No Decent Gentleman (24 page)

A brief expression of pain crossed his face, then vanished as if it had never been there. "Don't be absurd," he said.

"I am not being absurd," Sabrina insisted. "I want you out of this room, out of this house, and out of my life."

Instead of shouting at her as she expected, Adam stared at her for several long moments. Then, without saying another word, he turned and left the study.

Watching him walk away, Sabrina felt an urge to call him back but successfully squelched it. She plopped down on the couch, and, surrendering to her tears, covered her face and wept.

Slurp
! Something wet tickled her hand.

Sabrina looked up to see Winston sitting in front of her. She put her arms around the dog's neck and gave him a hug.

What had she done? Sabrina wondered, sitting back on the couch. She'd lost her temper and hurt a man who had been kind to her, kinder than any other man she'd ever met. But how could she accept the fact that they were actually married? She hardly knew him.

And yet, everything the marquess said sounded like truth. Why couldn't he have courted her like any normal man and won her affections?

He tried to court you
, an inner voice answered.
Jealousy made you rebuff him
.

And then Sabrina thought of her father. She couldn't believe her wonderful father would marry her off at the age of three to a complete stranger. If it was true, he must have had a good reason, but when had he planned to tell her the shocking news? And then there was the matter of her aunt. If Aunt Tess had known for years, why hadn't she told her? Didn't a woman have the right to know if she was married or not?

Sabrina rose from the couch. Her head was beginning to pound with a
real
headache. She needed time alone to think and didn't want anyone to see her like this.

Followed by the wolfhound, Sabrina left the study. She stopped in the foyer before climbing the stairs to the third floor.

"I am not receiving company today," she told the two majordomos.

"Very good, my lady," Baxter replied.

"Have you been weeping?" Forbes asked. "What did the marquess—?"

Sabrina held her hand up in a gesture for silence. "I have a headache and wish to rest undisturbed for the remainder of the day."

With the wolfhound beside her, Sabrina started up the stairs. She hadn't reached the first landing when the front door swung open. Lady Belladonna, Aunt Tess, and Courtney entered the foyer.

"Sabrina, darling," Belladonna called. "We've just seen Adam driving away as if the hounds of hell were after him."

"You haven't annoyed the marquess again?" Aunt Tess asked.

Slowly, Sabrina turned to face the three women. She leveled an accusing look at her aunt.

"Adam told her," Belladonna said, grasping her friend's arm.

"I know everything," Sabrina said, her gaze fixed on her aunt.

"Oh, Lord," Tess moaned.

"What did Adam tell her?" Courtney asked.

Ignoring her sister, Sabrina said coldly, "You should have told me, Aunt Tess, especially after Father died. I am very disappointed in you."

"I'm sorry, child," Aunt Tess said, taking a step forward. "I thought my silence was all for the best."

Whirling away, Sabrina rushed up the stairs and sought refuge in her own bedchamber. She locked the door and then sat in front of the hearth. Winston sat down in front of her and rested his head in her lap.

Sabrina sighed heavily.

Winston gave her an answering sigh and then wagged his tail.

Sabrina patted the top of his head. Now that her anger had passed, she felt depleted of energy. Remorse for the horrible things she'd said coiled itself around her heart. Never had she spoken so cruelly to anyone. Why had she chosen to vent her anger upon the marquess? He had been the soul of kindness to her and Courtney. And she had repaid his kindness with hurtful words, Oh, yes, he had been hurt. She'd seen the fleeting expression of pain that crossed his features.

It wasn't as if the thought of marriage to him repulsed her. With his dark good looks, he attracted her as no other man had before.

Sabrina leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes to summon the marquess's image in her mind. Adam was handsome, titled, and wealthy, and he was wanted by almost every female who saw him. So why did he wish to marry an adopted bastard, albeit a countess? What was in it for him?

Besides, Adam had lied to her. Failing to tell the whole truth
was
a lie.

Sabrina couldn't shake his brief expression of pain. Strangely, she hadn't felt any remorse when she'd rejected Edgar. Was that because she harbored a fondness for the marquess?

Sabrina knew she harbored more than a fondness for him. She was beginning to love the man who called himself her husband.

Husband
. That word echoed within her mind.

Sabrina decided that she needed to speak to the marquess the first thing the next morning. After that, she would let him court her and see where their relationship went.

Rising from the chair, Sabrina crossed the bedchamber to the highboy. She took the winter rose betrothal ring out of the drawer and stared at it for a moment. Then she slipped it on the third ringer of her left hand.

With that settled, Sabrina began pacing back and forth across the bedchamber. What words could she use to erase the pain she'd caused? Would Adam accept her apology? Would he even agree to see her?

She knew he would not come to Grosvenor Square if she summoned him. The man was too proud to do that. She would go to his town house on Park Lane.

And then an idea popped into her head and brought a smile to her lips. She would make the marquess his favorite sweets, nougat and Turkish delight.

"Come, Winston." Sabrina left the chamber with the wolfhound and hurried down the corridor to the stairs. When she reached the foyer, she called to the majordomo without breaking stride, "I need sugar, honey, eggs, almonds, pistachios, cornstarch, lemon and rose flavorings."

"Yes, my lady." Forbes started after her.

Baxter grabbed his arm and asked, "What is the countess baking this time?"

Forbes grinned at the other man's ignorance. "Nougat and Turkish delight, of course."

"Forbes, where are you?"

"Coming, my lady ..."

At noon the following day, Sabrina stood in front of the marquess's town house on Park Lane. She carried a covered silver tray and reached out with her free hand to bang the knocker. Almost immediately, a tall and dignified-looking servant opened the door.

The majordomo looked down at her and asked in a haughty voice, "How may I help you?"

Uncertain in the face of his superiority, Sabrina hesitated, but then pictured the man staring cross-eyed at her. "I wish to speak with the Marquess of Stonehurst," she announced in a strong voice.

"Who should I say is calling?"

His wife
, Sabrina thought. "Lady Abingdon," she said.

"Sabrina, is that you?" she heard Uncle Charles call from inside the foyer. Then, "Let the lady inside."

The majordomo stepped aside to allow her entrance to the foyer. Sabrina smiled as the duke rushed forward to greet her. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"

"I must speak with Adam," Sabrina said, dropping her gaze. "I suppose you already know the reason."

"Adam left for Stonehurst last night," Uncle Charles told her. "Stonehurst is his private retreat, a small, renovated castle built on its own island. Come to the study, and we'll speak privately."

Sabrina let the duke usher her down the first-floor corridor to the study. Wherever she looked, she felt Adam's presence.

"Sit here near the hearth," Uncle Charles said. "Would you care for refreshment?"

Sabrina shook her head and sat down. "Is it true, then?"

"As children, Adam and you were wed," the duke verified, sitting in the chair opposite her. "He never meant to withhold the truth, only to give you an option if you didn't care for him."

"Why did you and my father marry us off as children?" Sabrina asked. "I thought that barbaric custom ended centuries ago."

"Even today, the wealthy arrange marriages for their children," the duke said.

"A world of difference lies between arranging marriages and actually having children joined in wedlock," Sabrina countered.

The duke sighed. "The three of us thought Adam and you would make a good match."

"The three of us?" Sabrina echoed, confused by his words.

"Henry, I, and your natural father," he explained.

Sabrina stared in surprise at him. "You know who my natural father is? I asked you before—"

"Many years ago, I swore to keep the secret," the duke said. "I will tell you only if you agree never to reveal his identity."

Sabrina inclined her head. She would have agreed to anything he asked. What she had yearned for her whole life was about to be hers, the knowledge of where she came from.

"Your natural father is Prince Adolphus," he said.

"Prince Adolphus?" Sabrina exclaimed. "Are you saying that King George is my grandfather and the Regent is my uncle?"

Uncle Charles nodded. "You will never be acknowledged."

"And Courtney?"

"Prince Adolphus sired bom of you. On different women, of course."

Sabrina stared into the hearth's flames. Which was more urgent, speaking to Adam or to Prince Adolphus?

"Who was my mother?" she asked.

"I don't know, but I do have some suspicions," he answered.

"Well, whom do you suspect?"

"I would never name any woman unless I knew the facts."

"Prince Adolphus will tell me," Sabrina said, and dropped her gaze to her hands folded in her lap. Though the knowledge she'd always yearned for was hers, the happy satisfaction she should have felt was missing. Now she felt disloyal to her father and aunt for wanting to know her true identity. Any parent who refused to acknowledge a child was actually no parent at all. Henry Savage had taken her into his home and loved her as though she were his. He was her true father, not the man who sired her.

"Sabrina?"

She returned her attention to the duke. "Thank you for telling me all this. When do you think Adam will return? I want to speak to him."

"Who can say?" Uncle Charles shrugged. "Why don't you go to Stonehurst?"

"How far is it?"

"Two hundred miles as the eagle flies."

Sabrina was unable to keep the disappointment off her face. Traveling two hundred miles was out of the question. The journey would take nearly a week, and a chaperon would be required. Neither Aunt Tess nor Belladonna would encourage such a venture. No, she would need to wait for his return.

"Traveling by ship will take less than a day," Uncle Charles said as if he knew her thoughts. "Stonehurst is built on an island off Cornwall. Adam does love his privacy."

"I have no ship and no chaperon," Sabrina replied. "What would people say about my staying at his residence?"

"Child, you are his wife and need no chaperon."

Sabrina wet her lips. If she went to Stonehurst, her future would be sealed. No annulment could be possible. On the other hand, did she really want to go through life without him?

"Several of my nephew's ships are moored in the Thames," Uncle Charles told her. "I am acquainted with his captains and will send them a message that the Marchioness of Stonehurst wishes to go home to her husband."

Sabrina smiled. "When can I leave?"

"With tonight's tide," Uncle Charles answered. "Return to Grosvenor Square and pack your belongings. I assume that wolfhound will be accompanying you."

"Winston goes wherever I go," Sabrina said, rising from the couch.

"I'll send you a message about the time," Uncle Charles said, escorting her to the foyer. "I personally will escort you to the docks."

"Thank you, Uncle Charles." Sabrina leaned close and kissed the duke's cheek.

Fifteen minutes later Sabrina rushed into the foyer of the town house at Grosvenor Square. Still carrying the tray of sweets, she started up the stairs and called over her shoulder, "Send a couple of maids to my chamber to help me pack."

"Pack, my lady?" Forbes echoed.

"Yes, where is my aunt?"

"She's in the drawing room with the others."

Sabrina burst into the drawing room and stopped short at the sight that greeted her. Edgar Briggs sat in one of the chairs and conversed with the two older women, her sister, and Dudley Egremont.

Briggs stood when he spied her. Smiling, he started across the chamber to greet her, but she held up her hand in a gesture for him to stop.

"I cannot visit with you today because I have another headache," Sabrina lied. "Aunt Tess, may I speak with you upstairs?"

Lord Briggs closed the distance between them and said, "I knew I should never have allowed you to come to London."

"Allowed?" Sabrina echoed in disbelief.

"I know I've lost you," Edgar said, dropping his voice so only she could hear him.

"I was never yours to lose," Sabrina told him, "but we will always be the dearest of friends."

"The marquess despises me," he replied.

As does Winston
, Sabrina thought. "Can we speak of this at a later time?" she asked with a twinge of guilt. "I am in a hurry."

''You said you had a headache,'' Briggs said, unable to keep his suspicion out of his voice.

"I am in a hurry to go upstairs." Sabrina looked at her aunt and asked,' 'Will you come with me? Where is Winston?"

Both Aunt Tess and Lady DeFaye rose from their chairs and crossed the chamber to where she stood with Edgar.

"We left Winston in your chamber so he wouldn't frighten any callers," Aunt Tess told her.

"Edgar, be a dear and run along," Belladonna said. "Do visit us again." Belladonna put her arm around Sabrina and ushered her out of the drawing room, saying, "Come, darling. I know just the thing for your headache."

"What mischief are you up to?" Aunt Tess asked as soon as the three of them reached the bedchamber.

"Winston and I are going to Stonehurst," Sabrina said. "Uncle Charles is making the arrangements."