in this fix in the first place because you
lacked a suitable challenge in your life."
She glared at him.
What is that supposed
to mean?"
You are a woman of intelligence and
energy who happened to have access to a
great deal of money. You used that money
to buy your independence and finance your
social life, but you did not use it to do
anything else particularly useful."
That stung.
I have always given large
sums to charities."
Which demanded very little of your time
or skills. Furthermore, you had neither a
husband nor a family to absorb your
considerable energies. Other than your
interest in botanical painting and the
occasional scientific lecture, you did not
devise anything else of a serious nature to
occupy your time and ability. Your only
outlet for action was your social life. So
you got bored and started looking for
adventure. And that, my dear, is what
got you into trouble."
Victoria was incensed.
I was not bored
with town life, sir, I assure you."
No? I rather think it was boredom
that led you to dream up your midnight
escapades."
She paled.
That is not true. You know
nothing of why I sought my midnight adventures
and I would appreciate it if you
refrained from making silly conjectures."
He shook his head thoughtfully.
No, I
believe I am correct in my logic. You were
initially attracted to me solely because I
was willing to give you the adventure
you wanted. If you dislike the notion
of being married for your money, how
do you think I felt knowing that my
primary appeal for you was that I could
offer you some fleeting excitement? You
were perfectly willing to use me for your
own ends, were you not?"
That is not true," she retorted before
stopping to think.
No? Are you admitting your feelings for
me went deeper than a frivolous desire to
use me to provide you with the adventure
you wanted?"
Victoria scowled at him.
Yes, I mean
no. Damn it, Lucas, you are twisting my
words."
Either way, you are here now, madam,
and there is no going back. You were
aware of the risks and you chose to
run them. The first rule of gaming, my
sweet, is learning how to pay up without
whimpering when you lose. If you play,
you pay," Lucas said.
I am not whimpering. I am furious.
There is a vast difference."
Lucas leaned back and folded his arms.
You are sulking, Vicky. It is nothing more
than that. Having never dealt with you in
this mood, I will admit I'm curious to see
how long it will last. I had hoped you
would be through the worst of it by the
time we got here, but it appears I was
wrong."
Yes, it certainly does appear that you
were wrong." She was vibrating with the
force of her anger. The injustice of his
accusations was intolerable.
Completely
wrong."
You should be grateful to me, Vicky.
I am offering you a way to avoid future
disasters of the sort that led you into this
situation. I am pleased to be able to give
you a project that will in turn give you
something important to do both with your
time and your money." Lucas looked at
her.
Help me restore stone vale and its
lands."
How kind of you to refer to it as my
money."
Vicky, I want you to be a part of this
place. I want you to share it with me. I
admit that I can do nothing without access
to your inheritance, but I do not intend to
spend your money without consulting you.
I am more than happy to involve you in
every detail. You have a good mind and
a vast store of knowledge, thanks to the
way you have been raised. You can be
a tremendous influence on what happens
here at stone vale. All I ask is that you
work with me instead of amusing yourself
with a fit of the sulks."
What you offer is certainly very exciting
to say the least," she said in silky tones.
If
you are so eager to include me in every
little decision, then perhaps you would like
to consider giving me a written wedding
contract? One in which you guarantee not
to touch a penny of my money without my
consent?"
His mouth curved ruefully.
I am not
a complete fool, madam. It would be the
height of idiocy for me to have such a
contract drawn up while you are in your
present mood. Perhaps we can discuss the
matter again when you have decided you
are ready to be a true and loving wife
to me."
Hah. You would never give me such a
contract and we both know it."
Even if I did, it would carry little
real weight under the law, Vicky. We
are husband and wife. That relationship
will always give me certain rights."
It is the principle of the thing."
Lucas smiled briefly.
The hell it is. If
I were to give you such a contract right
now, you would use it to get even with me
for this marriage. Admit it, Vicky. You are
not accustomed to being outmaneuvered
and all you can think of at the moment
is revenge."
At least the notion of revenge has the
undeniable advantage of providing me with
something useful to occupy my time and
energy, does it not?" She smiled coldly and
rose to her feet.
Now, if you will excuse
me, my lord, I fear I am not yet done
feeling sorry for myself I believe I shall
retire to my bedchamber and sulk for a
while."
Griggs scrambled to open the door for
her as she swept out of the dining room.
Lucas watched his wife's magnificent
exit through hooded eyes and then signaled
the butler for the port he had brought with
him from London. His leg ached from
the long days of riding it had recently
endured.
For a considerable length of time Lucas
sipped the port and contemplated which he
would rather do: strangle Jessica Atherton
or turn Victoria over his knee.
On the whole, turning his wife over his
knee sounded far and away the more
interesting option. He would give a lot
right now for another glimpse of her
enticingly curved backside.
Lucas slowly and deliberately worked
his way through the bottle of port in
splendid solitude. The wine was useful
for something besides dulling the ache in
his thigh. It also took some of the edge
off his frustrated desire. Since that hot,
sweet night of illicit passion at the inn,
he had been plagued with memories that
pushed his normally ironclad self-control
to the limits.
He could not believe that Victoria was
not haunted by the same memories. She
had been so responsive, so magnificent in
her passion, so welcoming and trusting.
Damn it, he thought, she had even told
him she thought she was in love with him,
and he was quite certain she had never said
as much to any other man.
And he knew for a fact that she had
never given herself to anyone else. The
joy of watching her sensual discovery had
been the most erotic experience he had
ever known.
The painting of Strelitzia reginae was
already hanging on the wall upstairs near
his dressing table, where he would be able
to see it every morning. Lucas had directed
that it be among the first of his personal
items that were unpacked. He wondered if
Victoria had any idea how much the small
gift had meant to him.
Probably not. She was not thinking of
anything else at the moment except her
savaged pride.