Read Online Married to the Marquess by Rebecca Connolly - Free Book Online Page B

his breakfast plate all over Colin, who squawked faintly in protest.
    “Some of us,” she retorted loudly, “maintain an air of sophistication and respectability and decorum regardless of how distasteful the subject may be.”
    “Oh, come off it, Kate!” Derek said in disgust. “Sophistication and decorum? Nobody would have known if you hadn’t told me about the great tragedy of your mother’s death. You had no cause to even inform me, and order me here I might add, if you didn’t want me. Lord knows I wouldn’t have come on my own for that hag, believe me.”
    “You go too far,” Katherine whispered as her eyes clouded with a sheen of tears, but Derek was beyond caring.
    “Forgive me for that,” he said sarcastically with a dramatic bow to her, “since you have always been so kind and deserving of considerate treatment, and never say things beyond the bounds of respectability. What a horrible example I will be for our children.”
    “If we ever have any,” she spat, even as her face paled at his words. “At the moment, I do not know if I would rather bring anything with your bloodlines into this world or spend an eternity being the brunt of every joke and gossip in London.”
    “Well, you don’t see me carting you off to bed, now do you?” he retorted as he headed towards the door. “The world has enough harpies in it without your help.”
    “How dare you!” she screeched, rooted in place as she was, watching him go, and his friends following, both of them entirely silent.
    “Oh, I dare whenever, however, and with whomever I please, Kate,” Derek said with one last look at her, his tone low and dangerous, “and I do not need to refer to you or to any other person on this earth to do so.” He turned away, and muttered, “Bloody whore,” under his breath to his friends, neither of whom found it amusing.
    “Derek,” Nathan hissed as he took his hat and gloves from the maid, “that’s hardly called for. What if she heard you?”
    “Then may I joyfully rot in hell,” he barked as he brushed passed them both and headed for Dennison’s stables, walking briskly and recklessly, not caring if either of them followed behind.

    “Well, it is a beautiful animal, but I just don’t think…”
    “What did you do , Derek?”
    All of the men silenced at once and froze at the terrifying cry of one Moira Hammond, Countess of Beverton. Slowly, they all turned to face the approaching threat, who was marching very purposefully towards them, her expression murderous.
    “Moira?” Nathan asked tentatively, but she silenced him with a look.
    “Darling, I will speak with you in a moment. Currently, I only have business with Derek.” She flicked her gaze to him, and the other men around Derek each took a large step away from him, as if to protect themselves from the fire in her eyes.
    “Hello, Moira,” Derek offered with a half-smile, his voice steady, even as his knees trembled just a touch.
    “What. Did you. Do.” There was no hint of a question in her voice, and Derek could not help but swallow involuntarily.
    “When?”
    “Just now.”
    His brow furrowed. “I’ve been here, Moira. We came over early to check on your stables and the horses.”
    “Before.”
    “Before?” He had a nagging sense about what she was trying to get at, but he would feign ignorance as long as he could. Much as he liked, respected, and, yes, feared Moira, he was not about to discuss his wife with her.
    “Would you like me to elaborate and refresh your memory, since you have obviously lost the ability to recall your actions this morning?” Moira asked, folding her arms, her blue eyes lancing into his green ones.
    “Please.”
    “Derek,” Nathan warned softly, looking at his wife with anxiety, but Derek ignored him.
    Moira snapped her brows together. “I went over to your house just now, as I have every morning and afternoon, to call upon your wife and ask after her. I, unlike so many others, present company included