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Authors: Lorraine Heath
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evening. I shall see myself out.”
He strode from the room as though the hounds of hell nipped at his heels. When he closed the door behind him, Louisa rose and went to her husband, relishing the swiftness with which he drew her near. “He’s quite miserable, isn’t he?” she asked.
“Afraid so.”
“And you find his suffering humorous?”
“Not at all, but I must confess to being entertained by his attempts at finding quick solutions to complicated problems.”
“Why do I have the feeling your words contain hidden meaning, perhaps insult?”
He lifted her into his arms. “Women, my love, are not easily understood and he wishes to understand them easily.”
“We are not that difficult to comprehend.”
He began carrying her toward their bedchamber. “Louisa, my darling, you have no clue how hard it is for a man to understand a woman’s mind.”
Chapter 5
“L avender.”
Kate looked up from her buttered eggs with tomatoes to stare at her husband who sat at the far end of the ridiculously lengthy table. Eight chairs lined either side of it, as though he frequently hosted breakfast parties. He’d already been eating when she’d waltzed into the breakfast room in her lavender day dress. He had, of course, come to his feet and waited while she took her time selecting the items for her plate. He’d not spoken a word until the butler had pulled out her chair and she’d taken her place.
“You’re guessing again,” she said tersely.
“Did I guess correctly?”
“No.”
He gave her a disgruntled look, rattled his newspaper, and returned to reading whatever article had snagged his attention.
“What news are you reading about?”
“A couple of footpads have taken to robbing people at gunpoint. They shot a fellow recently.”
“Why does anyone do that?”
He gave her a sharp look as though he didn’t understand the concept of conversation before turning his attention fully back to his paper. Kate looked over at the butler who stood smartly nearby, as though there was more than the single footman to oversee. She would need to see about increasing staff immediately. “Beginning tomorrow morning, I’d like a newspaper set out for me as well.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she was aware of Falconridge lowering his paper. The butler’s eyes shifted to his master, and she thought she saw Falconridge nod before the butler shifted his attention back to her. “My pleasure, my lady.”
“In the future, you need not look to my husband for approval of my requests.” She smiled sweetly at Falconridge. “Isn’t that so?”
“Bexhall meant no disrespect. It’s simply that we’ve never had a marchioness who read the newspaper over breakfast.”
“How else can I keep up with the affairs of the world?”
“The gossip?”
“The business.”
He seemed surprised she’d care about world affairs. She could see him debating internally whether or not to give up the enjoyment of his morning paper, so she might have an opportunity to read it before he was finished with it. It irritated her that he had to consider it at all.
“You left the house last night,” she said.
Lowering the newspaper completely, he gave her a cool look of disdain. “I don’t believe the settlement agreement included the necessity for me to keep you apprised of all my comings and goings.”
“I would think, considering the fact we will be meeting with your man of business this morning to discuss monies owed, that you would do all within your power to avoid earning my displeasure.”
Even from this distance, she could see his jaw tightening, his eyes hardening even further. She thought he could cut diamonds with that stare, but strangely, she wasn’t intimidated. Her father had, with a mere signature, given her power she’d never before possessed. She wouldn’t have said anything at all about her husband’s late-night adventure if she hadn’t worried herself silly that he’d sought another’s bed. She
He strode from the room as though the hounds of hell nipped at his heels. When he closed the door behind him, Louisa rose and went to her husband, relishing the swiftness with which he drew her near. “He’s quite miserable, isn’t he?” she asked.
“Afraid so.”
“And you find his suffering humorous?”
“Not at all, but I must confess to being entertained by his attempts at finding quick solutions to complicated problems.”
“Why do I have the feeling your words contain hidden meaning, perhaps insult?”
He lifted her into his arms. “Women, my love, are not easily understood and he wishes to understand them easily.”
“We are not that difficult to comprehend.”
He began carrying her toward their bedchamber. “Louisa, my darling, you have no clue how hard it is for a man to understand a woman’s mind.”
Chapter 5
“L avender.”
Kate looked up from her buttered eggs with tomatoes to stare at her husband who sat at the far end of the ridiculously lengthy table. Eight chairs lined either side of it, as though he frequently hosted breakfast parties. He’d already been eating when she’d waltzed into the breakfast room in her lavender day dress. He had, of course, come to his feet and waited while she took her time selecting the items for her plate. He’d not spoken a word until the butler had pulled out her chair and she’d taken her place.
“You’re guessing again,” she said tersely.
“Did I guess correctly?”
“No.”
He gave her a disgruntled look, rattled his newspaper, and returned to reading whatever article had snagged his attention.
“What news are you reading about?”
“A couple of footpads have taken to robbing people at gunpoint. They shot a fellow recently.”
“Why does anyone do that?”
He gave her a sharp look as though he didn’t understand the concept of conversation before turning his attention fully back to his paper. Kate looked over at the butler who stood smartly nearby, as though there was more than the single footman to oversee. She would need to see about increasing staff immediately. “Beginning tomorrow morning, I’d like a newspaper set out for me as well.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she was aware of Falconridge lowering his paper. The butler’s eyes shifted to his master, and she thought she saw Falconridge nod before the butler shifted his attention back to her. “My pleasure, my lady.”
“In the future, you need not look to my husband for approval of my requests.” She smiled sweetly at Falconridge. “Isn’t that so?”
“Bexhall meant no disrespect. It’s simply that we’ve never had a marchioness who read the newspaper over breakfast.”
“How else can I keep up with the affairs of the world?”
“The gossip?”
“The business.”
He seemed surprised she’d care about world affairs. She could see him debating internally whether or not to give up the enjoyment of his morning paper, so she might have an opportunity to read it before he was finished with it. It irritated her that he had to consider it at all.
“You left the house last night,” she said.
Lowering the newspaper completely, he gave her a cool look of disdain. “I don’t believe the settlement agreement included the necessity for me to keep you apprised of all my comings and goings.”
“I would think, considering the fact we will be meeting with your man of business this morning to discuss monies owed, that you would do all within your power to avoid earning my displeasure.”
Even from this distance, she could see his jaw tightening, his eyes hardening even further. She thought he could cut diamonds with that stare, but strangely, she wasn’t intimidated. Her father had, with a mere signature, given her power she’d never before possessed. She wouldn’t have said anything at all about her husband’s late-night adventure if she hadn’t worried herself silly that he’d sought another’s bed. She
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