The Invisible Husband

by Cari Hislop

  “Will you kiss me tomorrow?”

  “My heart would kill me if I passed up the opportunity.” His attention moved back to the middle of her lower lip.

  “I’m going to open my eyes…if you don’t want me to see you…”

  Adam’s heart moaned in horror at having to withdraw. “No…please…”

  “You’d better go unless…” Adam’s heart screamed as he forcibly denied it another kiss and staggered back into the darkness. He paused near the secret door and watched her sitting there, staring at the ceiling with her mouth still open as if stunned by his kisses. A few seconds later she lowered her head and rubbed her neck as she turned to find his shadow. “Adam?”

  “Eve?”

  “I hope your heart sleeps well.”

  “It never sleeps. It calls your name night and day, ‘Eve…Eve…Eve…’ Like a deranged actor in an empty playhouse performing the same line, desperate for applause.”

  “The playhouse is no longer empty; there’s a young lady sitting in the front row of the pit. Good night Adam.”

  “My Lady…” Adam bowed and then stumbled into the darkness feeling drunk. As the secret door clicked shut he leaned against the wall and rubbed his triumphant heart. Licking his lips he sighed with pleasure as he relived sweet kisses. For once his heart had made a singularly sensible choice; Eve Latham, the name was sweeter than Christmas pudding. He couldn’t imagine any snake slithering into the Latham garden and poisoning his bit of heaven. His heart agreed as it rested against its bars panting in ecstasy at having been heard by its Mistress.

  Chapter 11

  Eve opened her eyes and yawned as blurry images of her room slowly came into focus. Her window and bed curtains had all been closed when she’d gone to sleep. They were now all open. She sat up. There was no fire in the grate. A servant wouldn’t come in the morning without starting a fire. As she turned her head to see if the secret door was open a strange glint caught her eye on the bed curtain. She hurled off her covers and scrambled out of bed laughing out loud. Her demon-Lord had pinned a single sheet of paper to the curtain with a large old broach in the shape of cupids bow and arrow. A single large diamond tipped the arrow strung from a bow of small rubies. She unpinned the paper and carried her new treasure to the window to read the scrawled words.

  Your obedient creature came to wake you this morning with a kiss, but it wasn’t to be. I kissed your hand; you withdrew it under the covers. I kissed your cheek; you turned away. I kissed your plaited hair and nearly gave in to a mad urge to cut some off so I could have a part of you always with me. Your demon-Lord tries hard to be good!

  I’ll be in my study all day thinking of you and praying for nightfall when I hope to escort you on a moonlit stroll in the gardens. Perhaps if the Gods are smiling on me you’ll permit my heart another taste of heaven? My heart wishes me to tell you that it despises me and longs for the company of its true owner!

  Your humble servants,

  Adam and his heart

  Eve smiled as she held up the broach and watched the overcast morning light kindle fire in the stones. The strange feeling in her chest that had followed his kisses was still there as she reread the letter. She looked down at her chest in dismay as it seemed to ache for something. Looking out the window into his garden, she hoped to see her demon-Lord, but none of the gardeners looked remotely interested in her window. If he was outside he’d be watching her and she’d know. Her vision blurred as she remembered his soft tender kisses; in the stillness of her room she was sure she could hear someone was faintly calling, ‘Adam…Adam…Adam…’ She turned back to look at the room; she was alone. She shook her head and sighed with disappointment at having missed seeing his face. Tucking her treasures in a dressing table drawer, she rang for her maid and spent the time waiting trying to find the button to open the secret door. If she could figure out how to get into his room she’d do a little surprising of her own. The thought made her heart throb. She glanced again at her chest and shook her head in irritation. She’d obviously she’d eaten too much…or something.

  Breakfasting in the over decorated dining room, she sent a scribbled note to her husband that he could watch her eat if he pleased, but all the painted eyes staring down at her remained static. There was no sensation of being watched. After wasting an hour prolonging her meal she decided to try a more direct approach. She tip-toed up to the door of his library and slowly tried the handle. Her attempt at cunning was met with disappointment. Footsteps approached the door. The inner keyhole guard swung up, “It’s locked!” The whisper was full of humour.

  She stuck her tongue out the door before leaning against it. “I got your love letter. Don’t you want to see me wearing your broach?”

  “Tempting your Lord is a sin.” The whispered words seemed to have been formed with a smile.

  “Why didn’t you come watch me eat? I ate so slow my food was starting to freeze by the time I finished.”

  “Watching you through a wall makes me feel like a peeping Tom. I’d much rather breathe the same air…my heart would rather breathe your air.” The strange ache in Eve’s chest seemed to deepen as she heard that strange imploring whisper again, ‘Adam…Adam…Adam…’ She looked around to see if anyone was near. Had her husband paid one of his servants to follow her and whisper his name? “Eve? Are you still there?”

  “You’re not having me followed are you?”

  “No, why? Are you in danger?”

  “It’s nothing. I’m being silly, but I think you should let me in. I’d be safe in there. You could show me your favourite parts of the globe.”

  “My heart is demanding I let you in; the silly creature thinks you the sweetest most perfect woman ever born. It can’t believe you’d reject me just because I’m hideous, but it’s been wrong before. Forgive me Eve, but I couldn’t bear to be rejected today. Maybe tomorrow morning I’ll feel more reckless.”

  “But you came to wake me this morning.”

  “It was first light; I was barely more than a shadow.” Eve scowled at the door and wondered how she might lure him out. “You’re not upset with me? Eve?” Eve put her head against the door as that strange whisper kept calling his name. She had to see him and she knew what to do. Without replying to his question she picked up her skirts and ran back the way she came to fetch her cloak. She heard a key faintly clank in the lock and that sensation of being watched, but she didn’t look back. He’d know her feelings soon enough.

  After tying on a brown bonnet lined in pink velvet, she threw on a thick brown wool cloak and carefully pinned her morning treasure over her left breast. Her demon-Lord was going to get more than a glimpse of her if he forgot to lock the glass door in the floor to ceiling window at one end of his study. Laughing with glee, she grabbed of leather gloves and hurried down stairs and out into the gardens. She looked around with furtive glances half in fear one of the servants working outside would drag her back into the house. Eve sighed with relief when they merely lifted their caps. She returned their cordiality with a cheerful ‘good morning’ and passed them without stopping. She had to get to the window before he had time to concoct some sort of curtain. The demon might order the servants to hammer a cloth over it…or drape some ghastly tarpaulin over a couple of movable book cases.

  She giggled into her glove as she crept up to the large arch of glass reflecting dull grey skies, bluish green grass dotted with fat ivory sheep and flat still water snaking through naked trees. She slowly peered around the edge of the window and forgot to breathe as her chest throbbed with longing at the sight of him sitting at his desk. He was leaning over, resting the scarred side of his face in his hand. He looked like he was reading something. There was a single candle burning on his right, hidden behind what was probably the pile of cravats. She couldn’t see much; his hair was dark, short and wild. Light gleamed against a sharp line of shadow; he had a long nose like his brother. His right arm moved highlighting a strong broad shoulder; was he turning a page or writing her anothe
r letter?

  Unnerved by hearing that strange voice calling his name, she slowly rolled away from the window and stood there trying to catch her breath in-between muffled giggles. The ache in her chest demanded she return her eyes to the man inside. She slowly inched closer and silently placed the brim of her bonnet against the glass enabling her to see more clearly through the reflected landscape. The line of his cheek appeared handsome, though with his head bent it was difficult to tell. The ache in her chest grew as she put her hands to the side of her face as she strained to see him. She ignored the strange whisper calling his name as she silently begged him to look up so she could see his face.

  She felt tingles down her spine before she realised the light glinting off his face was his good eye looking at her. His right hand went down on the candle extinguishing it against his palm turning him back into a shadow. Her amusement faded as the darkness rolled down the study and enveloped her chest. She pressed her cheek to the freezing glass as her chest throbbed for more. Peering into the dark study the shadow sat back and folded its arms as it watched her. She reached out and tried the door handle. It was locked. The demon was safe for now. Of course she could smash the glass and rush at him, but that would probably upset him and then he’d remain in his room and he wouldn’t meet her at dusk for a night walk; she had to coax him out.

  Smiling, she took three steps back from the glass and made him an elegant curtsey before slowly lifting her skirts and cloak around her knees. Seeing the shadow stand up, she laughed as she turned and ran. How outlandish would she have to be before he put on his black hooded cloak and followed? There was only one way to find out.

  Chapter 12

  Seeing his wife lift her skirts about her knees revealing pretty shaped legs outlined by white stockings, Adam shot to his feet to get a better view. He laughed to himself as he watched her smile and run away. He knew what she was doing. He glanced at his black hooded cloak he’d brought in case he had to leave the study before dark. He walked past it and cautiously approached the large arched window. Folding his arms, he stood there laughing as she started dancing in circles back towards him. Taking off her hat she was swinging it by one of its ribbons when she suddenly tripped and fell flat on her face. His smile faded as he strained against the glass as his heart screamed an order to go to her immediately. It didn’t care if she’d fallen over on purpose. She needed him. He restlessly switched his weight from one foot to the other as he waited to see if she got up. His whole body relaxed as she awkwardly got to her feet and took a bow before starting to run back and forth like a lunatic.

  Then she was twirling in circles until she fell over, doubtless dizzy, and lay there. Again he tensed as he waited to see if she needed help. His heart screamed again for him to put on his cloak and to go to her. He tensed to turn and grab it up off the floor, but she soon found her feet and staggered with exaggerated difficulty towards him. He took several steps back from the glass as she paused and turned her attention to something in the direction of the front of the house. She turned to him and pointed in that same direction before making a large circle with an arm and made a charade sign for horses. She looked around and ran to retrieve her bonnet and putting it on, waved at him to follow her. What the devil was she doing now? She was quickly out of sight causing his heart to curse him to hell as it tried to follow her. He grabbed up his cloak and flung it around his shoulders as he ran to his desk and pulled the hated eye patch from the book. Tying it on, he cursed the wretched object and pulled the ample hood down over his face and nearly forgot the key to open the glass door into the garden. He hurried in the direction his Eve had taken, his heart urging him to go faster. He turned the corner of the house and stopped in horror. His mother’s coach was sitting in the drive. The woman would have concocted another mad scheme to ‘help’ him.

  He growled in irritation as he looked for Eve and found her half way up the steps helping a heavily pregnant woman. His footman catching sight of him hurried across the gravel holding a letter. “My Lord, a Mr and Mrs Roberts are requesting overnight lodging. They say they’re friends of your Mother.” The footman held out the introductory letter and bowed low as he waited for instructions. Adam scanned the letter in his mother’s handwriting and handed it back.

  “It’s not even noon. Why the devil do they have to stay here?”

  “I believe my Lord, Mrs Roberts is finding the journey uncomfortable.”

  “Then she shouldn’t have taken the journey.”

  “No my Lord.”

  “Give them refreshments and send them packing. I don’t trust my mother’s friends. You may repeat that in their hearing.”

  “Very good my Lord.” The footman’s words went unnoticed as Adam watched his wife’s caped figure reach the door. He smiled as she turned to blow him a kiss before turning away to say something to someone inside the house. Curse his mother and her obnoxious friends; he’d given her specific instructions to leave him alone for the first month of his marriage. He should have known she’d send trouble.

  He swirled around and headed back towards his study where he’d be able to avoid having to speak with the couple. His key was in the glass door as he heard Eve call out a few feet behind him, “Adam!” She was out of breath. His heart froze his feet leaving him vulnerable to temptation. “Adam…”

  “Eve?”

  “The footman says you ordered Mr and Mrs Roberts to be sent packing after refreshments.”

  “I did.”

  “Mrs Roberts is heavily pregnant. She’s having pains.”

  “Then she can give birth at the next Inn…or in my mother’s carriage.”

  “You can’t let a woman give birth in a carriage; it would scare the horses. They’d all end up in a ditch with broken necks.”

  “If the woman is about to be brought to childbed, she should have stayed at home.”

  “Adam…I think we should let them stay the night.”

  “No. Something about Mr Roberts gives me a bad feeling.”

  “You’re going to make a pregnant woman suffer because her husband looks unpleasant?”

  “I don’t like him. I don’t want him roving through my house and I certainly don’t want him anywhere near you.”

  “I admit he’s rather sinister under that fake pleasant smile, but does that mean his wife should suffer?”

  “She married him!”

  “What if she was forced to marry him?” The angry words struck his heart, making it whimper in pain.

  Adam whispered curses on his mother as his heart slumped in horror at the prospect of his Eve thinking ill of him. “My gut feeling is not to trust them. They come in my Mother’s coach that confirms I shouldn’t trust them. They’re bound to be part of another mad scheme to ruin my life.” He hadn’t meant his words to sound terse.

  “What if we have to travel while I’m heavily pregnant and every Inn rejects us because they don’t like your face?” Adam felt the truth of the words like another blow to his heart. “How would you feel if I had to give birth in a ditch to your child?”

  “I love you; I wouldn’t allow you to travel in that condition.” His heart sneered in rage as she made no reply, ‘She hates you…hates you…hates you! My life is over…over…over…!’ Rolling his eyes, Adam growled hoarse curses on his mother and his heart as he turned and took Eve’s hand and marched her back around to the front of the house, up the steps into the house. “Where are those…people?”

  “Mr and Mrs Roberts are in the red drawing room my Lord…where her Ladyship directed me to take them.”

  “The wretches will be staying the night. I’m returning to my study; I don’t want my wife left alone with Roberts. I want you or another male servant in attendance at all times. Lady Latham will entertain them.”

  “Very good my…” Adam had already released Eve’s hand and was hoping to disappear down a dark hall as footsteps pattered after him.

  “Adam!” His tongue remained silent as his heart effusively replied, ‘Eve…Eve…E
ve…’ “You’re not angry with me are you?”

  “No.”

  “You’re walking like you’re angry.”