the words come out of his mouth. This was not a sentiment that had
occurred to him previously.
Allegra leaned on the
back of a silken chair and looked at him from under her long lashes. He saw
that they were dark, despite her fair hair, and stood out against her almost
translucently fair skin. Adam could not help but notice the alluring swell of her
white breasts above the very low décolletage of her gown. He swallowed. He
would have to discuss Allegra's wardrobe with her as well. He couldn't have her
going out in public with her breasts very nearly uncovered.
"There is no
pleasing you, Adam," she said thoughtfully. "You were unhappy when I
was dowdy and docile, and now you are displeased to find me beautiful but less
biddable. But perhaps Lady Manning combines beauty with docility?"
Adam jumped at the
mention of his mistress's name, and stared at her in amazement. "What do
you know about Lady Manning?"
"Only what
everybody in London knows," Allegra assured him. "The gossips are not
ashamed to drop a warning in the ear of a young bride. I'm told she's your
mistress."
Adam's posture became
stiffer, if that was possible. "Lady Manning is an acquaintance of mine.
She showed me kindness when I was a stranger in Paris."
Allegra smoothed the
fabric of her skirt with delicate fingers. "I see. I suppose you have the
right to acquaintances--as do I."
Adam gaped at her.
"And what do you mean by that?"
Allegra turned her
wide blue eyes on him. "Why nothing, Adam. I was only saying that any
acquaintances of mine must necessarily be as innocent as your friendship with
Lady Manning."
Adam took a step
closer to her. His rising sense of frustration was almost overwhelming him. How
dare his wife challenge him in this way? The thought of her with another man
almost made him choke, and he was too angry to wonder why the idea should be so
upsetting to him. "I believe that we need to come to a fuller
understanding of our relationship," he ground out.
"Our
relationship is simple, Adam. We are married," observed Allegra airily.
"But that is no reason we can't be friendly. Come, let us agree to pursue
our separate ways. Surely you didn't return here thinking to find me a blushing
bride? I may have been a tearful child on the day of our wedding, but even I
can remember your fury. You, I am sure, have no intention of imposing yourself
upon me."
Adam stared at her.
Her words exactly reflected his state of mind before he had encountered her,
and yet, when he heard her say them, they seemed highly objectionable. He tried
to gather his thoughts so as to express them exactly.
Allegra seated
herself with a flurry of silken skirts and rested her charming chin in her
hand. "I also seem to recall some views as to your wife that you expressed
to the lovely lady you met last night. Let me see...'My wife is nothing to me'
and 'I do as I please and my wife may do as she pleases.' I believe those were
the sentiments you expressed. And most realistic ones they are, too."
At that moment Emily
entered the room. "All is well with your luggage, Adam, dear," she
said. "And how have you two children been getting along?" Adam was
silent.
"I think perhaps
we are beginning to understand one another," said Allegra softly.
"Are we not, Adam?"
He bowed to her
silently. "Mother, I feel the need to rest a time after my travels,
especially if I am to accompany two such lively ladies out on the town tonight.
Pray excuse me while I go to my room."
"Certainly, my
dear," said Emily. She kissed him on the cheek. "It is so good to
have you home, and I am pleased you and Allegra are getting along so
well."
Adam kissed her hand,
and nodded abruptly to Allegra.
"Your servant,
ma'am," he growled, and stalked out of the room.
"Oh dear,"
said Emily. "He looked like a thundercloud. What have you been saying to
him, Allegra?"
"Nothing that he
didn't need to hear, Mama," Allegra said reassuringly. "Your Adam and
I have a pretty puzzle to
occurred to him previously.
Allegra leaned on the
back of a silken chair and looked at him from under her long lashes. He saw
that they were dark, despite her fair hair, and stood out against her almost
translucently fair skin. Adam could not help but notice the alluring swell of her
white breasts above the very low décolletage of her gown. He swallowed. He
would have to discuss Allegra's wardrobe with her as well. He couldn't have her
going out in public with her breasts very nearly uncovered.
"There is no
pleasing you, Adam," she said thoughtfully. "You were unhappy when I
was dowdy and docile, and now you are displeased to find me beautiful but less
biddable. But perhaps Lady Manning combines beauty with docility?"
Adam jumped at the
mention of his mistress's name, and stared at her in amazement. "What do
you know about Lady Manning?"
"Only what
everybody in London knows," Allegra assured him. "The gossips are not
ashamed to drop a warning in the ear of a young bride. I'm told she's your
mistress."
Adam's posture became
stiffer, if that was possible. "Lady Manning is an acquaintance of mine.
She showed me kindness when I was a stranger in Paris."
Allegra smoothed the
fabric of her skirt with delicate fingers. "I see. I suppose you have the
right to acquaintances--as do I."
Adam gaped at her.
"And what do you mean by that?"
Allegra turned her
wide blue eyes on him. "Why nothing, Adam. I was only saying that any
acquaintances of mine must necessarily be as innocent as your friendship with
Lady Manning."
Adam took a step
closer to her. His rising sense of frustration was almost overwhelming him. How
dare his wife challenge him in this way? The thought of her with another man
almost made him choke, and he was too angry to wonder why the idea should be so
upsetting to him. "I believe that we need to come to a fuller
understanding of our relationship," he ground out.
"Our
relationship is simple, Adam. We are married," observed Allegra airily.
"But that is no reason we can't be friendly. Come, let us agree to pursue
our separate ways. Surely you didn't return here thinking to find me a blushing
bride? I may have been a tearful child on the day of our wedding, but even I
can remember your fury. You, I am sure, have no intention of imposing yourself
upon me."
Adam stared at her.
Her words exactly reflected his state of mind before he had encountered her,
and yet, when he heard her say them, they seemed highly objectionable. He tried
to gather his thoughts so as to express them exactly.
Allegra seated
herself with a flurry of silken skirts and rested her charming chin in her
hand. "I also seem to recall some views as to your wife that you expressed
to the lovely lady you met last night. Let me see...'My wife is nothing to me'
and 'I do as I please and my wife may do as she pleases.' I believe those were
the sentiments you expressed. And most realistic ones they are, too."
At that moment Emily
entered the room. "All is well with your luggage, Adam, dear," she
said. "And how have you two children been getting along?" Adam was
silent.
"I think perhaps
we are beginning to understand one another," said Allegra softly.
"Are we not, Adam?"
He bowed to her
silently. "Mother, I feel the need to rest a time after my travels,
especially if I am to accompany two such lively ladies out on the town tonight.
Pray excuse me while I go to my room."
"Certainly, my
dear," said Emily. She kissed him on the cheek. "It is so good to
have you home, and I am pleased you and Allegra are getting along so
well."
Adam kissed her hand,
and nodded abruptly to Allegra.
"Your servant,
ma'am," he growled, and stalked out of the room.
"Oh dear,"
said Emily. "He looked like a thundercloud. What have you been saying to
him, Allegra?"
"Nothing that he
didn't need to hear, Mama," Allegra said reassuringly. "Your Adam and
I have a pretty puzzle to
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