Page 14 of A Scandalous Proposition
‘My, Adam, such formality between old friends.’ She led the way back into the small salon. ‘I thought we were better acquainted than that.’
‘You wished to speak with me.’ Adam leaned against the doorjamb, leaving the door itself open.
‘Do close the door. The servants have become monstrously lazy since poor Julia’s demise. Even so, we don’t wish them all to know our private business.’
‘Do we have private business, your grace?’
‘Come sit beside me and do stop referring to me so formally. You were accustomed to calling me Philippa.’
‘Thank you, I would prefer to stand.’ He did however close the door.
‘My dear, I’m delighted to see you returned to us hale and hearty. You can have no idea how scared I have been the entire time you’ve been away. I was at my wit’s end and didn’t know what to do with myself.’
Adam’s eyes drifted cynically toward her expanding waistline but he remained silent. Following the direction of his gaze, Philippa had the decency to blush.
‘Anyway you are here now. But, no!’ She jumped from her seat, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. ‘You are been injured.’
She reached up to touch the scar on his forehead, much as his mother had just done, but he quickly stepped away from her. The thought of her touching him had once consumed him. Now it merely filled him with disgust.
‘It’s nothing.’
‘How could I not have known?’
Adam elevated a brow, causing the scar under discussion to alter its shape. ‘Why should you have?’
‘Because I intuitively understand you. I feel your pain every bit as much as you.’
Adam wanted to laugh at such nonsense. ‘Ah, of course, that would be it,’ was all he trusted himself to say.
‘You must be wondering at the changes that have occurred during your absence.’
‘Must I?’
Adam strolled to the window and stood with his back to her. As he passed her chair he noticed that Philippa had laced her fingers together in her lap, presumably to disguise the fact that her hands were trembling. She wasn’t nearly as composed as she would have him believe. He imagined he was supposed to fall upon her with words of understanding and forgiveness. By failing to oblige her, he had cast her into confusion. He clasped his arms behind him and stared out at the park, striving to remain calm.
‘It was a terrible blow when poor Julia passed away.’ Her voice shook with emotion but whether real or feigned Adam was unable to judge. ‘I did all I could to help, naturally.’
‘Oh, naturally.’
‘You’re angry with me. I know you are disappointed. It stands to reason that you must be, but I need to explain what I?’
‘There is nothing to explain.’ Adam turned to face her. ‘You were free to marry whomsoever you pleased. I wish you and the future heir to the duchy great joy.’
‘You think I did this for myself!’ She leaped from her seat and launched herself rather clumsily in his direction. Adam put out an arm to prevent her from tripping over the edge of the rug. She clearly took it as an invitation and threw her arms around his neck. ‘You and the future of your family were my only concerns.’
‘Of course they were.’ He disengaged her arms and stepped away from her.
‘But it’s true, you must believe me!’ She started to cry but Adam remained unmoved. Philippa required little provocation to produce tears and employed that talent whenever it suited her purpose. ‘You know I have never loved anyone but you. How can you doubt it?’
‘Stop it! You’re now the Duchess of Southsea and hopefully will soon provide the duchy with an heir. My mother has explained all the finer details, so you need not embarrass yourself by repeating them.’
‘Oh, your mama! I so wanted to talk to you before you saw her, but I didn’t anticipate that you would arrive before cockcrow.’
Adam was briefly tempted to tell her where he’d spent the night, thus facilitating his early arrival. Fortuitously common sense prevailed and he remained silent on the point.
‘She’s changed considerably towards me, Adam. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve her disdain.’
Adam elevated a brow. ‘Taken her place in this house and relegated her to the dower house, perhaps?’
