Page 116 of Better Love Next Time
Kitty’s shoulders were stiff as she selected a tiny portion of her fool and slipped the spoon between her lips. He had expected her to protest his decision. Lay out the merits of her involvement. And apologize for her betrayal.
She hadn’t apologized once.
So no fight then. Good, he thought in the silence of silver on porcelain and the glug of more wine poured.
He picked up his glass, and over the rim met Miss Dixley’s grey-eyed glare wishing him to the grave. How bold, how incredibly disrespectful she was to glower at him at his own dining table. The St. Clair temper he had long suppressed and been subjected to his entire life roared for a fight.
“Is something troubling you?” he asked Miss Dixley.
Kitty clasped Miss Dixley’s hand, speaking beneath her breath.
Her companion snatched her hand away. “No, sir. I am quite at peace with myself.”
“Ah. For a moment there, I expected the broomstick up your arse was going to shove more biblical drivel out your mouth.”
Kitty whispered to Miss Dixley. The woman set down her spoon and folded her napkin before setting it to the table. “Pride goeth before destruction,” she said. “And a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Julian chuckled. “You refer to yourself, obviously.”
“I do not. And you, sir, should acquaint yourself with the words of the apostle Paul, ‘husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them’.”
“Get out of my home,” he said softly, “now.”
Kitty pressed to her feet. “Julian, no. Althea, please leave us.”
Miss Dixley slammed her palms to the table. “Gladly!”
“Now!” Julian answered.
“You are just like your father!” Miss Dixley marched from the room.
Kitty hurried to cut him off in the hall, pulling at his sleeve as he stalked after Miss Dixley. “Please do not do this. She will—I will speak to her. You will not see her. But you cannot take her from me.”
“Get her out of here this night.”
She clutched at his coat when he stared beyond her, ready to throw the prig to the dirt drive for her insolence. “Julian, she was upset for me. Think of what it will look like. Appearances, Julian. If you dismiss her, where will she go? What will she say? She is nearly betrothed to Robert Carleton.”
“Let him marry her then. Get her out.” Like his father, really? His father would have knocked out Miss Dixley’s teeth. No, he’d pay someone to do it for him after he’d had a servant throw her to the dirt.
Kitty continued to plead. “She has helped us. She has helped me. And I will gladly support Mr. Turner. You see, I am not angry. I—I am relieved. I should have said so, and she would not have said those things. It is my fault. I will speak to her of my wishes. Julian, please.”
He looked down at his wife, jerking her hands from his coat. “Your pleas have no bearing on my decision.”
She froze. “What?”
“I said, your pleas have no bearing on my decision.”
A sob choked her. She whirled away. He heard her bedroom door slam shut. He would not run after her. He was not at fault here. It was fully in his right to set the rules in his home and enforce them. If he had done so sooner, he would never have allowed his wife free rein over his yard. She would never have dared to lie to him through omission.
Julian addressed the blank-faced manservant pretending to be ignorant of the current spectacle. “Direct the coach prepared for Miss Dixley. Advise the coachman to convey her to wherever she wishes, so long as it is within three days travel of here. I will provide for the changing of teams and tolls.”
In his chamber, he greeted Ollie and filled a small purse with coin, including Miss Dixley’s wages through the end of the year. Prowling the carpet, he listened to thuds and muted snaps of drawers closing in the room next door. Miss Dixley at least had the sense to leave.
He walked to the window and watched the groom and footman strap the trunks to the top and boot. He knew that was wrong. Miss Dixley had three gowns, all hideous.
He descended the stairsteps two at a time. The blank-faced footman opened the door. Julian caught Kitty by the arm before she climbed into the coach. She flinched, her eyes wide with fear.
He released her at once. “So you’re leaving. Did you think to tell me? Or maybe you penned me a letter.”
