Page 52 of Wickedly Yours
Christ. The way her lips moved as she said the word. She hadn’t even blushed. Keeping his voice solemn he said, “Yes. Imagine the scandal. Even though I must admit, it is deserving of an ode or two.”
Arabella giggled. It was the most beautiful sound Rowan had ever heard. Her laughter was the most potent of aphrodisiacs. His fingers ran across her ribs, gratified when she squirmed and twisted from his touch. Arabella, dour, austere woman, was ticklish.
“Stop, I beg you.” Her lips parted in invitation as she spoke, the words turning seductive.
Rowan wrapped her hair around his wrist and pulled her mouth to his. “Bella,” he said against her lips, “you will beverysore tomorrow.”
30
The next several weeks passed in a cloud of absolute bliss.
Rowan, contrary to many gentlemen, enjoyed having an intelligent wife. She knew this because he told her so, asking her opinions on a variety of subjects. Rowan was fascinated with steam power, engines, railroads, anything connected to transportation. He was not interested in the way a scientist would be, but rather from a financial standpoint.
The renovations of the Newsome textile mills were a huge topic of conversation as he sought the best men to make the modernizations. He continued to advise several of his business acquaintances on investments and other financial matters. Arabella soon found herself hosting a small dinner party with several gentlemen and their wives. All of the men were in trade and enormously wealthy. She watched, fascinated, as Rowan picked their brains under the guise of his charm and affability. He made quiet deals in the days after the dinner party, becoming a silent partner so as not to stir up talk of his being in ‘trade.’ Her husband’s thirst for business and creating wealth was insatiable.
As was his thirst for Arabella.
She’d been unprepared for the unbridled desire her husband had for her. The delights of Arabella’s marriage often left her abed until mid-morning, her body still throbbing from her husband’s attentions. Nor did he leave her after they made love. Rowan was adamant that they not sleep apart, even if, on those rare occasions, all they did was actuallysleep.
While he spent his days away from the house, he made a point to dine with her in the evenings. One night he surprised her with a picnic in the garden. After nibbling on cold chicken and a bottle of wine, he lay down on the blanket and pulled her to him. For hours they did nothing but look up at the stars as he pointed out the various constellations. Neither of them was particularly enamored of mythology, so they spent the time piecing things together and arguing over who had the story of Cassiopeia correct. After being proven incorrect in her assumptions, Arabella was forced to pay a forfeit. Rowan stripped her naked beneath the large tree in the garden and made love to her in the cool grass. After, shivering from the cold, he wrapped her in the blanket and snuck her back into the house and carried her to bed.
She was certain the servants were scandalized.
Arabella found her previous bitterness was no match for her current happiness. As the weeks went by, she fell deeper in love with her husband. The fear of loving Rowan still lingered, but she learned to put her anxiety aside. It had no place in her marriage.
Late at night, as Rowan snored softly beside her, Arabella would wonder if she should tell him everything, starting with her lie about Corbett and ending with Barker’s threats and blackmail. She would throw herself at her husband’s feet and beg him to understand that she was no longer that bitter woman.
Rowan was wrong. Shewasa coward.
The fear of losing him kept Arabella’s lips firmly shut. The thought of Rowan hating her, as he surely would, stopped her. She couldn’t bear to have him look at her with revulsion. And so, she kept silent and waited for her guilt to abate. As the weeks wore on, she saw no more of Barker and determined the earrings had finally appeased him.
Still, Arabella felt strongly that the time had come for her to atone for at leastsomeof her sins. When she and Rowan had been married a month, Arabella reached a decision.
31
“Her Grace is in the drawing room, Lady Malden.” Peabody lifted his brows at her in surprise.
Well, why wouldn’t he be a bit shocked? She’d never once sought Jemma’s company. And she knew the old butler was incredibly protective of the duchess. “Thank you, Peabody.” As Arabella passed the butler she paused, “for everything.”
The older man’s cheeks pinked. “My lady, it has been my greatest pleasure.”
Arabella gave a snort of disbelief. “You suffered Grandfather, then Nick and especiallyme. I feel certain that if they gave battle commendations to house staff, your uniform would be decorated with medals.”
Peabody’s eyebrows raised into his hairline at her words before his lips turned up in what passed for a smile. “Congratulations again, my lady, on your marriage. May I say it seems to agree with you.”
“You may.” She strode forward and waited for Peabody to open the drawing room doors. “I shall not upset her in the least.”
Peabody said nothing, only gave a short bow and opened the drawing room doors.
Her brother’s wife sat on the large brocade sofa near the window with a view of the gardens. She was cleaning a beautiful set of pistols inlaid with ivory on the handles, the mound of her stomach glaringly apparent. It was a rather ridiculous scene, the pregnant duchess cleaning a pair of deadly pistols. Jemma was terribly eccentric. Arabella supposed that was one of the reasons Nick loved her.
She looked up at Arabella’s entrance, with one raised brow. Her face remained carefully controlled and polite though her hand tightened on the hilt of the pistol.
I haven’t the least doubt she’d like to shoot me. Nick says she’s an excellent shot.
Peabody gave Jemma a pointed look and departed, leaving the drawing room doors open.
Arabella nodded towards the departing butler. “I suppose he’s concerned that I might accost you, Your Grace. With the doors ajar he’s certain to hear your screams for help.”
