That Infamous Pearl (14 page)

"I do not
remember, Rowena, because I was dead drunk. I have no recollection of anything
that happened after I left Charles last night."

Rowena stared at him,
aghast. "You were drunk? You were drunk on our wedding night? How could
you?"

"I had been
informed that there was to be no wedding night," explained Alaric. "It
seemed at the time to be an excellent solution. I certainly did not suppose
that you might find out about it, being determined to avoid my bed."

"That doesn't
mean I intended for you to leave me alone and to get disgustingly drunk. I
thought perhaps we could have a quiet dinner together and some rational
conversation."

"I was not in
the mood for conversation," murmured Alaric.

Rowena flushed. "It
is too bad of you to behave so, my lord. I had no idea that my simple request
would cause you so much difficulty. But I must say that I feel very little
sympathy for your predicament. As a matter of fact, I am quite glad for it."

Alaric nodded. "I
thought you might be. I can only say that I regret it deeply, particularly as
you seem to have relented yesterday. May I ask what caused you to change your
mind?"

Rowena bit her lip.
She was embarrassed by her weakness of the early morning hours. It was apparent
that Alaric had managed to amuse himself sufficiently, and she did not wish him
to think that her pleasure depended on his company. She could not let him know
how much she cared for him.

"Doubtless it
was the long hours alone that demoralized me," she said sharply. "But
do not be concerned. I will endeavor to amuse myself independently in the
future. There are plenty of activities in London at this time of year. I will
arrange my own escort in the future, so you will not be obliged to attend to
me. It is unfashionable to be seen with one's husband, after all."

Alaric sighed. His
admission had apparently not softened Rowena's heart. Instead, she seemed more
determined than ever to stick to their bargain. The knowledge that she had had
second thoughts the night before, however, gave him hope.

"Rowena, we
should discuss this when I am feeling better. You know I have no desire to see
you go the way of other Society brides."

"Of course you
don't. I must first give you an heir before I may entertain myself, is that not
so?" Rowena tossed her head. "Well, it will be a month before you can
begin sowing your seed, my lord. As I said, my weakness will not be repeated."

Alaric sank back onto
his pillows. He was in no shape to argue with Rowena. He would simply have to
woo her once again. Her passions were so strong that it could not be hard to
win her over. He would make her forget this unfortunate start to their marriage
as soon as he got her into bed with him. The thought made him smile.

"Rowena, we will
talk about this tonight," he said.

"Do you intend
to dine here? Or shall I tell the cook to prepare for only one?"

"Of course I
will dine with you," he said testily.

"And shall I
order large quantities of brandy to be placed in the drawing room? Or will you
simply sit over your port until you are quite foxed?"

Alaric raised a hand
to his head. "Not now, Rowena."

"Very well. I
will leave you to your illness, my lord. I only regret that I ever felt sorry
for you."

Rowena flounced out
of the room, a great sense of injustice rising in her. There was no excuse for
Alaric's actions. True, she had precipitated them by her behavior, but how was
she to know he would proceed to get disgustingly drunk? Perhaps Lily did not
care if he was intoxicated, but it was not a situation she intended to
tolerate.

She stormed into the
parlor a few minutes later to find her aunt awaiting her. Lady Belmont rose
immediately when Rowena came through the door and clasped her to her bosom.

"My darling
girl! How are you today? My poor child, I hope all is well."

Rowena pulled back
slightly, a bit startled. "I am fine, Aunt Louisa. I am no different
simply because I married Brayleigh."

Lady Belmont looked
at her searchingly. "If you say so, child. I hope he was gentle with you."

Rowena flushed as the
significance of her aunt's words struck home. She could hardly tell her aunt
the truth of the matter.

"Everything is
fine," she said. "Please do not worry about me."

Lady Belmont
shrugged. "Very well then. Brayleigh is a man of the world. I am sure he
knows all the delicacies. So tell me, darling, how do you like being a
Countess?"

Rowena moved her
hands restlessly. The truth of her twenty-four hours as Countess of Brayleigh
was too odd to recount. "You know that I was not eager for this marriage,
Aunt Louisa. But Alaric has been most considerate."

"Thank heavens.
I didn't know what to expect from the man. After all, he has hardly been a
friend to our family. I feared that he might...well, that he might frighten
you."

Rowena struggled for
words, and was unutterably relieved when Ferguson opened the door and announced
another visitor. Her aunt could hardly discuss intimate matters in front of
others.

The next hour passed
swiftly, as callers came and went. They all seemed very curious to see
Brayleigh's new bride and to judge for themselves the status of the marriage.
Rowena began to feel rather like a caged animal on display. It was all she
could do not to return rude answers to some of the excessively prying questions
she was asked.

Just as she was beginning
to wonder if she could perhaps escape by complaining of a headache, the door
opened once again. Lady Bingham swept in with Mrs. Macomber and Lord Voxley in
attendance. Marguerite bore down on Rowena, a brilliant smile on her lips.

"My
felicitations, Lady Rowena. Or must I say Countess? I vow, it is very odd to
think that poor Brayleigh is finally married. I always knew that his activities
would get him into trouble some day!"

Rowena recoiled
slightly as the baroness tried to embrace her, and smiled vaguely at Voxley and
Mrs. Macomber. Lord Voxley gave her an insolent grin in return, and Mrs.
Macomber pressed forward, taking her hand and squeezing it.

"I am so happy
for you, Lady Brayleigh," she gushed. "And to think that I was one of
the first to know! Only fancy how the two of you were so in love that you were
unable to hide your feelings! I declare I was never more surprised in my life
than I was at the masquerade when you were found in Brayleigh's arms!"

Rowena frowned. She
had no desire to be reminded of the circumstances leading to her marriage. The
only consolation she could get from the whole mess was the knowledge that
Marguerite's plan to ruin her reputation had been thwarted.

"Thank you, Mrs.
Macomber," she said repressively.

Marguerite looked
around the room, her curious eyes taking in the various elegant visitors
present.

"But where is
Brayleigh?" she asked artlessly. "Don't tell me the bridegroom is
absent today?"

Rowena cringed at her
words. Although she was certain that her visitors had noted Alaric's absence,
no one had been tactless enough to ask after him.

"Brayleigh is
meeting with his man of business," said Lady Belmont, much to her niece's
surprise and relief. "Something urgent seems to have come up, but as I
told Rowena, if they had only gone out of town for a honeymoon this would not
have happened. Emergencies seem to be much less important, somehow, when one is
out of reach. I think it a great pity that there is to be no wedding trip, but
dear Rowena insisted on staying in town because she knows my health is not
good. I am very lucky to have such a thoughtful niece."

The older ladies in
the room nodded approvingly, and Lady Bingham's color heightened slightly. She
had not paid this visit in order to make the new Countess of Brayleigh look
good.

"How thoughtful
of you, my dear," she said lightly. "And of course it was very clever
of you to realize that Brayleigh would not wish to have his life interrupted.
You are the best of wives, allowing your husband to visit Mrs. Blackmore's gaming
house on your wedding night. I would surely have thrown a fit if my bridegroom
had chosen to do such a thing, but doubtless you know the best way to handle
your husband."

A silence fell over
the room after this remarkable statement. Rowena was uncomfortably aware of
being the focus of every eye in the room. She fought to keep her countenance
blank as a series of emotions raced through her.

The first was blind
fury at Lady Bingham for her malicious comment. If she had ever doubted Alaric's
word before that his former mistress was attempting to cause her trouble, she
had confirmation of it now. The second was anger with Alaric. How dare he go
somewhere so public, and so shocking, on their wedding night? Mrs. Blackmore's,
while never discussed among the ladies of the
ton
, was well known to
them as a den of vice, presided over by a woman who, though she claimed to be
of good birth, was not welcome in any respectable drawing room.

Finally, however, and
threatening to overwhelm anything else she might be feeling, was a great sense
of relief. If Alaric had been at Mrs. Blackmore's the previous evening, then he
had not been with Lily. No matter how he had chosen to disport himself, at
least it had not been with another woman. For some reason this made Rowena feel
much happier. The cloud that had been hovering over her dispelled slightly.

She turned towards
Lady Bingham, a tart rejoinder on her lips, but she was interrupted by a deep
voice.

"It is very kind
of you, Lady Bingham, to be so interested in our affairs. But I believe we can
manage without your interference."

Every eye in the room
swung to the doorway, where Alaric stood, an amused look on his face. He was
dressed very elegantly, his coat of dark blue molded to his broad shoulders,
his hessians gleaming like mirrors against his well-fitting biscuit breeches.
Rowena searched in vain for some sign of the pallor she had seen earlier.
Alaric looked to be healthy and very well pleased with himself. He walked
slowly into the room and came to stand behind Rowena's chair, his hands resting
lightly on her shoulders. Rowena trembled slightly at the feel of his warm
hands on her bare skin and she noticed that his fingers tightened almost
imperceptibly.

Lady Bingham flushed.
"I meant nothing by it, my lord," she said hastily. "I intended
only to compliment Lady Brayleigh on her understanding."

"My wife does
have superior understanding," agreed Alaric. "However, in this case,
she was indulging both my cousin and myself. I was with Charles last night
because he had received some distressing news. He was quite desolate, and Lady
Brayleigh urged me to keep an eye on him so that he would do nothing foolish."

"Poor dear
Charles, so impulsive," Lady Belmont interjected rather vaguely.

"How good you
are," said Marguerite to Rowena, her vexation at the unexpected turn of
events apparent in the sharpness in her voice. "I would not have so much
patience, I fear."

"Her patience
was amply rewarded upon my return," murmured Alaric. "I do not think
either of us suffered for the postponement."

Rowena flushed
crimson at his words. The dowagers in the room smiled at her kindly, thinking
it a sign of maidenly modesty.

"How sweet,"
Marguerite said acidly. "I am sure your devotion to each other is a lesson
to us all. And your care for your cousin is quite overwhelming, Alaric. I do
not remember you being so very concerned for him in the past."

"I am older now,
and considerably wiser," said Alaric. "My ideas of what I want out of
life are much more developed. I often regret the folly of my misspent youth."

"Then I am sure
I hope you get what you deserve," said Lady Bingham. She stood up hastily.
"I must be on my way."

"What a pity,"
said Alaric.

"Thank you for
your good wishes," added Rowena stiffly as Mrs. Macomber and Lord Voxley
accompanied Marguerite from the room. Her mind was only partially on her
visitors; where Alaric's fingers rested on her skin she felt as though he had
left small trails of fire. Although she was relieved he had arrived and rescued
her from an uncomfortable situation, she felt a certain amount of resentment
that he had handled it so easily. The situation, which had seemed so fraught
with social peril before his entrance, had simply fizzled away when confronted
with his impenetrable calm.

Alaric smiled down
into her troubled face and then seated himself next to her. For the next hour
he exerted himself to be charming to their visitors, and Rowena watched in
growing amazement as he listened with sympathy to her aunt's complaints about
her health and commiserated with Mrs. Barton on the sadly wild nature of her
son. Looking at him one would not think for a moment that he had been out
drinking and gambling all night or that he had been confined to his bed only
two hours before. He was so very handsome and self-assured. Something about his
calm made Rowena's mood increasingly agitated.

Eventually she
noticed that Alaric was subtly urging their guests to leave, and in a
remarkably short period of time she was alone with her husband. He smiled at
her warmly, an action which perversely made her more annoyed with him than
ever.

"I am sorry for
Marguerite's behavior," he said disarmingly. "We seem destined to
stumble from near scandal to near scandal, do we not?"

"If we do, it is
certainly not my fault." Rowena gave him a severe look. "I have no
disreputable past to contend with."

"No, but as my
wife you must contend with mine. I am sorry if it causes you pain." Alaric's
voice was quiet and sincere.

"You give
yourself too much credit, my lord. I have no reason to be concerned with your
actions."

"On the
contrary, you have every reason to be annoyed with me. I have had some time to
reflect on our situation, and I find that I am sadly at fault. It was wrong of
me to rush you into marriage, no matter how right I knew it to be for us both.
I should have been more patient. Can you forgive me, Rowena?"

Alaric took her hand
gently in his as he spoke and she glanced down at their clasped hands, her
fingers very fragile and white against his hand.

"It is not so simple
a matter, my lord," she said in a small voice. She realized that if she
turned down his request she would appear to be stubborn, but her concerns could
not be resolved so easily.

"My apology is
not enough?" Alaric's voice was gently teasing. "What would you have
me do, Rowena? Is there some way I can prove my worth to you?"

"It is a matter
of trust, my lord," she said.

"You don't feel
you can trust me. I suppose I can see how that might have happened. I tricked
you into marriage, and then I left you alone on your wedding night with only
the servants for company. I returned quite drunk and then ordered you out of my
bedroom. The next morning I was ill and when I did arise I found my former
mistress in the drawing room, insulting you. Perhaps your complaints are
justified."

Rowena gave him a
sideways glance. His tone was even, and he certainly seemed to understand her
reservations about their marriage.

"Exactly, my
lord. I am not at all comfortable with our situation."

"What can I do
to relieve your anxiety? Believe me, Rowena; I'm anxious that this union be a
happy one for both of us."

As he spoke, Alaric
raised his other hand to her chin and gently turned her face towards his. He
leaned forward, his green eyes gazing into hers with a serious expression, his
mouth hovering only inches from her own. Rowena blinked rapidly.

"You can honor
my request that we spend some time getting to know one another," she
murmured, tearing her eyes away from his intent gaze. When he looked at her in
that way, she was almost unable to think straight.

Alaric groaned
inwardly. He had hoped that his apology might melt Rowena's heart, and he had
some inkling that it had not been totally ineffective. But his bride had her
pride, and she was apparently unwilling to give in without a fight. He felt his
body clench as he thought of waiting even one more night for her.

"Very well, we
shall spend more time together," he promised. "First I shall take you
for a drive in the Park, to reassure the populace in the event that Marguerite
attempts to spread more rumors. Then we shall return here for a quiet dinner
together."