Mysty McPartland

by The Rake's Substitute Bride

  Did he really think she would believe him? Sheldon wanted to clout him over the head instead, she smiled sweetly. “I think poor Lidia would disagree with you. Why don’t you go down and visit with her awhile? I’m sure she’ll make you happy, at least for a few hours.”

  Oh she was smart as a whip and it annoyed him, Nathan sent her a heated glare. “I don’t give a damn about what Lidia thinks or feels. And if you have forgotten this is our wedding night and I have no intentions of sharing it with anyone else but my bride. Now I’ll leave you to change into something more comfortable and then I will be back.” Not giving her a chance to argue, he strode to the connecting door, opened it, stepped through and closed it soundly behind him.

  Damn infuriating woman, well she might think they weren’t sharing a bed, but he had every intentions of sleeping with his bride on their wedding night. Even if he wasn’t going to make love to her. The little witch was going to learn she couldn’t have everything her own way and tonight would be her first lesson.

  Distrustfully watching her husband stalk out of the room, Sheldon sank into a chair once she was alone. She was positive the man was up to something. He gave in too easily. Denying that woman was his mistress was ludicrous. Putting her mistrust aside, she stood up when the maids who helped her dress for her wedding returned to the room, she suspected that her husband must have sent for them.

  While they undressed her and fussed over her, she thought about her sister and wondered where Bethany was. She didn’t understand why her sister would run away, when from the moment their father mentioned a betrothal with the duke, Bethany had been ecstatic. It just didn’t make sense. She could only think her sister was up to something devious. Well, there was little she could do about it until her sister returned, and she found out what it was all about.

  A little surprised the maids were finished dressing her in her night attire, she watched them scurry out of the bedroom and took a glance at herself in the mirror. She gasped in dismay and embarrassment, the nightgown they put on her was scandalous. Well if one could call it a nightgown. There wasn’t one inch of her that wasn’t visible through the dark red gossamer thin garment. Oh, she’d seen nightwear like this before in the brothels she visited, but she’d never owned such an indecent item herself.

  Just the thought of the duke seeing her in something like this would not only be dangerous, but also mortifying. Hurrying over to the dresser, she tugged a drawer open and rummaged through the items until she found a suitable gown. Quickly she changed and turning around, she blushed hotly when she spied her husband leaning in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest with a wicked smile on his handsome face.

  “Now that is a pity. I really prefer the other nightgown my dear.” Nathan was more than pleased his wife never noticed him while she stood in front of the mirror, or when she changed her garment. It was a shame though that she was now covered completely, but it did give him ample opportunity to admire her well-proportioned figure. And it was quite a delectable little body at that. It was enough to excite the lust in any man, because it certainly ignited his.

  He realized he was going to have a problem keeping his hands off his wife, however, he was determined that she would willingly and eagerly fall into his arms. And to accomplish that feat it was time to start seducing his bride. Straightening up, he moved further into the room and sat down on one of the chairs by the empty fireplace. “Come wife and sit down. I have ordered a light repast for us and while we eat we can start to further our acquaintance.”

  Sheldon swallowed nervously but slowly walked forward, she was still embarrassed and a little breathless. She hated to admit it but she found her husband very desirable dressed in his long silk, black dressing gown, his dark brown hair tussled. It was the first time she’d ever seen him looking so relaxed and it made her distrustful. He was being so darn obliging that she knew he must be up to something. Nevertheless, she sat down and warily waited to see what he would do next.

  It didn’t take much of a genius to sense his wife mistrusted him, he almost chuckled. And so she shouldn’t, but he wasn’t going to warn her though. “Tell me, why do you think your sister ran away? I thought she was quite happy with the arrangement?”

  Glad to have something other than herself to talk about, Sheldon frowned thoughtfully. “So did I. It came as a complete surprise to me. I am afraid Bethany only does what Bethany wants and only if it is beneficial to Bethany.”

  Her answer made him reflect, once more he thought the sisters were different as night and day. Perhaps he was lucky after all in marrying Sheldon and not her sister. He acknowledged though he hadn’t spent much time with his betrothed and knew very little about her. And now he admitted that it had been a mistake. “Tell me, what else you do besides visit brothels?”

  Sheldon stiffened in her chair and sent him a condescending glare. “If you must know, I help out at some of the hospitals for the poor and a few orphanages.”

  His brow rose in amazement. “That must keep you very busy. Whenever do you find time to enjoy yourself? I know I have never seen you at any of the balls or soirées I’ve attended.” Most women didn’t surprise him but this particular woman was certainly continuingly doing it and often.

  “I can assure you sir that I do find time to enjoy myself. And though you haven’t noticed me I have been to balls and soirees. I even attend the opera on occasion as well as go to Vauxhall Gardens.”

  Nathan grinned at her snappish tone. “Well I’m pleased to hear it and we’ll be attending such things together in the future.”

  Before she could reply there was a knock on the door and Nathan commanded whoever it was to come in. When the butler entered with other servants, Sheldon watched them place the trays down on the table between them and quickly leave the room. When her husband handed her a crystal flute of champagne, she accepted it and reluctantly raised it in a toast to their marriage. This, she thought unhappily, was going to be a long excruciating night. Thankfully she didn’t have time to dwell on her misery when the duke spoke to her again.

  “So tell me how long have you been helping these poor unfortunate women and what does your family think of it?” Nathan could tell that his question irritated her and suppressed a grin. She was certainly a fiery little thing, full of spit and vinegar. He hoped she would have just as much fire in her when he made love to her. Just thinking about it he was hit with a fierce blade of desire and he fought to suppress it.

  A casual shrug of her shoulders, Sheldon was suspicious and knew she would have to be careful how she replied. “I have been helping those women for two years. And as for my family, they don’t pay any attention to what I do. I’m a terrible disappointment to them, or so they keep telling me.”

  Two years, it was a wonder she hadn’t caught him with his pants down before now. As for her family, he would like to confront her father and beat some sense into the man for letting her run wild all over London. What sort of family did she have that they took so little interest in her and to tell her often that she was a disappointment? What in the hell were they thinking? His bride was far from being a disappointment, she was extremely intelligent and fascinating. He decided not to continue the subject and spoke of other matters. However, deep down in his gut he simmered with rage for the way her family treated her.

  Chapter Five

  An hour had passed since he left his bride alone in her bedroom and hoping she was asleep, Nathan opened the connecting door and peeked in. He grinned and stepped into the room to silently walk over to the bed. It only took a moment to rid himself of his dressing gown, and tossing it on the nearby chair, he lifted the covers and slipped on to the mattress beside his wife. He waited a few heartbeats, before he reached for her and drew her into his arms.

  He settled her soft seductive curves comfortably against his body and smiled when she only mumbled in her sleep. He wished there was enough light to see what she looked like with her hair unbound. Running his fingers through it, he could feel how thick
and soft it was. He also thought that by the length it would reach her hips. She would certainly look glorious naked with it swirling around her and just thinking about it livened up his flaccid flesh.

  It astounded him at how quickly he begun to feel such a strong attraction towards her, and even though they spent the night conversing, he knew that there was still so much to learn about his bride. He found her quick witted and very intelligent. Something that many women were not and usually he found it intolerable that a woman was so knowledgeable, yet in his wife, it intrigued him and yes, stirred his blood.

  The little witch had him half aroused all evening, he didn’t know what it was about this one woman that fascinated him so much, and also had him doing thing he’d never done before. Like this, he’d never just slept with a woman, in fact the only time he ever shared a bed with a woman was when he was making love to her and when it was over a short time later he was gone.

  He’d never just sat and talked to a woman either. Was it because she was the first woman who ever refused to be intimate with him? Could it be because she despised him? And she did loath him. The fact that only a few weeks ago she caught him naked in a whore house didn’t help matters he supposed. He would have his work cut out seducing her he knew, but hopefully after tonight he made a little headway with her.

  When he left her earlier she did seem a little friendlier towards him and hopefully, in the morning when she wakes up and finds him here, she’ll come to realize that she could trust him as well. He wanted to prove to her that they could share a bed and nothing intimate would happen between them. Well not yet anyway.

  A deep sigh of frustration eased out of him, all his well laid out plans it seemed have gone to hell in a hand basket since marrying this woman. His well thought out vision of his marriage of convenience was a thing of the past. His intensions of occasionally bedding his wife to beget a child didn’t matter anymore. Keeping his mistress and visiting the brothels was now a ludicrous idea. He snorted softly, he still couldn’t believe his wife gave her permission for him to still sleep with another woman.

  It was probably the first time in history a wife was so accommodating and that wife had to be his. He supposed any other man would have jumped at the chance. However, he sensed if he ever took another woman to bed or even kissed another woman, his wife would despise him even more.

  She was the strangest woman he’d ever met and yet he couldn’t help being enthralled with her. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman intrigued him so much, she was a challenge no doubt about that fact. It was going to be interesting besting himself against her, because he knew she would be a worthy opponent.

  Growing drowsy, he rubbed his chin against the top of her head and closed his eyes. He would need his rest because he knew in the morning he would be doing battle with his bride. Smiling with anticipation, he ignored his aching arousal and drifted off to sleep.

  ****

  Awake Sheldon lay completely still, she hardly dare breathe. She could feel the naked chest under her cheek rising and falling, the rough haired massive thigh entwined with hers. She felt the hot hard body pressed tightly against her own and it didn’t take her a second to realize, to her horror, that her husband was naked and in her bed. The damn rat must have climbed in when she was asleep.

  Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and her heart thumped wildly. She moved her head cautiously and glanced up at him. Her eyelids slammed shut so she wouldn’t be affected by his handsome face. The rotter looked irresistible in his sleep and too blasted tempting. She wanted to reach up smooth the hair off his brow and run her fingers over his sensual mouth to feel his shadowed jaw. Oh, this would never do she told herself sternly.

  She wasn’t going to be seduced by his handsomeness. Lifting her lashes, she turned and carefully inched away from him. When she reached the edge of the bed, she slipped from beneath the covers and stood up. As quietly as she could, she gathered up clean clothes and moved behind the screen to dress. She was due at the hospital shortly and didn’t want to be late.

  It was awkward, but she managed to do up most of the buttons on her day gown, and moving back into the room, she brushed her hair. When she tied it up she took another peek at her husband and was relieved to see him still sleeping soundly. Picking up her shoes and snatching up her cape, she crossed to the door. Opening it, she stepped out into the hallway and closed it lightly behind her. She took a few minutes to pull on her walking boots and lace them up before she went down stairs.

  A friendly smile hovered on her lips when she met the surprised butler’s gaze when they met in the foyer. “Good morning. I wonder if it’s not an inconvenience that I could have a cup of tea and some toast?”

  “Of course your ladyship. If you follow me I will show you to the breakfast room.” Not expecting to see his mistress so early in the morning, Wallace was a little taken aback, but at her polite request quickly gathered himself together.

  “Thank you.” Sheldon only let her smile widen when she followed him. What a stuffy man he was she thought. She shouldn’t be surprised though, her husband was rather a stuffed shirt and definitely had fixed and immovable thoughts on certain subjects and matters. Grimacing, she knew exactly one particular item he was very adamant about.

  Well he might think she would become intimate with him in a few weeks, but he was going to be in for a huge surprise. Did he really imagine that even knowing each other for such a short amount of time she would let him make love to her? The man was absolutely foolish if he did. She would never be intimate with a man unless she loved him and she positively didn’t love the duke. Reaching the breakfast room, she took a seat and waited for the butler to return with her breakfast. When she finished at the hospital and after meeting up with her friends, she would drop by to see her father. Not only did she have a few choice words to say to him, but she wanted to find out if there had been any word from Bethany.

  She was furious with her sister for putting her in this position. Drumming her fingers on the table, she wondered what her sister hoped to achieve by running away from her wedding. Bethany would certainly have something up her sleeve, but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of what it could be.

  Knowing her sister though, she wouldn’t remain hidden for long, especially if she wanted something. Letting out a sigh of frustration, she sat up straighter when the butler returned with her breakfast. Once he left, she quickly finished off the meal and headed for the front door. She shouldn’t have been surprised to see the butler at his post, but she had hoped to leave unnoticed. “If my husband asks where I am would you please inform him I will be returning sometime around noon?”

  “Of course my lady. Would you like me to send for the carriage? And would you like a footman or a maid to accompany you?” Wallace was confounded by this woman. She’d only married his lordship yesterday and instead of being in bed with her husband she was going out.

  Sheldon tried to hide her impatience. “Oh no need for the carriage. It’s a perfect day for walking and I can assure you I don’t need anyone to accompany me.”

  Wallace knew he didn’t have any other choice but to unlock the front door and let her ladyship leave. “Very good my lady.”

  Her eyes rolling behind the pompous man’s back, Sheldon sailed outside and down the steps. It was going to be a trial living in such a stuffy atmosphere she thought. Well, hopefully it wouldn’t be for long. Maybe in a few days or a week the duke would come to his senses and request an annulment.

  Another thing she would have to contend with, she thought huffily, she was going to have to find a way to stop the man sneaking into her bed again. Oh he certainly was a conniving scoundrel and if he had any plans to seduce her, well she most unquestionably would let it happen. Besides, she doubted he found her attractive, his only intention was to get her with child. She knew that once he did, he would lose in interest in her so fast it would make her head spin.

  His reputation of being a connoisseur of beautiful women was just as well-
known as his many conquests. He was also a man she knew who would never remain faithful for long. She’d seen so many unfaithful husbands and fiancés in the brothels when she visited to help the poor women working there not to have much faith in men. Well it didn’t matter to her, she doubted they would be married for long, and smiling over the thought, she continued on her way to the hospital.

  Chapter Six

  Still aggravated as hell over discovering himself alone in bed this morning, and finding his wife had left the house alone without informing anyone of her whereabout, Nathan was still grumbling over the situation when his butler led Phillip into the family parlor.

  “I thought I would call by when I spied your wife striding down Mayfair. It was quite unexpected because I assumed you would be keeping her rather occupied.” Phillip strolled over grinning.

  Nathan was not amused by his friends teasing. “The woman is infuriating and stubborn as all hell. She absolutely refused to obey me and denied me my rights as a husband.”

  Phillip couldn’t help himself he cracked up laughing.

  “Laugh all you want but I find nothing hilarious about the situation.” Nathan grumbled.

  “I see. Most unusual. However, I’m sure it won’t take long for you to rectify the matter.” It was easy to see how irritated his friend was over the matter, so Phillip forced himself to rein in his amusement.

  “Humph, I’m not so sure about that but I intend to give it my best shot. You said you saw her in Mayfair, what is the confounded woman doing there?” Nathan grew thoughtful. “Oh good God no. You don’t suppose she’s heading toward Pantheon Bath House do you?” The horror of his wife visiting such a place nearly made his heart stop. It was one of the worst renowned whore houses in London.