Page 29 of A Wicked Kind of Husband

His expression was dark and clouded, as she had never seen on him, but before she could ask what he meant, his wife was hugging his arm, pressing her bosom against him, and gazing adoringly into his face.

“Now, now, Harry, my sweet,” she said. “Mrs. DeWitt is right. This is neither the time nor place.”

The couple exchanged an intimate look, shutting out the world. Harry ran his fingers down his wife’s arm and she responded with a pinch of his chin.

Cassandra averted her eyes. Impoliteness took a variety of forms, she thought crossly, and curled her fingers around her fan.

She began to excuse herself, but Harry interrupted her, saying, “I always did admire your fortitude, Cassandra, that is, Mrs. DeWitt. I daresay you need it, with a husband like that.”

“Some ladies will tolerate anything for the sake of luxury,” his wife chimed in, oh-so-sweetly. “But why not, if one hasn’t the fortune to find true love, like us.”

No, Lady Bolderwood definitely was not pretty, Cassandra decided. She had sly eyes and nasty ears, and her teeth were too small.

Harry’s ears turned pink again. “I trust you’ve put that whole matter behind us, Mrs. DeWitt.”

“Oh, do say you’ve forgiven us for running away together.” Lady Bolderwood’s blue eyes were wide as she pressed her bosom more firmly against Harry’s arm. “But love and passion overcame us so, we were powerless to resist.”

Cassandra clenched her teeth and smiled, and somehow found enough air left in her tight chest to respond. “Of course I don’t mind. I couldn’t be more content. Obviously, it has turned out well for all of us.”

“Itwillwork out well,” Lady Bolderwood said. “My darling Harry is seeing to that.”

The couple exchanged another intimate look and secret smile. Cassandra willed herself to get away from them, but her feet didn’t move.

“Whatever do you mean?” she said.

Harry glanced back at her, shrugged one shoulder. “Merely that one has a right to take control of one’s affairs,” he said. “Take justice into one’s own hands, as it were.”

“Heavens,” Cassandra said. “If you are still angry with my husband—”

“Please!” Lady Bolderwood fairly shoved her face in Cassandra’s. “We must not discuss Mr. DeWitt. You know what he’s like.”

“Yes, I do.” Cassandra lifted her chin and refused to step back. “Joshua is brilliant, energetic, amusing, generous, and kind. You did me a favor, Lady Bolderwood. Joshua DeWitt is the best husband I could ever have.”

She held the other woman’s eye, determined not to look away first, but then came the loud sound of a glass smashing, and they both looked around at once.

A hush fell over the crowd. Angry male voices rose through the quiet.

Cassandra and a score of other guests peered over the balcony at the crowded gallery below. A small space had opened up around a spreading pool of orange, fruity punch.

And in that space stood two men, snarling at each other like a pair of fighting dogs. The older man, robust with thick gray hair, was her father-in-law, the Earl of Treyford.

The younger man was her husband.

Lady Bolderwood raised her plucked eyebrows at Cassandra. “You were saying?”

* * *

Joshua had not intendedto start any trouble when he found himself face to face with his father and stepmother. Until that point, he had been enjoying the rout immensely and, as far as he could tell, had not offended anyone. Not much, anyway.

In fact, he had not intended even to talk to his father, but it would be rude to turn away now, and Cassandra did not like him being rude.

“Good evening, Father,” Joshua said cheerfully. “And Lady Treyford. Fancy us all meeting like this. A little family reunion.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Treyford said.

Joshua planted his feet more firmly on the floor. “I was invited. Lord and Lady Morecambe are my wife’s people, don’t you know? Have you met my wife?”

“I don’t give a damn about your wife.”

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