The Devil's Good Intentions (41 page)

“
Lord Straton is a rake and not suitable company.” Peter scolded her as though she was a child.

“
He has never been anything but decent to me.” She mumbled, knowing to continue this argument would get her nowhere.

“
And when exactly did you meet Lord Straton, more or less become on a first name basis with him?” He asked.

Katherine could see his barely contained temper rising to the surface and wondered if she should not have left things as they were.

“
I see him at the orphanage. He’s the coordinator there you know.” She said offhandedly.

“
And yet Rachel visits the orphanage and I don’t see him seeking her out.” He responded.

“
Just what are you implying?!” She snapped at him.

At this point, Peter had gracefully manoeuvred them off the dance floor and onto the terrace.

He drew her into a more private section and flung her around to face him.

Gripping her by her upper arms he towered over her, making her shrink back into herself.

“
I will say this only once. Lord Straton is not good company for you to keep and as of this moment you will refrain from further contact with him. Do I make myself clear?” He proclaimed in hushed anger.

She could feel his body trembling with the anger he was trying to contain.

“
Why are you so adamant on this? Do you not trust me?” She hissed out against her better judgment.

“
Trust you!” He repeated.

“
You’re making me feel as though I have done something wrong against my husband! Jeffery is nothing more than a friend!” She cried out.

“
That’s not what I am trying to imply Katherine, but you have to understand…”

“
Is there a problem?” a low menacing voice came from behind them.

Peter relinquished his hold on one of her arms and turned to face Salvador.

Katherine felt herself trembling in response to Salvador’s unforgiving stance. Peter must have felt it because his hold gentled around her arm and squeezed her in reassurance.

“
Katherine and I were just having a discussion.” Peter faced him without fear.

“
And what of Lord Straton?” Salvador bit out in a menacing tone that took on a life of its own and wrapped around Katherine’s throat.

She gasped in response and involuntarily stepped closer to Peter for protection.

Salvador caught the movement and cocked an eyebrow at Peter.

“
Well?” He drawled out icily.

“
Katherine met his acquaintance at the orphanage and was unaware of his reputation. I was just informing her of it and warning her against such a friendship.”

“
Friendship?” Salvador bit out, finally looking at Katherine with scorn.

Katherine licked her lips nervously and looked away from him.

“
He’s not as bad as you make him out to be. He has been kind and nothing more. I swear Salvador; friendship is all that he seeks.” She tried to reassure him in a trembling voice.

Salvador was silent.

“
Simon, please escort Katherine back inside.” Peter asked as Simon approached.

Simon stopped abruptly and assessed the scene. Shrugging, he held his hand out to Katherine.

She was grateful for the dismissal and hoped to heaven that Peter could diffuse the situation.

Salvador reached out and grasped her arm as they passed, pulling her into his side.

Katherine bravely looked him in the face.

“
I didn’t do anything wrong.” She defended herself and then cocked an eyebrow at him, daring him to deny it.

He stared into her face as though searching for the truth. With a menacing growl, he released her and Simon took her back into the throws of the party.

~

He wanted to find Lord Straton and beat the truth out of him. Just what kind of “friends” were they? Had his worst fears come true? Was Katherine really like his Mother?

His blood was raging with the fire licking inside of him.

“
Salvador” Peter warned him.

Salvador looked up and saw that Peter was inching closer to him.

“
What happened?” He barked out, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear.

For Peter to pull Katherine aside instead of going to him first must not mean anything good.

“
Lord Straton asked Katherine for a dance and I refused him. I was concerned that they were on a first name basis so I pulled Katherine aside to find out why.”

“
And her story was?” Salvador managed to bite out through his gritted teeth.

“
Salvador, it’s not like that. They met at the orphanage and I’m certain that Katherine feels nothing more than friendship towards him.” Peter assured him.

“
And how can you be so sure?”

“
Other than the fact that she loves you?” Peter enquired.

Salvador heard his own intake of breath.

“
She told you that?” Salvador asked cautiously, not daring to hope.

“
No, but only a fool would be blind to it.” Peter challenged him.

“
If Katherine felt more than just friendship towards Lord Straton, she would have shown a certain amount of guilt. And I will guarantee you that Lord Straton would not have flaunted an affair openly in front of me if that were the case.”

Salvador had to bite back his rebuttal and think on what Peter had said. He trusted Peter’s judgment, sometimes more than his own.

“
I only drew Katherine out here to warn her of his character and bid her to keep her distance. Nothing more.” Peter continued.

Salvador felt the breath release that he wasn’t aware he had been holding. He believed his friend and believed Katherine. She was such an innocence that she wouldn’t know if someone had bad intent, even if it was written all over their face.

“
Thank You” he said with genuine affection as he patted Peter on the shoulder.

Just as quickly as Salvador’s temper flared, Peter had defused it.

Although he was convinced of Katherine’s innocence, he wasn’t so accommodating to believe in Lord Straton’s.

As they made their way back in, Peter separated to meet back with the group and Salvador went on the hunt.

Unfortunately he learned that Lord Straton had already left.

Salvador had already met up with a few colleagues and even found a few new sources for his business ventures on the seas. All in all the night had been a success.

As Peter was warding off Lord Straton’s advance on Katherine, he himself had been warding off a similar advance on Rachel while Charles was tied up in a card game.

As he approached his group, he felt like he had the wind knocked out of him. He stopped in his tracks and drank in the vision that Katherine gave off. She looked vulnerable and innocent yet as exotic as any flower in the Mediterranean. Her skin still had a golden hue to it. A few curls had come loose and framed her beautifully heart shaped face with delicate abandon. Her dress framed her body in such a way that made her appear the Madonna. Although the members in the group were in a light mood, he could see that she was only plastering her smile to her face. Had he ruined the evening for her? He couldn’t help but be jealous and untrusting, it was in his blood! Even knowing that she was innocent of all charges didn’t make it any easier. The thought of her being so familiar with a male outside of his circle made his blood boil, especially being that that male was a notorious rake! Katherine must have sensed his eyes on her for she turned her head and gave him an uncertain glance that made his heart cringe. She deserved better than how he had treated her.

He was finally able to make his feet move and when he joined his crowd he wordlessly swooped Katherine into his arms and led her onto the dance floor.

“
Did I mention how lovely you look this evening?” He drawled out, trying to ease the tension.

“
Why don’t you trust me?” She responded instead.

He could hear the hurt in her tone. He was about to remind her that not long ago she had not trusted him either, but then he quickly recognized that the situation was a bit different and therefore not relevant.

“
I’m sorry Love. I do trust you, it’s Lord Straton that I have a hard time with.” He responded carefully.

“
If that were true Salvador, then you would not have been so angry with me.”

She was right and he couldn’t refute her words.

“
If I would have had time to think things through before confronting you, I would assure you that my reaction would have been different.”

What he said was the truth. Peter had spoken the conclusion that he would have come to if he had more time to think on it.

“
Is that supposed to excuse your behaviour?” She enquired sceptically.

“
Yes. You knew that I was a jealous husband right from the beginning. I warned you about that. Had you informed me that you had made friends with Lord Straton, this issue would have never happened this evening.”

He noticed her scowl and then thought more on his response. Why didn’t she mention her friendship with him?

“
Care to explain that?” He asked with genuine curiosity but without accusation in his tone.

“
I-I’m not sure why I didn’t mention it.” She responded, averting her eyes elsewhere.

She had always been a bad liar and he didn’t like that she felt the need to in this instance.

“
Katherine” he gently warned her.

She gave out a sigh and then shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

“
Fine. Rachel had warned me when I met him that he was a flirt. He had never flirted with me – even to this day – so I didn’t see anything wrong with humouring him in conversation. I didn’t tell you that we had become friends because I feared that you would get angry knowing his reputation.” She said as a matter of factly.

“
I would have not appreciated your friendship and would have informed you to end it, but I would not have reacted then as I did this evening. I would have preferred to hear of your friendship from you.” He reprimanded her.

“
That’s just the thing.” She bit out in genuine annoyance. “What gives you the right to tell me who I can and cannot befriend?”

“
I am your husband” he reminded her, pulling her closer to him to further prove his point.

“
Just because you are my husband, doesn’t give you allowance to dictate who my friends are! We are supposed to be able to trust each other!”

“
Trust is earned Kat. I’m not saying I don’t trust you, but I will say that I am in a better position to judge the people of this town and know who you should and should not grant your attentions to.”

“
You cad! That’s not fair!” She bit out in a whisper so that anyone trying to listen in could not hear her.

“
Maybe not, but that’s the way it is. You are my wife and therefore my responsibility. There are many men and women who would go out of their way to take advantage of your innocence and it’s my duty to protect you from them.”

“
And you judge these people by rumours?”

“
I assure you Kat that Lord Straton is not as innocent as you make him out to be.” He assured her.

“
Why? Because he is rumoured to be a rake or because you don’t like the idea of me speaking with any man who isn’t you?!”

“
For your information my sweet wife, Lord Straton is one of the worst rakes you can come by. His pleasure is in the conquests of married women. He has broken up one marriage so far and has fathered at least five bastard children in other marriages - five that I know of. And that my love is a fact!”