Pride and Fire (25 page)

“Fine,” Michelle stated.

Reggie took the tea cup Lady Helen held out to him, smiling his thanks. He sipped at it delicately.

“Thomas,” Paul said.

Reggie flinched and jostled his cup. “Yes, Leed?”

“I hoped to make your father’s acquaintance, but Michelle tells me he will not be in attendance.”

Reggie dabbed a napkin at the spilled tea on his breeches and nodded. “Um, that’s correct.”

“We wished to extend our thanks for his very generous wedding gift,” Paul said.

Paul gauged the response. Reggie’s chest puffed out, something indefinable flickering in his dark eyes. Paul looked at Michelle out of the corner of his eye. She was pale, her hands in fists on her lap. What the hell was going on?

“My father was more than happy to settle the gift on you and my dear cousin, Leed,” Reggie said. “He’s always been extremely fond of Michelle.” He leered at Michelle again. “We all have, you see.”

Michelle gripped Paul’s hand then. “Why don’t we ready ourselves for dinner?”

“Capital idea,” he answered.

Perhaps he could get some answers out of her in their chamber. He nodded and rose, watching as she hurried from the room. With a bow to Lady Helen, he followed Michelle’s quick retreat from the parlor.

* * * *

The next evening, a very preoccupied Paul stood near the mantelpiece with his friends. All the expected guests had arrived and were assembled in the drawing room awaiting the bell signaling the dinner hour. Lords Chester and Roberts were in attendance, along with Lord and Lady Kanewood.

Paul tried to follow the conversation around him, but he couldn’t forget what had happened last night. He’d tried everything he could think of to find out what was going on between Michelle and Reggie. He’d stopped just short of accusing her of dallying with the man, and had upset her to such a degree that she’d fallen asleep trembling in the bed beside him. He’d laid there for a long while, puzzling over the matter. And he still did so now.

It hadn’t escaped his notice that word of her uncle’s gift had come on the day following her ride with her cousin. Were the two incidents related? And if not, why did she become so upset at the mere mention of Reggie’s name? Geoffrey’s voice broke through his reverie.

“Will we hunt on the morrow?” Geoffrey asked.

Paul managed a smile. “I suppose so. One can’t be in Derbyshire and avoid it.”

“We should enjoy a few days, at least,” Geoffrey said.

Paul arched a brow at that. “Just a few days, Kane?”

“That’s all Becca will endure, I’m afraid,” Geoffrey said, raising his voice for his wife’s notice.

At the sound of her name, Becca turned toward the men. “You miss Michael as much as I do, husband,” she called.

Geoffrey chuckled and Paul smiled absently.

“Is something troubling you, Leed?” Geoffrey asked.

“What?” Paul shook his head. “No.”

Paul stared at Michelle. When he finally spared a glance at Geoffrey, he noted his attention. Paul fixed a look of casual interest on his face.

Michelle couldn’t have been more pleased when the guests had arrived. Paul had been relentless last night, questioning her about her uncle, about the ride she took with Reggie, about the problem she had with Reggie himself. She’d wanted to tell him everything, to unburden herself and admit her many deceptions. In the end she’d feigned a headache and crawled into the pretty rose-covered bed.

She now stood with Becca, discussing the furnishings and decorations dressing the magnificent home. Paul’s sisters Catherine and Elizabeth joined them as did some of Lady Helen’s friends’ unmarried daughters, who relished being in the company of two married women.

“Oh, Michelle,” one of the single girls began, “how did you know Lord Leed would offer for you?”

Michelle shrugged and smiled. “I had absolutely no idea, Constance.”

Constance frowned. “But how shall I ever tell if a man is interested in me?”

Becca and Michelle shared a knowing look.

“If he showers you with attention,” Becca said.

“If he ignores you completely,” Michelle said.

At the younger girls’ obvious befuddlement, Becca and Michelle laughed.

“Paul had kept everyone in the dark,” Catherine put in.

Constance smiled uncertainly, still wearing a look of confusion.

Michelle took pity on the girl then. “Constance, when it happens you’ll know.”

Constance nodded in answer, her blue eyes wide. Michelle turned to find Paul still staring at her. She couldn’t meet his gaze for long. She flashed him a quick smile and turned back to her companions.

After dinner, the men gathered in the library, sharing brandy, cigars and conversation. The ladies assembled in the parlor, sipping delicately at their tea. But the sexes were divided for only a short while, to Michelle’s chagrin. She’d relished the brief moments of relaxation she passed with the ladies.

When Paul returned to the parlor Reggie followed behind, leering at her behind Paul’s back. She stood and crossed to Paul, placing her hand on his arm to turn him away from Reggie.

“Hello, husband,” she said.

He returned her smile and kissed her on the cheek. He placed his lips near her ear. “Why do you clutch me so tightly, wife?” he whispered.

She laughed shakily. “I missed you.”

Michelle felt like a fraud. She never hid her opinions. In sharp contrast, she’d kept everything in last night. No she didn’t feel like herself in the least. Before Paul could sense anything more in her trembling hands, she released him and turned to her father-in-law, the Earl of Talbot.

“Michelle,” Lord Talbot said warmly, “your family home is magnificent.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “We’re quite proud of it.”

“I would’ve thought, however,” Paul’s father continued, “that it would have passed into other hands by now.”

“It has, in effect,” she said. “My father’s younger brother has true ownership of Thomasham.”

Paul turned to her. “Why hasn’t he taken possession of it?”

She met his gaze briefly, turning back to Paul’s father. “My uncle prefers his country house in Shropshire. He’s generously permitted my mother to remain indefinitely.”

“Hmm,” the earl intoned. “Quite generous, I’d say.”

“My father is that,” Reggie put in, speaking close to Michelle’s ear.

She jumped at the sound of his voice, a reaction Paul didn’t miss.

“Dear cousin,” Reggie continued, “I would like a word with you, if I may be so bold.”

Paul stepped in then, to her relief and guilt, and gently grasped Michelle’s elbow. “I’m afraid my wife has already agreed to take a stroll with me, Thomas.”

Reggie couldn’t hide his irritation. His lips curled for a brief moment before smoothing into a sly smile, but not before Paul had also seen his displeasure. Reggie was a reckless fool.

“A stroll?” Becca smiled. “That sounds delightful, doesn’t it Geoffrey?”

Her husband agreed, and the couples exited the room through large doors leading out into the formal gardens. Becca stopped in the doorway and looked pointedly at Lord Chester, who arched a brow at her in question.

“Lord Chester, wouldn’t you like to join us?” Becca asked, looking meaningfully in Constance’s direction.

Chester chuckled and bowed to Constance. The girl’s blue eyes lit up as he gallantly requested her company. The three couples took in the night air.

That night, long after the pleasant stroll that saved her from whatever Reggie had in mind, Michelle lay in the gilded bed beside her husband. Sated, she absently traced her fingers over his chest as he sighed in contentment.

“I love you, Michelle,” he said softly, firmly.

She nodded, placing a kiss on his chest.

“You don’t need to keep anything from me,” he went on. “You know that, don’t you?”

She hesitated. Surely she could share her opinions on political matters. But it wasn’t possible to confide in him regarding her shameful deceit. When Reggie had requested her company that evening, she’d known true terror. How could she rebuff him so publicly? And how could she ever agree to be alone with him again?

Paul hadn’t missed her reaction—the man missed nothing. She doesn’t need to keep anything from him? Not bloody likely.

“Yes,” she answered softly, not believing it for a moment.

“Tell me what’s going on between you and your cousin.”

She heard the strain in his voice. Last night, he’d all but threatened to go to Reggie himself to receive satisfaction. Tonight he obviously thought to gentle the truth out of her. She would give him the tiniest bit of it, then.

“I feel nothing for Reggie,” she said. “He … frightens me.”

Paul lifted his head. “Frightens you? Why would you be afraid of that dandy?”

She froze. “I meant to say he irritates me.”

Paul studied her for a moment. Michelle leaned up and kissed him, thinking to turn his thoughts. Perhaps he was aware of her efforts, but he seemed inclined to bow to her wishes.

* * * *

The men went on a hunt the next morning, leaving the ladies to pass the morning in pleasant conversation. They gathered in the parlor, sipping tea and discussing the coming ball. It would take place that evening, and the other ladies were quite excited. Michelle, however, couldn’t rouse much enthusiasm for an event that would surely throw her into Reggie’s company along with that of her friends.

The women talked of what they would wear, of what delicious foods the cook at Thomasham would present. There was talk of an excellent orchestra having been engaged, which promised dancing long into the night.

“Ooh,” Catherine sighed. “I can scarcely wait for this evening!”

“Oh, yes,” Elizabeth said, nodding enthusiastically. “The music and dancing will be simply wonderful!”

Constance turned toward Becca. “Rebecca, surely you’re reminded of the ball at Kanewood last year?”

Becca smiled. “I should say I am, Constance. And if my memory serves, you danced quite a few dances with a certain earl who was in attendance.”

Constance blushed prettily.

“Who?” Catherine needed to know.

Michelle arched a brow at Constance, bidding her to answer.

“Lord Chester,” Constance said softly.

“Oh my!” Lady Helen gushed. “That’s right. Diverting, however, was the fact that Lord Leed, my own dear son-in-law, danced absolutely no dances with my daughter.”

Becca and the other ladies laughed.

“Never mind, Mother,” Michelle said, hiding her smile.

“I don’t know much of your cousin, Michelle,” Constance said. “He has requested a dance with me for this evening. Is he a good dancer?”

Michelle’s heart pounded at the mention of Reggie and she struggled to regain herself. “I do not know, Constance. He might be passable. He attends functions in Town quite often.”

“Lord Roberts is always a winning dance partner,” Catherine said. “Though, I sometimes feel he only suffers my company because of Paul.”

“Nonsense,” Michelle said. “Lords Chester and Roberts escorted you to all those bashes without Paul in attendance, didn’t they?”

Elizabeth nodded, her brown curls bouncing. “And they never tell us to hush, the way Paul does.”

The ladies shared a laugh.

After they took luncheon in the large dining room, the ladies retired to their respective chambers to rest and prepare themselves for tea that afternoon. With a promise to see them later in the parlor, Michelle went up to the Rose Room.

Chapter 24

Michelle sat at the vanity that afternoon, clad in her chemise and petticoat. She’d laid down on the gilded bed for just a moment’s rest, but when she awoke she’d found nearly two hours had passed. Never one to sleep in the afternoon, she attributed it to the stress caused by perpetuating her lie. Lies, she corrected. Lying to Paul was wearing on her, and she longed to tell him all of it. He’d be angrier than she’d yet seen him, to be sure. At least he’d be justified in this. With a sigh of irritation, she ran the brush through her curls.

At the sound of the chamber door’s opening she turned, a smile curving her lips for her husband. The expression died a quick death.

“Reggie!”

“Hush, dear cousin,” Reggie said. He closed the door. “We don’t wish to be found out, do we?”

“Leave this chamber now, Reggie.”

Reggie simply smiled at her, a nasty smile that curved his thin lips and made her stomach lurch. He strolled about the chamber, running his hands slowly over the fine furnishings.

“The Rose Room,” he stated. “You’ve always liked this room, haven’t you, Michelle?”

She watched him closely, crossing her arms in front of her to better hide herself from his sharp little eyes. He paused in front of the magnificent four-poster, a thoughtful look on his face.

“I heard you, Michelle.”

“Heard me?” she asked. “What are you talking about?”

He turned to face her. “The day you arrived at Thomasham.”

His words penetrated. No. He hadn’t overheard the passion she shared with her husband! Reggie snickered at her obvious recollection. He began to advance on her.

She stood and backed away from him. “You lie.”

“I was on my way to my guest room when I heard you and the viscount speaking in hushed tones.” He shrugged his narrow shoulders. “My curiosity was piqued, my dear. I couldn’t help but listen.”

“N-no,” she gasped. “You’re…you’re fabricating this tale to embarrass me.”

“You believe so?” he said, stepping closer. “I heard you, Michelle. Just before you closed the door, Leed asked you what you were about.”

Michelle gaped at him, her hands dropping down to her sides in her surprise. Michelle felt his gaze on her breasts and shuddered. He dragged his eyes back up to her face.

“And later, after you closed that door…” He grinned. “Surprisingly thin, that door.”

She backed up against the wall. “You scoundrel.”

“I wonder if the viscount knows all you’ve been about these past weeks, dear cousin.”

Michelle shook her head. “You will not tell him. That would expose you.”

“No, Michelle.” He placed his hands on the wall on either side of her head. “I will not tell him, and neither will you.”