Read Online Lady Arabella's Scandalous Marriage by Carole Mortimer - Free Book Online Page A

guests by taking his wife in his arms and kissing her in a thorough manner that was guaranteed to shock the avidly watching ton and no doubt confirm all their suspicions!
    ‘I assure you, I have been well and truly teased by you,’ he confirmed abruptly. ‘Although I have high hopes of that situation changing very shortly—’
    ‘I am sorry to interrupt, Carlyne.’ William Bancroft, Earl of Banford and an active member of the House, had approached them unobserved. ‘I wonder if I might steal your husband away for just a few moments, Your Grace?’ He smiled warmly at Arabella.
    Arabella instantly found herself blushing at being addressed by her new title for the first time, but at the same time recognised that she would appreciate a few minutes’ respite from Darius’s overwhelming presence. ‘Of course, Lord Bancroft.’ She smiled graciously at the other man in an effort to make up for the fact that Darius looked intensely annoyed at the interruption.
    Which was less than gracious of him, considering that the Earl and Countess of Banford had been on Darius’s guest list rather than Arabella’s own.
    It was a fact that Arabella had found curious to saythe least, and she had wondered if it was not Lady Bancroft, a woman reputed to have been mistress to several high-ranking male members of the ton before her marriage to the Earl three years ago, with whom Darius was better acquainted…
    ‘Can this really not wait, Bancroft?’ Darius felt no qualms about voicing his displeasure. ‘It is, after all, my wedding day.’
    ‘I require only two minutes of your time, I assure you,’ the older man placated him lightly.
    ‘I really should circulate amongst our other guests anyway, Darius.’ Arabella looked up at him reproachfully.
    ‘We will shortly be leaving, Arabella.’ Darius said. ‘Before anyone else feels themselves urgently in need of my company.’ He scowled darkly at the other man.
    Arabella shot the Earl a reassuring smile before taking her leave, but that smile was replaced by a frown as she could not help but overhear Darius’s muttered words to the other man.
    ‘What the hell can be so urgent, Bancroft,’ he rasped impatiently, ‘that you feel the need to bring it to my attention during my wedding celebrations?’
    ‘I thought, before you left town, that you should be apprised of how events are developing concerning a certain matter,’ the older man answered softly.
    Arabella had moved too far across the ballroom by this time to be able to hear what Darius said in reply. But that did not stop her from wondering to what ‘events’ Lord Bancroft was referring. Or in what way they had ‘developed’.
    Although the conversation did imply that it was the deeply respected Earl of Banford, after all, with whomDarius was acquainted, and not the other man’s beautiful wife…
    It was an indication to Arabella that there was still much she did not know about the man to whom she was now well and truly married….
     
    ‘Did you and Lord Bancroft manage to settle your differences earlier?’ Arabella asked Darius lightly.
    They were travelling together in the Carlyne ducal carriage some half an hour later, having just departed St Claire House to the cheers and well wishes of both their families and friends after Arabella threw her bouquet into a group of young unmarried ladies.
    The curtains were drawn across the windows, but a lighted lamp prevented the inside of the carriage from being in complete darkness. The reflection given off by the flickering light threw Darius’s face into darkly satanic relief as he scowled across at her. ‘I do not remember either of us stating that any such differences existed.’
    ‘No, of course you did not,’ Arabella accepted with a frown. ‘But you did not seem very pleased at his interruption.’
    ‘I believe my irritation with his intrusion to have been completely merited, considering this is our wedding day.’
    Darius rose suddenly to cross the carriage and