With His Ring (Brides of Bath Book 2) (27 page)

His pulse sped up. Was she going to speak of
the intimacy that occurred between them the night before? When
confronted with it, he would not be able to lie and deny knowledge
of it. But how, in a gentlemanly way, could he explain his
behavior? He looked up at her. She looked so impossibly innocent.
It was hard to believe this was the same woman who had offered him
her body the night before. She wasn't the innocent she appeared. He
knew without a doubt she had not only kissed Jefferson but had also
sent him a letter this very morning. He fleetingly thought of
Carlotta's warning.
Glee's not the innocent you think her
.
His stomach knotted. Surely Glee was innocent. Gregory was most
vexed with her. No matter how sweet she looked today. He arched a
single brow. "Yes?"

"I talked with Archie's mother."

"May I ask why?"

"To offer her a position in our household,
of course."

"Of course. And what was the woman's
response?"

"What do you think it was?"

"She turned it down."

"I knew you'd understand, and you're quite
right about her turning it down. How did you know?"

"Her propensity to drink. To soakers, their
entire lives are ruled by the bottle."

"Is there not something we can do?"

He shook his head. "I wish there was, my
dear, but the only person who can help a soaker is himself or
herself. They have to want to give up the drink."

Glee nodded thoughtfully. She really was
such an innocent, he thought. Her youthful idealism collided with
harsh reality.

"It's my opinion," she said, "that Mrs.
Agnostinio—that's her name, you know—and Archie have no real place
to call home."

"You are most likely right."

"You'd think the offer of a fine roof over
their heads would be attractive."

"To most people who live on the streets,
that would be the case. But not to one whose life is ruled by the
obsession for liquor."

"If she doesn't care about herself, you'd
think she'd care for her poor son." She looked up from staring
dejectedly into her lap. "You were right about her being young. She
gave birth to Archie when she was but fourteen."

Gregory winced. "I doubt if she was even
married."

Glee's mouth dropped open. "Oh, Blanks, you
must be right! That's why she didn't answer when I quizzed her
about being married twice. She was ashamed to admit Archie had no
father."

"Poor lad," Gregory murmured.

"There must be something we can do."

He got up and moved to her, lifting one of
her delicate hands and stroking it tenderly. "I wish there was, but
I'm afraid all we can do is continue helping the lad as we are
now."

"But they're so thin! I worry about them not
getting enough to eat. And Mrs. Agnostinio is likely to take
Archie's money and spend it on drink."

"I've already thought of that and have made
some small provision for them to get at least one good meal a
day."

Her emerald eyes danced as she looked up at
him. "You have? Oh, Blanks, that's wonderful. You're such a good
man. I'm glad I married you."

It was impossible to stay angry with the
maddening wench when she spoke to him like that. And when she
possessed such compassion. He rather thought he, too, was glad he
married her.

Even if she drove him quite mad.

Chapter 23

Gregory had just finished giving
instructions to the Bow Street Runner who had arrived from London
when Hampton announced Lord and Lady Sedgewick were calling.

Dismissing the runner, Gregory bounded from
the library and happily greeted George and his wife. "Are you
staying at Winston Hall?" he asked.

"Yes, Felicity insisted," Diana said.
"Where, pray tell, is my sister? I cannot wait for her to show me
the house now that you've settled in."

"I believe Hampton's knocked her up to tell
her you're here," Gregory said.

Glee's footfall sounded on the stairs, and
Gregory looked up at his wife's smiling face. He would have to
remember to play the part of the adoring husband in front of her
brother. "Diana's most anxious for you to conduct a tour of our
house, love," he said to her.

Unable to contain her joy, Glee ran up and
hugged Diana and George. "It's so very good to have you back in
Bath. Where's the baby?"

"She's with her nurse at Winston Hall,"
George answered.

A disappointed look crossed Glee's face.
"Then you won't be staying with us? I declare, I shall be most
vexed with Felicity for hoarding you."

"But there's so much more room at Winston
Hall," Diana defended.

Gregory moved to Glee and settled his hand
about her tiny waist. "I daresay Wellington could have put up his
whole army in its many chambers."

"I am persuaded the house tour can go along
without Blanks and me," George said. "Blanks will have to enlighten
me on the current amusements in Bath." He clapped a hand on
Gregory's back. Glee put her hands to her hips. "I should have
known my brother would show up in time for the racing season."

George shot his sister a wry smile. "Surely
you didn't think I'd come here just to see my sisters."

Blanks lifted Glee's hand and pressed a kiss
on it. "George and I will run along to the library, my sweet."

The women sauntered down the foyer in front
of George and Gregory, exclaiming over the paintings and the newly
painted walls. Glad Gregory was he had George to divert him from
such deadly dull matters as decorating.

In the library, he poured George a glass of
port, then another for himself and dropped onto a sofa opposite his
brother-in-law. "You've picked a most interesting time to come, old
boy. Not only are the races due to begin, but a bang-up cock
fight's to be held day after tomorrow."

"You don't say! Haven't been to one in an
age."

"Does it not get tedious living in the
country?"

"I must confess I do miss the sporting
pleasures the city offers, but other than that, I've no complaints.
There's nothing quite as satisfying as having one's own family and
being able to continue on the same land one's ancestors have
possessed for centuries. You must be anxious yourself to return to
Sutton Hall and start a family."

If only he could be more like George. His
father would have been proud of him. He regretted that while his
father was alive, he gave him no source of pride. And since his
father's death, he had done nothing which would have pleased his
parent, save getting married. A pity he wanted no part of marriage.
And family. And all those things George had so eagerly embraced.
"In due time," he answered.

George settled back and studied Gregory. "I
trust my sister is behaving herself?"

Gregory burst out laughing. "Your sister,
dear friend, needs a good spanking."

George's brows shot up. "What's the minx up
to?"

"For starters, she insists on addressing my
friends by their Christian names."

"In public?"

Gregory nodded ruefully. "'Tis a constant
source of anxiety that others will think her. . .well, rather fast,
if you must know."

"But you're her master. Can you not just
tell her to stop doing that?"

"Ordering a lady about, I'm afraid, does not
come naturally to me. However, I have expressed my displeasure a
number of times."

"If that's your only problem in a fortnight
of being married, I'd say it's not too bad."

"But that's not the only problem. As much as
I adore your sister, she vexes me to death. There's also the matter
of the phaeton."

"What phaeton?"

"The phaeton Glee purchased herself—without
my knowledge, mind you—a high perch phaeton which she proceeded to
paint bright red."

"Good lord, she can’t be driving it in
public?"

Gregory nodded. "And that's not all. She has
taken it into her mind that as a married lady she must dress in the
most shocking fashion."

"She looked rather demure today," George
defended.

"I cannot disagree, but I must tell you
today's gown is not typical. Your sister has taken a propensity to
wearing dresses that expose a great deal of flesh. And the colors
aren't at all the thing. No pastels for my wife!"

George shuddered. "I'm afraid that sounds
rather like Carlotta."

Gregory leveled a stern gaze at his friend.
"But Carlotta was
not
my wife."

George cleared his throat. "Diana informed
me Glee knows all about Carlotta. Could Glee possibly be wishing to
emulate the woman she may view as a rival?"

That would explain Glee's behavior. If
theirs was a love match. But Glee was not in love with him. And she
had no reason whatsoever to be jealous of Carlotta Ennis. Comparing
Glee to Carlotta was like pitting diamonds against tarnished brass.
"I haven't seen Carlotta since I declared my intentions to marry
Glee, and I've conveyed as much to my wife, as painful as it is to
speak of the matter to her. Unfortunately, she brings up the
subject with far more regularity than I'm comfortable with."

George set down his glass and frowned.
"Demmed sticky situation, to be sure. But I'm happy to hear you've
given up Carlotta. I had my doubts that your love for my sister was
as great as is hers for you."

Glee love him? She must be a better actress
than he would have thought. The idea of Glee being in love with him
curiously pleased him at the same time it vexed him. Odd, too, that
this was the second time in as many days that he had pondered the
possibility that Glee could love him. It wouldn't do at all for
Glee to fall in love with him. His resolve against falling in love
would only bring her pain, and—as troublesome as she was—he would
not wish to see her suffer in any way.

Sitting face to face with her brother only
impressed upon Blanks his foolishness—and selfishness—in marrying
Glee. She did deserve a husband who loved her as George loved Diana
and Thomas loved Felicity. "And how, my dear brother, is marriage
treating you?" Gregory asked.

"As you must have already learned, it's
extremely satisfying."

A lump in his throat, Gregory watched his
contented friend, regretting that his own cold heart, unlike
George's, was incapable of loving. Of course, he could never reveal
such a dark secret to Glee's brother. "My only regret is that I
waited so long to marry," he lied.

George's smile widened. "My feelings
exactly. Now about Glee's fast behavior, mark my words, she's doing
it to spite you because of Carlotta. In Glee's eyes, you've never
been attracted to proper ladies. Trust me, I know how my wayward
sister's mind works."

Almost anyone would be able to understand
Glee better than Gregory. It seemed everything she did ran contrary
to ordinary. But, really, she couldn't be jealous of Carlotta! The
assumption that Glee thought he loved Carlotta was utterly
illogical because it was founded on the ridiculous notion that Glee
was in love with him. Which was absurd. "A pity I don't in the
least understand how my wife's mind works. I daresay if I did, it
would save me a great deal of grief."

George nodded sympathetically. "Enough talk
of my perplexing sister. You must tell me all about the cock fight
day after tomorrow.

Some time later, their discourse was
interrupted by the appearance of their wives.

"Come, Blanks, let's go to the Pump Room
with Diana and George so they can sign the book. Bless them, they
came here straightaway after arriving in Bath."

"And if they hadn't," Gregory said, "I
daresay you'd have boxed your brother's ears."

Glee met Blanks's gaze with dancing eyes.
"But of course! How well you know me, my love."

"Would that I did," he mumbled, rising and
offering his wife his crooked arm.

* * *

At the Pump Room, they met up with Felicity
and Thomas. "Blanks was telling me of the cock fight day after
tomorrow," George said excitedly to Thomas. "Are you going?"

Felicity watched her brother-in-law for a
reaction. Thomas, who had not been born to wealth, was much more
serious and bookish and less sport mad than his male counterparts
who had been born to privilege.

"I haven't been to one in an age," Thomas
replied.

"Exactly as I was telling Blanks!" George
said. "How fortunate that we've arrived in Bath in time for
it."

"Yes, quite," Thomas said without
enthusiasm.

"If our husbands are going to talk of cock
fights, I am persuaded that we ladies shall have to leave them and
take a turn about the room," Felicity said.

Glee and Diana joined Felicity for the
stroll. "Does not my sister look well now that she's a married
lady?" Felicity asked Diana.

"I declare, there's a marked bloom in her
cheeks. I daresay she's never looked lovelier."

Felicity smiled. "I vow, Blanks feels the
same. He's so attentive."

If only they knew
. Glee was shocked
that anyone could find bloom in her cheeks. It seemed to her she
perpetually moped over her failure to capture Blanks's heart.

Diana slipped her arm through Glee's. "How,
dearest, are you enjoying being a married lady?"

"I've never been happier," Glee said. Which
was partly true. While she had never been happier, she also had
never been more downcast. 'Twas a most curious mixture of emotions
that being married provoked in her. "Blanks is such a
treasure."

"It's been my observation," Felicity said,
"that marriage has evoked a most pronounced change in Blanks. He's
nothing at all the hedonist he was before his marriage. And he's
infinitely more mature. You wouldn't believe how zealously he tries
to protect Glee and her reputation, and he's terribly jealous of
any attention she may bestow on another man."

"Such is love," Diana said wistfully.

If only they knew
. It was certainly
not jealousy that spurred Blanks's feigned devotion. "We are all so
terribly fortunate to have married men we love so unabashedly."