An Unsuitable Match

by Glint, Chloe

  Though it had not been her intention, her words caused Kale's face to become aflame with anger. He stood up and knocked over his plate in rage. Her heart pounded as she ducked her head in fear. She hadn't even known that her husband was capable of such rage.

  "You don't understand what the man is like." Kale's voice was laced with bitterness. "He doesn't care about me, just like he doesn't care about my mother. He likes to have power and he uses it in kind."

  She did not like the way her husband's eyes were burning. Quivering, she wrung her hands. "Forgive me. I spoke too boldly. You are right. I didn't have to live with your father. It's just without him I never would have met you."

  ****

  Camille's words doused the fire which burned in his heart. His breathing was fast and shallow, but he regulated it and shut his eyes. She was right. As much as he hated being grateful to his father, he was the one who had given him a proper wife. With Gabrielle, he would have been miserable. I should not have yelled at Camille. My father likely didn't mean anything by his letter. It is just that whenever he says something, I assume it is an insult. After he let out a shaky breath, he settled down in his chair again. He reached out and grabbed his wife's hand. After his awful behavior, he expected her to tear her hand away, but she didn't. Instead she just looked him with pity and love and squeezed his hand.

  "I'm sorry about what I said," Kale said.

  "No, I'm sorry. I was out of place." She paused. "That man must have treated you terribly, to make you rise up in anger. You are a man of even temper. I cannot imagine what kind of harshness could rid you of your sweetness."

  "You are too kind." Kale squeezed his wife's hand. "You will find over time that I am not nearly as sweet as you think I am."

  Chapter Nineteen

  A few days later, Camille sat outside with the sun on her face. With a smile, she shut her eyes. The warmth of the air felt so good on her skin. She was lucky she did not sunburn as easily as her sister who oftentimes stumbled back to the house after a few hours outside looking like a turnip. After she let out a relaxed sigh, she ran her hand through her hair. She heard footsteps behind her but did not stir.

  A gentle hand grabbed a lock of her hair and tugged it. Only one person would do such a thing. At least, she hoped so. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into the adoring face of her husband. He bent down and kissed her lips. Her mouth tingled. She didn't think she would ever get used to having such a marvelous person as her spouse.

  "You are lovely," Kale said, running his fingers down her cheek.

  "You've been touching me all day." She smiled and sighed in relaxation. She loved her husband's fingers on hers.

  "I just want to enjoy being with you as much as possible before we leave for my father's tomorrow." Kale paused. "People might find all our kissing inappropriate."

  "Hmmm." She opened her eyes and smirked at her spouse. "Some might, but I don't."

  Kale grinned and leaned down to kiss her again. He made her feel as though she could have floated away due to his touch. Her pulse raced. Her husband was perfect. She wondered what she had done right. She must have done something. God had given her so many gifts, including the best spouse. Her husband pulled away and brushed hair from her eyes.

  "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

  "You," she whispered. "I'm thinking about you and how happy you make me."

  "You bring me great joy as well." He touched the tip of her nose. "Which is why I bought you a gift. I think you will adore it."

  "A gift?" She sat up straighter. What had she done to deserve a gift? Nothing, to her recollection. The past couple of days had passed in a whirlwind of love making and not much else.

  "Yes." Kale offered her his hand. "It's upstairs."

  With a grin, she reached for her husband's hand and let him pull her to her feet. The two of them walked together, arm in arm, toward the house. Her husband led her through the mahogany double-doors, past the maid Margaret, and up the stairs to the bedroom. When he opened the door for her, she could not help but let out a girlish giggle before stepping into the room. Once inside, she didn't see any fine packages wrapped in ribbons. She wondered whether the gift he spoke of was the gift of one's self. She turned toward her husband and looped her arms around his neck.

  "Well?" she asked.

  He leaned down and kissed her. After he pulled away, he ducked out of her arms and walked over to the desk in the corner. He opened the drawer and pulled out a box of red silk. She knew what was inside a box like that. Jewelry. Even her sister had received jewels only twice because they were so expensive. Her eyes widened in surprise as he walked over and held out the box.

  "Open it." Kale's grin was eager.

  After exchanging a smile with her husband, she grabbed the box. Even the soft fabric was exquisite beneath her fingers. Upon opening it, she saw the finest necklace she had ever laid eyes on. White silver was set with rubies. An elegant clasp was on the back. Even the queen would have been impressed with such a present. Her mouth fell open as she reached out and touched a ruby. It was cool to the touch.

  "Do you like it?" Kale whispered.

  How could she not like it? The necklace was finer than any gift she had received in her entire life. All she could manage was a simple nod. She wondered how much this piece of jewelry had cost her husband. The thought made her swallow. Had he really bought such an expensive trinket just for her? Even Gabrielle's jewels had not been as fine as this.

  "Why don't you try it on," Kale said.

  She nodded again, dumbfounded. With a grin, he removed the necklace from the box and placed it around her neck. He fastened the clasp. The necklace was cool and a little heavy. When she walked over to a mirror and looked at her reflection, the piece of jewelry made even her simple white dress appear elegant. Whenever she wore the necklace, she had no doubt ladies' heads would turn and eyes would widen with envy. She was sure of it.

  "Oh, Kale, thank you." Tears of joy brimmed her eyes before she could stop them. "Thank you so much."

  ****

  While Camille gazed at Kale with her eyes full of fierce affections, his heart pounded hard. It had been worth it to buy the necklace. Mr. Kent had said a good way to please a beautiful lady was to buy her beautiful things, and the man had been correct. Yet as lovely as the necklace was with its fine silver chain and fat rubies, it was nowhere near as magnificent as the woman who wore it. He reached out and stroked his wife's cheek, glad to see that there was such loving excitement in her eyes.

  "This must have cost you a fortune." She placed her hand on the silver.

  He shrugged. It had cost enough to buy three homes, but his family had a great deal of money, so it was no object for him. It brought him pleasure to see his wife wearing beautiful jewels.

  "Don't think of such things." He reached out and stroked her neck. "It's no worry of mine."

  "I'll wear it when we go to your father's tomorrow." She gushed. "It will be wondrous with the dress your mother gifted me with the morn after our wedding."

  "You'll be the gem of the party." Kale grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it.

  Unlike normal, Camille did not deny the fact she was beautiful. He wondered whether his wife was finally realizing her own magnificence.

  Chapter Twenty

  Camille rode in a carriage in her gown of crimson with her new necklace around her throat. For the first time, she felt glamorous and elegant instead of scrawny and pre-pubescent. Every time she looked in the mirror, she could not help but grin. Even Kale's father had to be impressed by what he saw. Of course, that would likely be more because of the fine dress than due to her own beauty. Still she was overjoyed despite that fact. For once, it was not Gabrielle who got to be glamorous. It was her.

  As she petted the silk of her dress for the thousandth time, Kale let out a massive sigh and crossed his arms. Unlike her, he was not in good humor, despite the fact he too wore clothes of fine silk and looked extraordinarily handsome. I should spend m
ore time comforting my husband and not get carried away by my own vanity. While chiding herself, she reached for her husband's hand. He looked at her with a smile that didn't meet his eyes.

  "We're nearly there," he said. "At these trees, it will be naught but a few more fields until we reach my father's estate."

  "Do you think it will be horrible?" she asked. "Remember that this time you will not have to endure whatever comes alone."

  She was not sure what she'd said, but her husband stared at her with such an adoring expression it caused her to pause. The man kissed her cheek so hard it burned and then settled back into his seat again. Despite Kale's actions, the two of them did not speak again. After a few long moments had gone past, Mr. Kent, who was to accompany them to help with their needs, rode his horse up to the window and peered inside.

  "Sir, I see the house now," said Mr. Kent. "I shall ride ahead to announce your presence."

  "Do that," Kale said, though he appeared as though he'd rather give the order to turn around.

  After Mr. Kent tipped his hat to them, he drove his heels into his horse's sides and the animal charged forward. He disappeared from sight.

  "Do we really need two servants and a carriage drive to accompany us for a weekend engagement?" she asked.

  "When you're meeting with my father's friends, you do." Kale's voice was laced with bitterness. "You see, it's a status symbol, always having somebody to do your bidding. My father even has a maiden who bathes him. Personally, I detest it. There are some things a man should be able to do for himself."

  "Which is why you are an excellent man while your father is not." She patted her husband's arm. "Calm yourself."

  Though Kale nodded, he appeared as calm as a fox in a herd of hounds. She shrugged off his non-answer and returned to looking outside the carriage. She saw that they fast approached what appeared more like a grand castle than a home. The household was tall, formidable, and grey. A large fountain gushed water in the front gardens. The house had several steeples. A large second building, likely a stable, went with the lay of the land. The house was so grand she was surprised that the house itself was not made from gold. And I thought our household was wondrous, she thought.

  "What a wondrous place." She leaned back. "How did your father acquire such massive amounts of wealth? If I did not know better, I would think he was a prince."

  "My father would like to think so." Kale snorted. "He got the majority of his wealth from my great grandfather, Duke of Norfolk. The man saved Prince Henry's life. He received a large sum from the crown each month throughout the duration of his life, enough to give my family great wealth."

  "I see." Suddenly, she understood why her father had been willing to sacrifice her trust for this marriage. He wanted ties to Kale's family as much as he wanted a husband for his inhibited daughter.

  She bit her bottom lip as the carriage drew to a stop at the front steps of the grand estate. Kale's father, Sir Thomas, awaited them from the entrance. The carriage driver hopped down from his place and opened her door. He assisted her first, then he helped her husband. As she straightened up, she made eye contact with Kale's father, Sir Thomas, for the first time. She suddenly realized why her husband was so intimidated by him. Even from a few paces away, the man's hard expression and thin lips were frightful. Luckily, her husband appeared to be more protective of her than afraid because he guarded her as if he was shielding her from a great beast.

  Frowning, Kale's father stepped away from the door and headed toward him. He smiled, but it was cold and did not reach his eyes. Still when he reached them, he embraced his son hard, though Kale didn't hug him back. When the man pulled away, he scrutinized her. She saw surprise in his eyes.

  "My, my." He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Don't you look lovely. The crimson color suits you."

  She wasn't sure whether to take his compliment in stride or be insulted that he was so surprised that she appeared lovely.

  "Thank you, sir," she said quietly. She wrung her hands.

  After Sir Thomas gazed at her a moment longer than necessary, he clapped his hands together in enthusiasm and wrapped his arm around Kale's shoulders. Kale glanced at her worriedly, but she waved him on. She followed close behind.

  "The guests won't arrive for another two hours, which is just as well," Sir Thomas said. "I want you to get situated in your rooms."

  "Rooms?" Kale froze. "I will not be sleeping with my wife?"

  She froze. At the very least, she wanted to be at her husband's side in bed. It wasn't just because their carnal relations no longer hurt her. It was because she longed for his emotional support. She had a feeling she'd need it all of the sudden.

  "The two of you may sleep together or separately as you will it." Kale's father shrugged. "To be honest, I was unaware of your preference. As you well know, your mother and I do not sleep in the same household."

  Judging by the paleness of Kale's face, he was holding back words. This is going to be a long weekend. Her stomach churned with unease.

  ****

  Kale and Camille were led by Sir Thomas to a bedroom on the third floor. Once his father finally stopped clutching his arm, he made sure to keep as close to his wife as possible. Perhaps he was being paranoid, but he had a distinct feeling his father was up to something. He just didn't know what yet. The man wasn't kind enough to have a ball out of goodwill. That would be too nice of him. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at his father.

  "This will be your wife's room for the weekend." His father patted the bedroom door. "Your room will be at the end of the hallway—"

  "No, thank you, sir." He swallowed stiffly. "I wish to reside with my wife, which is where a husband should be."

  His father squinted at him and Kale knew the man had understood his taunt. His parent didn't speak of it, however, and nodded.

  "Very well." His father sighed. "I was just allowing you to have options. I'll allow you and your wife to settle into your room for a few moments. I'll have some of my servants assist Mr. Kent and the maid in bringing up your trunks."

  The thoughtfulness surprised him. Normally, his father would have "helped" the servants by yelling cruel insults behind them.

  "Thank you, sir." Kale bowed. His wife followed suit.

  Once his father had turned around and gone down the stairs, he opened the door for his wife. She stepped through it and gasped. It did not surprise him that the silk bed, the double windows, and the oak furniture pleased her. The room was decorated in the latest style and was both elegant and fashionable. He would have enjoyed being in such an environment if his mouth didn't taste of something bitter. He walked over to the bed and flopped down stomach first upon it. To his surprise, his wife spent a minimal amount of time examining the room and sat down at his side instead. She touched his arm.

  She swallowed. "Your father…"

  He punched a pillow and uttered a long line of profanities.

  "You should not say such words, love." She touched his face gently. "Do not sacrifice your morality for such a cold, unkind man. Trust me, he is not worth it."

  With a frown, he sat up and drew his knee to his chin. "It's hard not to get drawn into his games, and he so loves to play them. I have seen him, Camille. He ruins relationships and people's futures just for his own entertainment."

  "Then let's make a vow here and now." She traced her husband's chin. "We will never let him ruin our future."

  The words comforted him. Perhaps it was because they gave him a sense of control. Though he felt that it may have been a lost cause, he nodded. His wife had good reasoning. He had to respect her.

  "Alright." Kale placed his head on his wife's shoulder. "I promise it. He won't ruin us."

  "Good." She smiled. "Then be joyous. We are in the grandest room I have ever seen."

  "Just wait until you see the banquet tonight," Kale said. "My father is never lacking when it comes to ballroom decorations."

  She nodded, though he saw uncertainty in her eyes. Just as he opened his mou
th to ask her about her feelings, somebody knocked on the door. He had trouble breathing. Was it his father, back so soon?

  "Hello?" he said.

  "It's Mr. Kent with your trunk, sir." Mr. Kent's voice was strained.

  "Ah!" Kale sprung to his feet and opened the door.

  Staggering beneath the weight of the heavy baggage, Mr. Kent groaned. His face was red and sweat ran down his neck. He carried the trunk into the corner and dumped it with a thud. His wife gasped because of the sound. Mr. Kent should not have been forced to carry such a heavy trunk alone. Margaret should have been around to help him. Where was that maid? They'd brought two servants for a reason.

  "Why were you alone, Mr. Kent?" Kale asked. "That case was too heavy for one man. Where's the maid? Or better yet, my father's servants? He has many strong men in service."

  Mr. Kent wiped his sweat from his brow. "Your father swiftly disappeared with Margaret. I do not know where they've gone."

  Kale winced. He imagined his father in the backroom with Margaret's skirts up around her thighs. Can that man contain himself for just a few minutes? Kale wondered, disgusted. He was grateful that he no longer had to endure living with his deranged parens. As he scowled, Camille placed a warm hand on his shoulder. It soothed him.

  "Thank you for all of your hard work," Camille said. "Perhaps I should help you carry the rest of my bags up?"

  Her words surprised him. Not even Kale's mother had offered to help the servants. Mr. Kent must have been surprised too, because his eyes were wide with shock. The shock swiftly faded away and was replaced with something else—respect.

  "There is no need." Mr. Kent shrugged. "There is naught but a few bags more. But you are very kind."

  Mr. Kent left the room as Camille stared after him, a guilty expression upon her face. After the butler had closed the door, she sighed.

  "I wish he didn't have to bring up our bags alone," Camille said. "I truly would have helped him."

  The words stroked his heart. Just when his father made him doubt all of mankind, his wife reminded him of how grand life was all over again. Smiling, he seized Camille around the waist and kissed her passionately. She tangled her fingers in his hair and kissed him right back.