One True Love (27 page)

He wanted to punish Cassie for her betrayal, but in the end, his punishment worked both ways. A birch across his bare ass could not feel more painful than the tug at his heart. His lovely angel turned to a sour taste in his mouth.

William danced once with Lady Quartermane then left the ball much to her chagrin. He escorted his former mistress home before he made his way to Whites. The corner table gave him little solace. He spent more time in the corner than in his own home. Perhaps he should have taken the curse seriously and stayed away from marriageable women. If so, he would not be in this position with a wife who loved another man, and a babe on the way that may or may not be his.

William downed his brandy. The chair next to him scraped the floor as Stephen pulled it back and made himself welcome.
Great.

Stephen drummed his fingers on the table. "Would you like to explain to me why you showed up with Lady Quartermane and cut your wife in front of the entire
ton
?"

"No." William started to rise, but Stephen put a hand on his shoulder.

"What you did tonight is not only an embarrassment to your wife, but to the entire Prescott family. What the hell is going on?"

"She is pregnant."

Stephen looked surprised at first and then baffled. "Isn't that a
good
thing?"

"Not if it is not mine."

"What?"

"I caught her in the garden at our ball with Winnington. The damn blackguard's hands were all over her."

A footman brought Stephen a glass of brandy and refilled William's glass. They sat for a few moments in tense silence.

"Are you sure you saw what you think you saw?" asked Stephen.

He thought about it. Not for the first time. The dark shadows in the garden made it difficult to see, but it did not stop him from realizing Winnington was all over his wife. "I bloodied his nose for it."

"Damn. What did Cassie have to say for herself?" asked Stephen.

"She did not say anything. I dragged her home and sent her to her room. The next time I spoke to her was after Dr. Breckman told me about her condition."

Stephen sat up straighter, and William saw the calculating look in his eyes. When others looked right past the obvious, his brother had the uncanny ability to see the pieces of a puzzle and how they fit together. "And when you did talk to her, what did she say?"

William screwed up his face at the unpleasant memory. "I asked her if the babe was mine and she threw crockery at me."

Stephen howled with laughter. Other gentlemen turned their way, curious about the sudden upheaval. William's face colored. He did not relish the entire
ton
knowing his business, but after tonight's foolishness, he had no one but himself to blame.

"What the hell are you laughing about?" he scowled.

"Are you telling me your wife was not a virgin on your wedding night?"

"No, I am not telling you that. Of course, she was a virgin." He could not imagine his brother's point in this ridiculous conversation.

"Tell me William, why would an innocent, bed another man only weeks into her marriage? Do you truly think her brave enough?"

"She loves him," William snapped.

"How do you know?"

The question sunk into William's mind like a drowning vessel. The evidence piled up against Cassie, did it not? Conflicting memories and feelings assailed him. The blind rage he experienced when he saw Cassie backed up to a tree with Winnington's hands and mouth on her resurfaced. He tried to remember the look in Cassie's eyes. Was it fear or relief?

What if she had not welcomed Winnington's attentions, but instead, the man forced himself upon her? Visions whirled in his mind as he recalled how she fought for his attention the day of the race, and how she responded to him
after
the episode with Winnington. He pictured her angelic face, her dazzling smile and pleasant laughter as he pushed her on the swing. William thought of his wife naked, beneath him, on their marriage bed.

No –he did not know anything for certain.

Chapter Fifteen

Cassie slept until noon after an exhausting night alone. She fretted throughout the night, then woke to an overcast day that matched her mood. The sun hid behind ominous clouds, leaving the house dark and full of shadows. At least, she kept the contents of her stomach
in
her stomach thus far.

She put on her dove gray muslin gown, made her way to the drawing room, and sat by herself, knitting a pair of booties for her babe. She sighed with resignation at the knock on the door. With the partially knitted booties in her lap, she closed her eyes, and tried to prepare herself to smile and act as if all were well.

Lady Camberley and Lady Anne swept into the drawing room. The women hugged her first then assessed her. The small gestures of affection caused her to lose her resolve, and a tear slipped past her defenses.

"Oh dear, I am shocked by my son's behavior. I would not put such a thing past James,
but William
. He is my
good
boy." Lady Camberley dabbed at her own wet eyes with a handkerchief.

"What are you knitting?" asked Anne.

Cassie looked down at the knitting in her lap and burst into tears. The women flanked both her sides, patted her hands and back, handed her fresh handkerchiefs, and gave her words of encouragement. She could not seem to help giving into the weariness that sucked at her in like quicksand.

A few minutes later, her tears spent, the awareness of acting like a watering pot filtered through her foggy mind. She rang for tea, and once they were settled with their cups of tea and crumpets, Lady Camberley asked, "What pray tell, is going on?"

"I am going to have a baby." Cassie pressed her lips together. She caught Anne's eye who decided to act surprised at the news.

Lady Camberley placed her hand over her heart. "Oh, that is wonderful!
A baby.
A grandchild. I cannot tell you how pleased this makes me. But that does not explain William's actions, or your sadness."

She hesitated to talk about such a private matter. Anne knew and had not condemned her, but Anne also proved to be her greatest ally among the Prescott family. Cassie wished for her own mother and sister.

"William is under the impression this babe is not his."

Lady Camberley's face turned stark white. For a moment, Cassie wondered if her mother-in-law would have a case of the vapors, but she managed to pull herself together. "Why would he be under this impression?"

"Lord Winnington made unwanted advances on the night of the ball, but William saw only what he chose to see. I swear to you I have not been unfaithful." Anger swelled in Cassie's breast. There were times when she thought about everything and wanted to thrash her husband for his rash conclusions.

"Did you tell him the truth?" asked Lady Camberley.

"He has yet to give me a chance. He leaves before I wake, and returns after I go to sleep. The last time I saw him, he discovered I was with child, then accused me of foul behavior. I confess I lost my temper and raged at him. I have not seen him since."

Lady Camberley drummed her fingers against her teacup. "I see. You are going to have to convince him."

Cassie watched her mother-in-law's expression, and wondered what plan she was calculating, "It is impossible to convince him when I never see him."

"This behavior is not like William. He is not one to avoid confrontation or problems. He generally charges any situation head on," said Anne.

"Yes, you are right. I suspect he is afraid this time," said Lady Camberley.

"But what could he fear? I do not know how to reach him."

"Anne, I would like to speak to Cassie alone. Go the library and see if William has a new book we could take to Elizabeth." Lady Camberley commanded and her daughter retreated without question.

"Anne is unmarried, an innocent. I am going to give you advice from one married woman to another. You need to convince your husband of your loyalty. Go to his bed tonight and wait for his return. Seduce him."

Cassie nearly spit out her tea. This is not the first time William's mother said something scandalous to her. She did not dare answer.

Lady Camberley laughed. "Do not be embarrassed, dear. How do you think William came to be? Now, you listen to me, and listen well," she took Cassie's teacup and set it down, then took her hands in hers, "You must fight for your marriage. William wants marriage and children, but if he believes this is not what you want, he will retreat rather than risk his heart."

Hours later, after Cassie's guests departed and she contemplated Lady Camberley's words, they finally sunk in. Sitting around waiting for William to make an appearance, waiting for him to come to her, was not working. If she wanted William, she needed to take matters into her own hands.

Cassie ordered the staff to move her things to William's bedchamber. She waited for her husband by readying his room and herself. After a long, hot bath soaking in sliced lemons, she donned her silk wrapper then dried her hair by the fire.

Katie brushed out her golden curls, leaving her hair fallen to her waist. Cassie selected a flimsy silk gown the color of her green eyes. She admired all of her preparations in William's bedchamber. She recreated the surprise William had for her on their wedding night –the night she imbibed in too much wine. Hothouse roses in vases littered the room along with dozens of candles. The navy blues and gold's of the bed linens, carpet, and curtains added warmth to the romantic atmosphere.

Her hands trembled, but she was determined to carry her plans through. She needed to convince William she wanted to be his wife, wanted him in her bed, and in her life. She nibbled on a strawberry from a plate of fruit, cakes, and cream. The wait might very well make her mad. She walked around the room, running a finger along the masculine bedpost. Imagining what she would do in this bed caused her to blush, but she refused to back down.

She found a copy of Shakespeare's
Hamlet
on William's bedside table, poured a glass of wine, and then snuggled under the covers with his book to wait him out.

***

Weariness crept beneath William's skin. Tired of hiding out, hiding away from his wife and his life, he decided to go home. Since he ceased coming home before midnight, Scott stopped waiting up for him. He used a key to let himself in the front door. A withering candle burned for him. The glow gave him enough light to find his way to his study. He used the flicker of flame to light another candle before sinking into a chair.

The quiet of the house should comfort him, but his tangled thoughts, mixed with grief, anger, and guilt, enveloped him in a tight wrap. Certain Cassie slept, he decided to wait until morning to talk to her. They needed to come to some sort of understanding.

He rested for awhile before making his way to his empty bed. He wanted his wife beside him, but he could not bring himself to invite her and risk rejection. If she indeed loved Winnington, and carried the blackguard's child, then she would not desire her husband's bed.

William clenched his fist, and attempted to fight away the madness that threatened to eat him alive. Every time he thought of his angel in bed with another man, sharing her body, growing large with his seed, William wanted to smash Winnington to smithereens.

As he approached his bedchamber, he noticed a stream of light at the bottom of the door. Thinking his valet forgot to snuff out the candle, he mentally planned to chastise him the next day.

William opened the door and first noticed the dozens of candles that gave the room a golden glow. The smell of roses assailed his senses, but his eyes were drawn to the bed.
Sweet heaven.
He closed the door with a quiet click.

His angel lay beneath the midnight covers with her crowning curls shimmering in the candlelight. Her closed eyes against her porcelain face made her look like a sleeping beauty. Even in the darkened room, he could see her blushed cheeks and rosebud lips. Struck by her loveliness, he moved to the side of the bed and stared down.