by Rose Gordon
She went to his bureau and opened the top drawer. Inside was a mess of cravats, stockings and drawers. She left the cravats and stockings and tossed the drawers into his chest. “Anything else I can help you with?” she asked pertly, trying to let on to the “help” she’d already given.
“Yes. Grab the drawings, please,” he said, tossing clothes into the chest.
She tensed. Why did he want those? She’d hoped he’d forget about them when he woke up and she could burn them. “Why don’t we leave these here, and I’ll draw some more,” she offered.
“No,” he said firmly. “Bring them. I want them.”
Scooping them up from where she’d placed them face down on the vanity, she handed them to him and watched in confusion as he took them from her and carefully placed them on top of his pile of clothing. The man was cracked. There was nothing else for it. Only a deranged man would want to keep drawings of another man dancing with his wife. “You know you’re addled, right?”
“Perhaps,” he said quickly. “Are you sure you don’t want me to tell you who that handsome fellow is?” He looked at her and grinned.
“No,” she said vehemently, shaking her head for emphasis. “However, he better not show up wherever it is we’re going.”
His smiled dimmed. “And why is that?”
“Would you really want to share a house with him?”
Benjamin shrugged. “He looks like a nice enough fellow.”
“You know what I mean,” she said tonelessly.
He nodded. “I believe so, yes. However, I feel obligated to inform you he will be there.”
“Then you’ll just need to redistribute him,” she said sharply, crossing her arms.
“Madison,” he said softly, wrapping his arm around her and bringing her close. “Are you unwell? Your face has gone whiter than snow.”
She nodded. “Do we have to go?” she asked weakly.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but yes,” he said softly before brushing a kiss on her cheek. “Just waiting for Robbie to make his move here isn’t a good plan. We’re too secluded here. I think I can protect you better at Glenbrook. I have more servants there and a better land spread so it will be harder for him to climb a tree and shoot inside our room.”
“Then why don’t you just take me back to Rockhurst,” she argued.
“No,” he barked. “You’re my wife. You will stay with me.” He abruptly let go of her, grabbed the trunk and left the room.
Madison sank down onto the feather mattress and watched Benjamin leave. Her heart started to hammer so fast with what she hoped to be rage, not panic. She didn’t want to go live near Leo. They may have only seen each other little more than a dozen times and actually spoken less than half that many in less than a month, but it was enough. She didn’t want to see him again. Not that she was certain she’d recognize him anyway; it had been a long time. He was probably fat, bald and dandling babes on his knees by now. But still, the idea he could show up unnerved her. What if he wasn’t bald and ugly? What if he was handsome and single? What if old sparks ignited again and turned to flames. She shook her head. She couldn’t let that happen. She was a married woman now. She belonged to Benjamin and she would never betray him.
But that did nothing to ease her mind. The point was, she didn’t want to go see him. More than that, she really hated being told what to do. Everyone always told her what to do. She’d been the most biddable of the three daughters. Even Liberty with her love for propriety and following rules garnered more respect than she did. People always ran over Madison because she was quiet and usually considered a bit different. Well, not anymore. She may have been manipulated by Robbie for five years. Used by Leo to be some sort of bawdy mental image he hoped to make a reality. Forced to marry Benjamin because she didn’t want to be tied to a scandal involving her brother-in-law. And, stolen straight from her bed in the dead of night. But not anymore. Starting today she was going to starch her backbone and take matters into her own hands. Starting with informing Benjamin she intended to stay.
She knew he’d be up shortly and she’d inform him of her plan to stay. To prepare for his grand entrance, she kicked off her slippers, peeled off her stockings then shoved the items under the bed before moving to the top of the bed and reclining at a forty five degree angle against the pillows. “I feel like a queen,” she said with a smile.
Footfalls thudded down the hallway and Madison pasted a bright smile on her lips. This was it. In a second Benjamin was going to round the corner into their room, causing the curtain to drop and the show to begin, so to speak.
“Let’s go, Madison,” Benjamin called, entering the room. He looked rather handsome just then with his disheveled hair, gristly chin, and unkempt clothing. Certainly not like the duke he was. He looked rugged. Common. Familiar.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I’ll be staying,” she declared airily. “I happen to like it here. I think I should like to extend my visit.”
He snorted. “Not on your life. Let’s go.” He frowned. “Where are your stockings and slippers?”
She wiggled her toes at him. “I shan’t need them for the rest of the day,” she informed him with a smile.
“And why not?” he demanded.
“Because I’ve no plans to move from my spot,” she declared, wiggling against the pillows behind her for emphasis.
He smiled and shook his head. “All right. Have it your way.”
“What’s that to mean?” she asked, bringing her hand up to inspect her attention deprived cuticles.
“You’ll see,” he answered before grabbing her with his left arm and hoisting her over his good shoulder.
“Put me down,” she yelled, slapping her palms on his back. “I mean it, Benjamin. Put me down.”
“I will,” he said, giving her a tight one-armed squeeze around her midsection. “I suppose you’ll require your reticule.”
“No, leave it there,” she ordered when he picked it up.
He wound the straps around his right hand and let it hang. “If I leave it then you won’t have any of your things.”
“Put me down,” she demanded.
“I already said I would,” he said flippantly.
“Now,” she ground out.
He started walking her down the stairs. “Soon enough.”
She started wiggling her body, trying to break free and his grasp tightened. “Benjamin Collins, let go of me!”
The front door opened and she saw Cook and Hatley stare at the two of them with unhinged jaws as Benjamin carried her past them. “Here we are, duchess,” he said, plopping her down on the velvet squabs of his carriage.
She scrambled to get up and he held her down. “I don’t want to go,” she said stubbornly.
“I know,” he said quietly. “But you have to.”
“No, I don’t,” she said fiercely.
He nodded. “Yes, you do.”
The carriage lurched forward and irritation swelled in her breast. Why did this man always seem to be abducting her as soon as she was beginning to like being around him? She crossed her arms and watched in annoyance as he leaned forward to secure the extra latches on the inside of the carriage She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “I’m not so daft I’d try to jump from a moving carriage,” she muttered.
He shrugged. “I can never be too careful where you’re concerned, sweet.”
She shook her head. His sarcasm was rather annoying at times. “Well, once again, you weren’t too concerned about me,” she said with feigned sweetness as she kicked one of her bare feet from under her skirt in order to catch his eye.
“That’s not my lack of concern for you. That was your own doing.”
She frowned. “How so?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t tell you to discard your slippers and stockings and hide them from me.”
“I didn’t hide them,” she countered. “They were under the bed.”
“You didn’t tell me that when I asked,” he reto
rted. “Therefore, I took that to mean you didn’t consider them important enough to bring with you.”
She repositioned herself on the seat, tucking her bare and slightly cold feet under her. “You better stop in the first town and buy me more,” she said coldly. “And while you’re at it, I demand you buy me a new gown. I’ve been wearing this one for ten days straight.”
“My apologies,” he said tonelessly. “However, we will not be stopping before we get to Glenbrook except to eat and change the horses. Once we’re there, I’ll commission a modiste to make you up an entire new wardrobe.”
She crossed her arms and let out a defiant huff. “And just how long will I get to endure your charming personality and frozen feet?”
“Two days.”
“Absolutely not,” she said sharply, scowling. “I will not be stuck in a carriage with you for two days wearing the same gown I’ve worn nearly a fortnight and nothing to cover my feet.”
“Yes, you will,” he said flatly, propping his feet up on the seat opposite him.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It did nothing for her.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he said calmly. “You’re not going to be able to run away from me when we stop. So don’t even try it.”
She looked at him sharply. How did he know she was thinking that? “You can’t keep watch of me every second,” she said airily.
“No?” he asked curiously, his lips twitching. “And how do you plan to run away with nothing to cover those beautiful but bare feet of yours?”
“I could buy slippers,” she informed him, raising her chin a notch.
He scoffed. “That would take too long. I might find you before you could board the mail coach if you did that.”
“You make a good point,” she said, nodding. “I won’t need to shop for slippers. On the mail coach I can buy some from another passenger.”
“And if there’s not another female passenger?”
She shrugged. “Then I’ll just go in bare feet. It’s not like I’m not doing that right now.”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re not boarding a mail coach. You’re coming with me to Glenbrook.”
“Whatever you say,” she said dismissively.
“Madison,” he said sharply. “You’re my wife. You’re coming with me. End of discussion.”
“All right,” she agreed with a shrug.
Four hours of uncomfortable, deafening silence later they pulled into the first coaching inn. Billings went to go water and feed the horses after he opened the carriage door.
“Come along, Madison,” Benjamin said, climbing out of the carriage.
“No,” she said, shaking her head in defiance.
“If you think I’ll leave you here while I go order our supper and use the necessary, you’re mistaken.”
She scowled. “I’m not walking across the yard in my bare feet,” she said testily.
He smiled. “No need. Now, come along.” He reached his hand up to her, waiting for her to take it.
She didn’t. “I’ll stay here, thank you.”
“No you won’t,” he returned sharply. “Let’s go. I’ll carry you.”
She sighed. “And how, pray tell, do you plan to do that when you have only one good arm?”
“The same way I carried you before,” he said with a grin.
“No,” she hissed. “I will not be embarrassed because you want to show off your brute strength by tossing me over your shoulder like a caveman taking his captive bride to the bearskin rug he calls a bed.”
He chuckled. “You have some imagination. Now get down here. I’m hungry.”
She didn’t budge. He mumbled something beneath his breath and climbed back into the carriage.
“Is that the way of it, then?” he asked, putting an arm around her and dragging her out of the carriage. “I wouldn’t kick and move around too much if I were you. It just draws more attention to us.”
“Put me down,” she said through clenched teeth.
“I will,” he assured her. “Just as soon as we get back into the carriage.”
Never in Madison’s life had she been as embarrassed as she was in the inn. Benjamin continued to hold her bent in half over his shoulder with her backside facing the clerk as he ordered their dinner. Thankfully he didn’t further mortify her by insisting they eat in the crowded dining room full of curious onlookers.
“Here you are,” he said, placing her onto the seat in the carriage.
She glared at him until their food was brought out by one of the maids. Then she glared at the food. She was hungry. No, starving. No, famished. But she didn’t want to eat. She was too upset.
“Eat,” he encouraged.
“No, thank you,” she said flatly.
He grabbed a sandwich and offered it to her. When she pushed his hand away, he said, “You have to eat something. Madison, I know you didn’t want to go; and I know you’re mad at me for embarrassing you. But you’re only hurting yourself by not eating.”
She looked at the sandwich. It was roasted beef. One of her favorites. Licking her lips, she took the sandwich and devoured it.
“There’s more,” he offered.
“No, thank you,” she said, shaking her head and turning to rest the side of her body against the squabs.
“There’s another inn in four hours or so. We’ll stay there tonight,” he said softly, fruitlessly trying to ease her stiffened body to relax against him.
Chapter 24
“You may sleep on the floor,” Madison informed him primly after he carried her to their shared room and set her on the bed.
“No, I won’t,” he bit off. “Now scoot over.”
“No,” she said, spreading her arms and legs out on the bed like a giant starfish.
“What happened to the woman who said she’d share my bed because it’s what’s expected?” he asked tersely.
“She grew a backbone,” she responded pertly.
He crossed his arms and shook his head. “Scoot over.”
“No,” she said defiantly. “You may find elsewhere to sleep.”
“No, I won’t. Now be the model English wife and make room for your husband.”
“Pffft. Wrong sister,” Madison said laughingly. “If you wanted the model English wife you should have married Liberty.”
“I don’t want Liberty,” he said tightly, sweeping her from the top of her outstretched fingertips to the end of her perfect toes.
She giggled. “I daresay she doesn’t want you, either. Although…” she broke off into a fit of giggles.
“What could you possibly find funny just now?”
“The night before Liberty married Paul she tried to get me to take her place. Just imagine if I had. I’d have married Paul and you could have married Liberty!” she exclaimed, breaking into peals of laughter.
He stared at blankly at her. “Madison, did you have some wine I don’t know about?”
“No. Why?” she asked, trying not to giggle.
“There’s absolutely nothing funny about what you just said,” he told her flatly.
She blinked at him. “I suppose you wouldn’t think so.”
“No, I don’t think anyone would think so,” he corrected. “What has gotten into you just now? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing you laugh and have fun, but you’ve turned completely silly.”
“Oh dear,” she said with a giggle as she swung her far hand up to cover her giggling mouth. “Brooke always said the same,” she said between giggles.
“What?” he asked, staring at her in disbelief. This is what he imagined a candidate for Bedlam looked like. She looked absolutely mad. Fetching, but mad.
She had a fit of giggles again. “Act like a silly willy!”
“Excuse me?” What was this mad, fetching woman talking about?
“Right before I fall asleep,” she said as if that explained anything.
He nodded. “Are you telling me that when you’re tired you act like
a madwoman?”
“Yes,” she chirped, nodding so enthusiastically he thought her head might bounce off.
“Then you better move over so we can go to sleep,” he said, not letting her theatrics deter him. Nobody acted this spastic when they were tired. Restless, yes. Insane, no.
Suddenly, too suddenly, her head lulled to the side and a soft snoring noise filled the air.
He shook his head and picked up the hand that was closest to him and tried to move it over, but was met with strong resistance and stopped. “All right, you win,” he said ruefully. “If you’d go through with an act worthy of Drury Lane in order to get me to leave you alone, I will.” He bent his head and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “But I’ll be in the chair by the door. And don’t forget, I’m a light sleeper.”
He sank into the leather chair and closed his eyes. Today could have been better, he mused. It also could have been worse. Robbie could have hit one of them with his bullet. His infection could have been a lot worse. He tried to move his arm and stopped after it moved less than an inch. He’d never been shot before and he prayed it never happened again. At least she’d been kind enough to clean it for him twice more in the carriage.
He smiled. She may be angry with him, but she wasn’t heartless. He just hoped she didn’t keep resisting him tomorrow.
But she did.
The next day was just as uncomfortable. He’d tried to talk to her in the carriage, but she wouldn’t respond. Not that she flat out ignored him. No, she just gave him simple one word answers, which were usually in the monosyllabic format.
Leaving before dawn and having not a lot of luggage, they were able to make good time and he decided they’d push all the way to Glenbrook to avoid another uncomfortable round of bedtime theatrics at another boarding house.
Glenbrook was the seat of his duchy. It was a large E-shaped estate built of red bricks. Three floors stood above ground with the kitchen and unfinished rooms below. He’d been told the rooms below were once used as dungeons, but he refused to acknowledge them as such. Just the idea made him shudder.
The inside hadn’t been refurnished in nearly a hundred years. Some of the things were fixed or replaced if they’d become broken, but the majority of the things were ancient. Except the water closets. That was one thing the previous duke had thought worthy of his money. He wanted—nay, needed—a private privy. Therefore, he splurged and bought the best available.