Page 39 of Claiming His Estranged Viscountess (Rogues from War 2)

“You cannot go on working as a yeoman!” He held her shoulders and made her face him.

“Of course I can. I am not sick!” Her expression stony.

“No, but you have to keep our child in mind.” He did not want to vent on the possibility of anything happening to her. A cold invisible hand squeezed his guts at this.

“The child is fine!” She stated firmly. “I eat well, sleep enough; the doctor says all is going as it should.”

He took her in his arms and placed her delicately back in his bed. Beside her, he saw her colour had gone normal anew.

“I will go about the estate’s affairs.” As he must have done since the news about their infant.

“No! You will not!” She said commandingly. “You agreed to let me manage it!”

He raked both his hands through his head, his bare chest flexing with the movement. “Yes, I did. Before your present condition.”

“It is not a ‘condition’!” Her angry voice came louder. “Women with child work until they are about to give birth!”

“Not you!” He devolved as angry. “I forbid you!” He regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. Obedience not being one of her strengths.

“I will not receive orders from you!” She tried to put her feet on the carpet to leave the bed. He held her by her shoulders; she tried to break loose jerkily.

Forceful air escaping from his lungs, he held her gaze. “Look,” he tried to climb down. “I will go about the estate...”

“I don’t accept it!” She interrupted him and tried to break loose with more insistence.

“Let me finish!” He waited until she stopped hurtling. “Coleman can report to you in the end of each day.”

She eyed him attentively. “But I have decisions…”

“You will continue to make the decisions, as we agreed.” He insisted. “And the book-keeping.” He added. “I don’t own the skills for them, anyway!” He conceded. “You proved much batter at those than I.”

She relaxed a little against the headboard. “I will assent to this only until I give birth.”

“Naturally.” He confirmed.

“I cannot sit home doing nothing the whole day, I would go crazy!” She did not need to say such a thing; it showed plainly. “I will undertake lighter tasks.”

He would make sure said tasks were extremely light.

“Fine.” He nodded, satisfied with her compromise. “Now, tell me what needs to be overseen today. I’ll go do it.”

He considered their conversation a quite good middle way, he thought as he walked to his dressing room. He would undertake the burdens of his entailed lands as he must have done when his father passed away. She displayed a good skill for supervising and for the financial aspect of the estate. She had done utterly well so far; he wanted it to continue as she wished.

His valet met him and he prepared for a day’s work.

Chapter Thirteen

She was leaving the vegetable garden, a few days later, with a basket full of the first vegetables of the season when she sighted her brother-in-law coming in her direction.

While cutting off the vegetables, her mind raced. Her husband’s decree she abstain from heavy work for the whole of her term shook her to her core. The fear she would not be able to oversee the progress of the affairs, coupled with the terrifying notion he would use the assets to go back to his old ways tensed her. And readied her to struggle for what they had sig

ned soon when he arrived. In the end, she got calmer with his assurance he would not overtake everything, and their agreement would remain intact.

Maybe, it would be good for her to slow down a bit and prioritize the child she carried. To oversee everything was burdensome, no doubt. She enjoyed doing it which had given her a sense of purpose for the past years.

At this point, though, the help from her husband did not come unwelcome. Who knew he would not get involved with his heritage and learn to love it as she did? He had never given a damn to the lands that justified his own title; he never stayed there enough for that. Since he arrived, he had given attention to the routines and helped when necessary. She hoped he would not let anyone down anymore. The people who depended on the lands counted on her. She would make sure everything ran accordingly.

“Let me take this.” Bennett said, taking the basked from her.

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