Libertine's Wife (17 page)

“
Pleased?” she squeaked and
looked ill. “I shall faint if I but touch one, my lord!”

He chuckled at her hesitancy. “I assure
you it is more than expected you wear the Ravensford jewels. It is
a part of your duty, if that helps.”

“
Duty, you say?” Arianne
eyed the trays of jewelry skeptically, uncomfortable to think of
wearing anything so expensive. She had no jewelry of any real value
besides her wedding band. This unprecedented display of wealth only
reminded her of who she was now. His adding she had a duty to wear
the jewelry settled her inner argument. “Very well, I guess I can
wear them if that is the case.”

Garret’s eyes were gentle as they met
hers. “I can see you were unprepared to accept such costly
heirlooms. My apologies, Arianne, but it is a part of the role you
now play. If you don’t want them, I can take them back to the
bank.”

Seeing the glimmer of disappointment in
his gaze was enough to sway her. “No, as you say, it is expected I
must wear them. You are right, of course. I am just unused to such
things.”

“
We will define your role
very soon, my dear,” Garret said with a hint of a smile about his
lips. “It would give me great pleasure for you to accept
these.”

She appeared unsure,
weighing his words. “You are sure it wouldn’t be considered,
well—
vulgar
to
claim all of them?”

He reflected her words with a strange
expression. “What is vulgar to one is quite acceptable to another,
I have found.”

Arianne tilted her head up at him and
nodded. “I have always been taught such displays of one’s wealth
are rude.”

Garret felt relief at her explanation.
He had his first insight of who his wife was now. Any other woman
would have cooed in delight to be the recipient of such treasures.
His wife looked close to fainting at the prospect of claiming
ownership.

It reassured him he might be wrong
about her. She didn’t act like the grasping creature he’d accused
her of being. Her discomfort to be presented with the jewels was
genuine and told him more than words could convey how she
felt.

His wife was feeling inadequate and
panicking to assume her lofty position in society. He felt a talk
was long overdue since her arrival, but he didn’t desire to bring
up the past or his harsh words when he belittled her so long
ago.

“
I know this is all rather
overwhelming for you, Arianne. You will adjust,” he reassured her
as he closed the large case and slid it across the desk. “I do ask
you keep those in the safe in the back of your wardrobe, however,
when you’re not wearing them. Robberies are not uncommon, even in
this part of town.”

Arianne looked at the box like it would
bite her as she reached for it. He grinned to see it, finding her
reactions adorable. The vision of her wearing nothing at all but
what lay within the case made his blood boil once more.

“
I will guard them as if
they are my own, my lord.”

“
But they are yours!” Garret
smiled and shook his head. “I don’t think such pretty baubles would
compliment me at all. How was your fitting at the dressmaker’s?” he
asked to change the subject.

She frowned slightly, her annoyance
obvious. “I had no idea you already chose my wardrobe, my lord. The
appointment went by rather fast because of it.”

“
Do you have any issues with
what I selected for you?”

“
No…no…it’s just…you ordered
everything I could have chosen.”

“
Do you question any of my
choices?” His green eyes challenged her to deny his taste was
superb.

“
I am unused to a man
choosing my clothing, Garret. Even Eustace would have never assumed
such an interest in such…um…ah…intimate garments for a
lady.”

Garret looked at her innocently. “I
shouldn’t have a personal interest in what my wife wears under her
skirts? What kind of husband would I be then?” He chuckled at her
wild blush. He shrugged. “Pay no heed to it. I only thought to give
you ample time to settle in. If anything displeases you, send it
back.”

“
That’s just it. It’s all
perfect.” Arianne took a deep breath, eyes confused. “It all
pleases me. I could’ve chosen no better for myself.”

“
Why are you complaining of
it then?” He frowned down at her in confusion.

Arianne adored what he chose for her,
but having no say in any of the process irritated her, just the
same. “A lady likes to have some say in colors and fabrics, my
lord. I am very pleased with your selections for me.”

“
So you only find fault
because I chose them for you?” Garret persisted, gaining a clue of
the strength of will she possessed. To allow him such control
seemed difficult for her. A compromise would have to be
made.

“
I find fault in not having
any say in it, yes, if you must know.” She avoided his searching
gaze. “I don’t deny your taste is without flaw, probably better
than my own. I only wish to have some say in what I wear. It is a
purely feminine attitude, my lord.”

Garret appeared annoyed now. “I only
wished to save you the chore, Arianne.”

“
I appreciate your efforts.
The clothes are quite beautiful, and…I thank you for selecting them
for me.”

He was still frowning. “You wish to do
such things for yourself, do you not? Picking out your own clothing
matters so much to you?”

Arianne appeared thoughtful at his
words. “I am unused to a man assuming such authority over such
aspects of my life, such as my personal attire. Yes, I would like
to do so for myself.”

“
Will it distress you to
wear them now?”

“
No, of course not,” Arianne
was quick to say. “I would only ask to be given such autonomy for
myself in the future. Personal style is also a factor to
consider.”

“
I have excellent taste, my
dear.” Garret looked outraged.

“
I don’t argue that, only
that it isn’t mine.”

Garret seemed disappointed with her
answer. Arianne thought it ridiculous. They talked of clothes, not
anything remotely worthy of such a rousing debate. He seemed
troubled by her answers. She could see it in his eyes.

She immediately regretted telling him
it irritated her that he would choose her wardrobe. She more than
sensed they didn’t talk about wardrobes at all. It unnerved her the
way he looked at her, a speculative gleam in his eyes.

“
Such matters I will leave
to you in the future then if you insist.” She was struck by how
difficult it was for him to concede such trivial matters to her. He
was tight-lipped and appeared to struggle to give in to her. “I
would insist upon being consulted about your other…ah…intimate
apparel, however.”

Arianne felt heat fill her face at his
words. Her breath caught in her throat. A nervous hand went to her
throat. “You…wish…to…to… have some say in my undergarments, my
lord?”

“
Especially your
undergarments,” Garret said, with a strange look in his eyes. The
huskiness in his voice made her toes curl in her slippers. “It’s
but a personal quirk of mine you will have to indulge.”

Arianne was mortified, staring at him
in stunned silence. He seemed to take pity on her then, grinning to
dispel the awkward atmosphere. She found his quirks in targeting
ladies unmentionables with such interest fascinating and offensive
at the same time. She just stared, trying to determine why choosing
what she wore under her gown was so important to him.

“
Very well, I shall leave
such…matters… to…to your attention, if you insist.”

“
I very much insist.”
Garret’s eyes glowed with an intent light she’d never seen before
and was profoundly disturbed.

The unsettling mood was doused when
their son ran into the room, a hurricane of energy and delighted
squealing as he ran around her skirts, rescuing her from whatever
lurked within her enigmatic husband’s eyes.

She settled him at once. Her eyes met
Garret’s once more, sliding away to focus upon her jewel case. “I
will do as you say and place these in the wardrobe.”

“
The safe is opened,” Garret
offered, his green eyes never leaving her face. “The combination is
in your dressing table, under those—very delightful things we just
discussed. I thought it the safest place.”

Arianne’s eyes flew wide to know he’d
gone through her intimate wear, slightly alarmed, and vaguely
breathless. Jaime was left with his father as she hefted the case
to her room.

When she was there, she leaned against
the door, closing her eyes as waves of intrusive desire clamored
over her. The thought of his hands touching her undergarments made
her feel flushed and over-warm.

Her husband intended to assert more
control over her than she thought even proper to allow. Choosing a
wardrobe for one’s wife wasn’t the issue. She knew instinctively he
would choose everything for her if she let him.

He needed to do so for some reason.
Whatever compelled him disturbed her. The fact he already assumed
such authority over her shocked her. The controlling behavior she’d
witnessed since her arrival annoyed her. A part of her was
strangely elated, yet repelled, to think of his taking over every
aspect of her existence.

Arianne knew she was being ridiculous.
Just because he picked out her clothing didn’t mean he meant to
control everything else in her life. That lingering question
troubled her to see the stack of books she selected from the
library on her bedside table were now gone, replaced with one
book.

Arianne picked up the book of French
poetry. He’d taken her books and replaced them with another. Was it
his? She wondered over it as she leafed through it. Obviously he
intended for her to read it.

Garret’s high-handedness was unnerving.
The man obviously ransacked her room while she was out! She felt
slightly violated to think of him going through her things,
wondering what he was looking for.

Arianne’s sense of free will was
immediately affronted. Some other intuition knew to allow him such
power over her would please him more than she understood. She
reasoned it was a quirk, as he said. A feeling of unease remained
as she wondered if it was far more.

~ ~ ~

Arianne returned to her desk to attack
the mountainous pile of notes she’d received and stared at the
empty drawer within. They were gone. She rose and sought out
Elliot.

“
Do you know where all my
notes are? I put them in my desk. They’re gone.”

Elliot nodded, stepping away from his
post at the door to attend to her. “His lordship requested them,
Your Ladyship.”

Arianne returned to her salon, sitting
on the chair with a definite pout. He took them. Did he not think
she could even answer her own mail? She became furious at such an
overbearing display. He didn’t think her even capable of responding
in an appropriate manner. She got angry and decided to confront the
situation head on.

Approaching his study door, she paused.
It had been closed half the day. She felt she intruded as she
knocked softly on the door. He surprised her and opened the door,
standing aside for her to enter. His green eyes met hers with a
gleam of admiration in them as he looked down at her.

“
Is there something you
require, my dear?”

She waited until he shut the door.
“Yes, I would like all my notes back, please.”

Garret frowned and eyed her closely,
returning to his desk. “You have yet to answer any of
them.”

“
They are mine to answer,”
Arianne informed him, her blue eyes flaring in annoyance, daring
him to refuse to give them back.

“
Do you need some help with
it?” Garret persisted, his intuitive gaze softening. “Knowing who
requires your attention first before others is not always easy when
you are new to town.”

Arianne felt her anger melt instantly;
allowed him to see her confusion. “It’s all so overwhelming. How do
I know who to address first? I know none of these
people.”

Garret nodded and gestured to a chair
opposite him. She sat down, relieved at his offer of assistance. “I
insist on helping you with this. It won’t do for you to put your
foot in your mouth without knowing who you deal with.”

He perused the stack and she saw he’d
removed and tossed out half the pile already. “Why have you thrown
all those away?”

Garret looked grim at her words. “Some
of them only wish our presence for mean-spirited intentions. I’m
not friendly with their husbands, so why would they engage my wife?
Do you see where I go with this?”

She did see. Those ladies sent
felicitations to her out of spite. “I would have come to you with
this, but I fear I’m at a loss.”

“
I know all these people,
Arianne. I know who is worth your time and friendship and those who
would seek to undermine your entrée to society.”

“
I took much for granted.”
She sat back in her chair, slightly disappointed to know she wasn’t
as popular as she thought.