The Earl's Scandalous Wife

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  When he finished looking in the last drawer, he closed it and shook his head. “I don’t understand it. I know I put it right there.” He indicated to the spot it had been earlier that day.

  She swallowed then ventured, “What did it look like?”

  “The base was made out of black marble with a gold trim. The main part of it was made of crystal. It came with a black quill.” He picked it up and showed it to her. “Here’s the quill.”

  Why didn’t she think to hide the quill? She’d had plenty of time to do so. Unsure of what to say, she shrugged, hoping he wouldn’t figure out what happened. “I don’t remember seeing that.” At least that much was true.

  “Hmm…” He shook his head then set it back down. “I must have put it in the den and forgot. With everything that’s been happening over the last few days, I’m doing good to remember anything at all.”

  Offering a hesitant smile, she said, “A lot has been going on.”

  “I wouldn’t mind it so much except it was a gift from Nate and Claire.”

  “It was a gift?”

  “When they had a son, they not only named him after me but they sent me this.”

  She glanced at the spot where the inkwell had been. “That was nice of them.” So it’d not been just an expensive inkwell. It’d been something with sentimental value. She didn’t think it was possible to feel worse about giving her brother the inkwell but she did. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “It’ll turn up. I’m sure I put it somewhere else and forgot about it.” He turned back to her. “What would you like to do?”

  She’d like to go to her brother’s and find something else she could give him to replace the inkwell, but there was no way she could do it. Not now. She needed to do it at another time, a more convenient time. “You’re always doing what I want. Why don’t we do what you want?”

  “I love going for a ride on a horse, and I have more than one to ride if you wish.”

  “It sounds like fun. Let’s do it.”

  “We’ll both have to change into our riding clothes first,” he replied with a twinkle in his eye.

  “You’re right. Would you like to escort me to my bedchamber?”

  “Actually, there’s something I need to tend to first. Why don’t you go on up and I’ll meet you back down here?”

  Nodding her consent, she left the room, eager to do whatever she could to make him happy. And somehow—someway—she would get that inkwell back.

  ***

  “What do you mean no?” Paula asked her brother the next day when she went to see him at his townhouse.

  Stewart didn’t look up from his desk. “I mean no. I didn’t think the answer was that confusing.”

  She watched as he dipped his quill into Perry’s inkwell. “But the one I bought is far more elaborate. That one is trimmed in gold. This one is made of gold.” She held the gold inkwell out to him, but he refused to look at it. Lowering her voice, she leaned toward him. “Please, Stewart. I need to get that inkwell back to my husband. It was a gift from one of his friends.”

  “A deal is a deal. I want this one. Not,” he pointed his quill at the gold inkwell, “that one. You’ll have to return that to the merchant you bought it from.”

  She examined the inkwell in her hands. The thing cost a good sum of money, a sum that she thought for sure her brother wouldn’t be able to resist. “This is worth a lot more.”

  “Oh, I disagree. The one you gave me yesterday is much more valuable. Why don’t you just tell your wealthy husband that you wanted me to have it? A gift for your older brother is a nice gesture, after all.”

  “But it wasn’t a gift,” she hissed. “It was compulsion.”

  Looking up from the missive he was writing, he smirked. “It all depends on your perspective. You forced me into letting you marry someone I didn’t approve of. How do you think I’m supposed to feel about that? I was hurt.”

  “You weren’t hurt. You were angry.”

  “And I had every right to be. Swindled me out of a good monetary arrangement with that one, you did. Now, just be glad that I’m willing to keep silent about your past.”

  He turned his attention back to the missive and she let out a long sigh, not sure what recourse she had available to her now. If he wasn’t going to let her take Perry’s inkwell, what could she do? She examined the gold inkwell in her hands and thought over her options. After a few tense moments, she decided she’d return this to the store and search for one that looked just like Perry’s inkwell. Then she’d buy it and replace it. That would work. At this point, it was her best option.

  A knock at the door made her jump.

  Laughing, Stewart stood up and shook his head. “You need to relax, Paula. You’re much too skittish. It’s not like I can marry you off to the Duke of Leavenshire.”

  As he went to the door, she closed her eyes and thought over what she’d tell the merchant when she returned the gold inkwell. If she told him her husband wasn’t happy with it, he’d probably be willing to let her exchange it for another—one that would hopefully be the exact duplicate of what her brother now owned. She should have looked for a replacement one. If it wasn’t for the fact that Nate and Claire gave Perry that specific one, she would have done that instead. And now she had no choice.

  “Lord Clement,” Stewart exclaimed, “come on in!”

  Paula’s eyes flew open and she nearly dropped the inkwell when she saw her husband in the doorway, being welcomed by her brother. Her gaze darted to the inkwell on his desk and the ink on the quill resting beside it.

  “Bring us some tea,” Stewart told the butler. “My brother-in-law has decided to pay me a visit. And just in time, too. I was about to extend an invitation.”

  Paula glanced between Perry and the desk and noted Perry couldn’t see the inkwell from where he was standing.

  “Paula, my dear sister, what are you doing all the way over there?” her brother asked, waving her over. “Don’t you want to sit with your husband?”

  Realizing her brother was gesturing to the settee that would force Perry to turn his back to the desk, she hurried over to them. “Perry, what are you doing here?” She gulped and forced herself not to look back at the desk.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” Perry replied, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Is everything all right?”

  It took all of her effort to smile. “Yes, everything’s fine.”

  His gaze lowered and he motioned to the inkwell in her hands. “What’s this?”

  “Oh,” her brother began and took it from her, “it’s a gift. She’s such a sweet thing. She felt guilty for running off to marry you without my permission and thought to make amends.”

  “I don’t really think she has anything to be sorry for,” Perry said.

  Her brother’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t look that way to you, but ours is a long and complicated past, isn’t it, Paula?”

  “He’s right,” she told Perry. “We weren’t getting along.” She studied her brother’s expression to try to get an idea of how much—if anything—her brother was hoping to reveal. “But I figured that it might be a good idea if I came by with…with,” she motioned to the inkwell in his hands, “that.” She gulped. “To make amends.”

  To her surprise, Perry directed his full attention to her. “Is that true, Paula?” he softly asked, his eyes seeking out the truth. “Or have you been forced to come here?”

  She caught the way her brother glowered at her before she let out an uneasy chuckle. “It’s true. I came here of my own free will.”

  Her brother relaxed and turned in time to thank the butler for bringing them their tea. She took Perry by the elbow and encouraged him to sit beside her, thankful he had his back to the desk. As long as he didn’t look behind him, they should be all right.

  Her brother handed them their tea then sat in the chair across from them. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for misjudging you, my lord.” He crossed his l
egs and sipped some tea.

  “Oh?” Perry asked, still hesitant.

  “I thought,” he laughed, “that you knew I had arranged for her to marry someone else and meant to thwart me. Now I understand she never cared for the gentleman I had in mind and wished to escape marriage to him by engaging in a scandal with you. My grievous error was in thinking you would do anything deceitful. Your wife has assured me that you are a gentleman of impeccable character. I had no idea a titled gentleman could be so incredibly noble and pure of heart.”

  She shot her brother a silent plea to stop. This wasn’t making anything easier. In some ways, it was making things worse. What if Perry saw right through the flattery?

  Perry shifted so that he was closer to her and set the cane beside him. “I know the reputation of some gentlemen leave a lot to be desired, but I always thought if I was going to teach my ward how to behave—to be worthy of lady’s hand—then I should live the life I’d want him to lead.”

  “Practicing what you preach.” Her brother’s eyes widened and he shot her a meaningful look. “How very noble. One would swear you were perfect.”

  “No, I’m not perfect. I never claimed to be.”

  “From where I’m sitting, you’re perfect.” Smirking at her, he added, “Very perfect indeed. It’s no wonder my sister wanted to marry you instead of the duke.” Directing his gaze back to Perry, he lifted his cup. “I heartily approve the match. May you two have many happy years and children together.”

  Perry glanced at her, still not seeming to believe what he was hearing.

  Knowing she had to do something to appease her brother, she lifted her cup and smiled at her brother. “Thank you, Stewart.”

  He drank his tea then slapped his forehead. “Silly me. I forgot that I’m supposed to leave. I’m sorry I have to end this wonderful family reunion. I hope we can all meet again soon.”

  Paula prayed that was another lie her brother was saying because she had no desire to have her brother and Perry in the same room again.

  After they exchanged polite, albeit tense, good-byes, Perry escorted her out of the townhouse where two carriages waited for them—one for her and one for him.

  “Is it true that you went to see your brother to make amends?” Perry softly asked as he led her to her carriage.

  Paula was afraid he’d ask that question. She thought he’d wait until they got home, though. Her gaze turned to the footman who waited by the carriage door. Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact with Perry.

  “Paula?” he whispered, gently touching her elbow.

  “I did what I had to do, and this is the only way I could think of to work things out with him so he won’t interfere in our lives,” she finally replied then looked at him. “I know my brother better than you do. The course I chose is the best one.” She took a deep breath. “Can we go home, please?”

  For a moment, she thought he was going to argue with her. But then, he nodded. “All right.”

  ***

  Perry gave her hand an affectionate squeeze then encouraged her to enter the carriage. Afterwards, he went to tell the other coachman to head on home and returned to Paula’s carriage.

  He resisted the urge to look behind him to see if the fox was watching them. If he looked back, her brother would know he knew something was going on. There was much more to the story than either of them were saying, and he suspected her brother had somehow coerced her into being silent on the matter.

  “Where to, my lord?” the coachman asked.

  “Is there somewhere else you need to go to?” Perry asked Paula who was staring out the small carriage window. When she didn’t look at him, he softly called, “Paula?”

  With a jerk, she finally turned her gaze to him.

  The poor thing was scared. Perry had a mind to go right back into her brother’s townhouse and demand to know what he was doing to frighten her, but he knew better than to do that. Her brother would never tell him the truth. Hoping a smile might relax her, the corners of his lips curled up. “I was just asking if you have anywhere else you need to go today? I’ll be more than happy to accompany you on any errand.”

  He couldn’t be sure, but he thought she blinked some tears away. “No, I don’t need to go anywhere else. Thank you.” Then she looked back out the window.

  Sighing, he indicated that they’d be going home. He slipped in next to her but waited until the carriage moved forward before he leaned closer to her and brushed her cheek with his finger. “Paula, what’s wrong?”

  She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” she whispered so softly that he had to strain to hear her.

  “Sorry for what, my love?”

  “I don’t deserve you.”

  Was that what her brother told her? Was that what scared her? Did she think he regretted marrying her? “Paula,” he clasped her gloved hand around his, “I don’t know why you said that, but it’s not true. Who cares what your brother thinks? What we have has nothing to do with him.”

  “I want to be a good wife.”

  “You are.” He brought her into his arms. “Whatever he’s telling you, don’t listen to him.”

  When it was apparent that she wasn’t going to say anything else, he decided to relent. Maybe stopping at the townhouse and interrupting their conversation had been a bad idea. He thought he was helping her, but maybe he wasn’t. He released his breath and decided he wouldn’t push her. In time, the matter would resolve itself. Sooner or later, all things came to light. And when this matter did, he and Paula would work through it.

  Chapter Twelve

  That evening Paula tried to eat her dinner, but she could only manage a few bites before it became nearly impossible to swallow anything else. Across from her, Perry was talking and as much as she tried to listen, her mind kept drifting off to the inkwell. Tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow she could get him an inkwell that matched the one she gave her brother.

  “Paula?”

  Blinking away her thoughts, she looked up from her half-eaten meal and saw that he was studying her with the same worried frown he’d had when he entered her brother’s drawing room. “What?” she asked, running her thumb along the cool handle of the fork.

  He settled back into his seat, his gaze intense. “Are you feeling all right?”

  “I’m fine. It’s just been a long day, that’s all.”

  After a moment, he motioned to her plate. “Would you like to eat anything else?”

  “No, I’m full.” She pushed her plate away. “You?”

  “I’m done.”

  Grabbing his cane, he rose to his feet then went over to her. She accepted his hand and let him escort her to the drawing room, forcing herself to remain by his side. As much as she wanted to run up the stairs and hide under the safety of her bedcovers, she knew she’d have to face him sooner or later. So she might as well do it now. He undoubtedly had more questions about her brother and had been waiting until they were alone to ask them. While she appreciated his consideration in keeping the matter private, she wished they didn’t have to discuss the matter at all.

  But he closed the door to the drawing room and turned to face her. With a long sigh, his gaze met hers before he stepped over to her. “I’m sorry.”

  Surprised, she asked, “What for?”

  “I hope you don’t think I’m following you around. I wasn’t planning to stop by your brother’s townhouse today, but on my way back from White’s, I saw your carriage out front—”

  “You don’t need to explain, Perry. I know you weren’t spying on me.”

  He relaxed. “I only went in because I thought he might be giving you a difficult time. I remembered that before we left for Gretna Green, you didn’t want to see him and thought he somehow coerced you to go over there.”

  She’d been selfish in marrying him. Her brother had known it and had challenged her on it. Daring a look at him, she asked, “Perry…you love me, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do.�
�

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, needing to be physically close to him, needing more than words to be assured that he still wanted her.

  He cupped the side of her face with one hand and brushed a tear from her cheek. “You can tell me anything, Paula. If your brother has done something to upset you, I’ll—”

  “I don’t want to talk about him. I just want to think about you and how wonderful you are.”

  He seemed as if he was going to argue with her, so she cupped the back of his neck and brought his lips to hers. She wanted him to make love to her, to make her forget everything but him because when they were together, the rest of the world ceased to exist. She left a trail of kisses down his neck, taking in the familiar scent of him that made her feel safe and protected.

  “Will you make love to me?” she asked, pressing her body against his in silent encouragement.

  “We should go upstairs,” he murmured.

  “We can do it down here.”

  He let out a slight gasp. “We can’t do it in a drawing room.”

  Surprised, she giggled and pulled slightly away from him so that she could look at him. “Who says we can’t do it here?”

  His reddening face didn’t go unnoticed. “Well, it’s just…” He glanced around the room. “There’s no bed here.”

  “You can do it in more places than a bed.” She took his hand and led him over to the settee. After she sat him down and put his cane aside, she moved on top of him and grinned in a playful manner. “What do you think?”

  “It’s unusual.”

  “Unusual can be fun.” She kissed him and wiggled intimately against him. “I had no idea you could be so bashful. It’s just you and me.”