Read Online The Baron's Betrayal by Callie Hutton - Free Book Online

unreasonably stubborn, and pushing him would serve no purpose. She must convince him that nothing had changed between them except for his sight, and arguing would solve nothing.
    She took several deep breaths to gain control of her emotions. Plastering a smile on her face that he couldn’t see, but could certainly hear in her voice, she said, “Mrs. Gibbons came to say her farewell to me this morning.” Her words softened Tristan’s expression.
    “Yes. I wished her the best a short time ago, as well. I will miss her. She was an excellent companion.” His lips tightened. “Until she betrayed me.”
    Not wishing to resume their disagreement, Marion hurried on. “I should like to take a ride into town today. May I use the carriage?”
    “Of course. Everything here is at your disposal.”
    Everything except my husband.
    “Thank you. Would you care to join me?”
    “Perhaps some other time. I have a meeting this morning with my secretary, Landers.”
    She nodded, but then realizing he couldn’t see her action, said, “All right. Another time.”
    They both resumed their breakfast, the clink of silverware and china the only sound in the room until Marion grew uncomfortable. The easy silences between them earlier in their marriage now seemed strained.
    “I remember how much you enjoyed reading your newspaper. Since I don’t see one, I assume you no longer have a subscription?”
    “It might have slipped your notice, but I am unable to read.”
    Heat rushed to her face at his brusque tone, and she bit back a sharp retort. She would need to practice quite a bit of patience with her husband if she were to bring him around. “Of course I know you cannot read, but I would be more than happy to read to you. And I would enjoy having a newspaper myself. May I order a subscription?”
    He wiped his mouth and rewarded her with his first smile of the day. “Actually, Mrs. Gibbons was not fond of reading aloud. Probably more than most things, I miss books and newspapers. If you would read to me, I would be extremely appreciative.”
    The tension in her body eased. At last she’d found a way to reach him. If it took her growing hoarse from constant reading, she would use that as a path to renewing their connection.
    …
    Tristan sat across from Landers, having a great deal of trouble focusing on his correspondence. His secretary would read his letters aloud, and Tristan would instruct him on how to reply. It had always been a system that worked well for them, but today he’d had to ask Landers to repeat himself many times.
    Even though he could not see her, Marion’s presence at his breakfast table had unnerved him. Her voice, her scent, and the warmth that radiated from her when she moved past him to sit in her chair, had made him harden in places he wished to ignore.
    Memories of previous meals with the two of them not able to take their eyes off each other swamped him with both joy and sadness. The early days of their marriage had been filled with such times, staring at one another, fingers intertwined as they strolled together, small intimate touches that had marked them as lovers.
    How they would go on was a conundrum he wasn’t prepared to deal with. His plan since he’d regained his memory in the hospital had been simple. He would allow Marion to believe him dead, and she would be free to marry again.
    Except Drake’s very astute observation that any marriage Marion contracted would be bigamy on her part — albeit innocent — and would therefore render her children bastards. Why he hadn’t thought about that when he had devised his scheme proved how unprepared he had been for his new life as a blind man.
    Although he hadn’t brought it up, he’d been aware that she had watched him last night as he worked out his rage on the punching bag. His acute hearing had picked up the sound of the door latch opening, as well as her gasp of surprise, then heavy breathing. Had passion been the cause of her