conditions could cause memory loss, but to totally forget the woman he married? Oh, the indignity of it!
Her heart pounded to think of what she would do now. Olivia hadn’t planned beyond their actual first meeting where she would vent her righteous anger, then they would possibly come to some type of acceptable arrangement for both their benefits. But his ignorance of her identity left her stumped and angry. And somewhat hurt.
“I think I would like to go to my room. It’s been a long day.” Olivia winced with the pain in her head as she entered the house. The butler removed her wrap, and she ran her palms over her chilled flesh, trying desperately to warm up. But she knew the coldness came from a part of her that would probably never be warm again. The part that wanted desperately to be loved and cherished.
“Certainly, my dear, we’ll speak in the morning.” Elizabeth brushed her cheek, then sighed as Olivia hurried upstairs.
Chapter Six
Elizabeth trailed her husband to the library where he poured a brandy. He held up the sherry decanter and raised his eyebrows.
“No, thank you.”
He tugged at his cravat and pulled it free from his neck with a sigh. “At last, will you now tell me what the devil is going on? When did Coventry get married, and why in heaven’s name is his wife occupying one of my guestrooms?”
Elizabeth related a brief synopsis of Olivia’s sorry tale.
“Blast the man!” Grif grumbled. “How could he be so callous of the woman’s feelings?” He removed his jacket before joining his wife where she rested on the settee. Leaning back, he rested his foot on his opposite knee.
“Indeed.” Elizabeth shook her head. “It doesn’t seem like the Coventry we know. He’s always had a rakish reputation, but never have I seen, or heard, of him treating a lady with such a cavalier attitude. And his own wife!”
“Maybe I should speak with him.” Grif studied the brown liquid as he swirled it around the glass in his hand. “Lady Coventry is under my roof, so I feel a sense of responsibility toward her since there is no male relative to speak on her behalf.”
“No, I think not. Let’s see what Olivia says in the morning. She must have had a reason not to reveal herself tonight.” Elizabeth stared at a spot on the rug, nibbling on her bottom lip. “But we are having some revenge.” She turned to her husband, grinning. “We have purchased, and will continue to purchase, a complete new wardrobe. Wait until Coventry sees the bills! That should make him sit up and pay attention.” She giggled.
Grif placed his glass on the marble table next to him and cupped Elizabeth’s hands in his. “And you, my dear, have caught my attention by your loveliness. Shall we make use of the time we’ve been given by retiring early?” His eyebrows rose.
Heat suffused Elizabeth’s face as she contemplated the look in her husband’s eyes. Desire sparked there as he cupped her face with his hand and drew her near. They were a married couple with a child, yet his attentions continued to weaken her knees and release butterflies in her lower parts.
“Oh yes,” she breathed before he took possession of her mouth.
…
Olivia allowed Elizabeth to drag her from shop to shop on Bond Street the next morning. She smirked as her friend blithely informed shopkeepers to deliver all bills to Lord Coventry .
Mademoiselle DuBois bowed and fussed as soon as they entered the shop. Within an hour, fabrics of every color and texture littered the room. Elizabeth, Olivia, and the modiste poured over patterns and pictures. Shop girls and minor seamstresses hurried back and forth with new fabrics, new patterns. Olivia winced as she was stuck with pins and her body measured over and over. But that pain was minor compared to the hurt of last night’s encounter with Jason. Was she truly of such little worth?
“Are you sure we can do this?” Olivia bent to whisper in Elizabeth’s ear as they left Mademoiselle
Her heart pounded to think of what she would do now. Olivia hadn’t planned beyond their actual first meeting where she would vent her righteous anger, then they would possibly come to some type of acceptable arrangement for both their benefits. But his ignorance of her identity left her stumped and angry. And somewhat hurt.
“I think I would like to go to my room. It’s been a long day.” Olivia winced with the pain in her head as she entered the house. The butler removed her wrap, and she ran her palms over her chilled flesh, trying desperately to warm up. But she knew the coldness came from a part of her that would probably never be warm again. The part that wanted desperately to be loved and cherished.
“Certainly, my dear, we’ll speak in the morning.” Elizabeth brushed her cheek, then sighed as Olivia hurried upstairs.
Chapter Six
Elizabeth trailed her husband to the library where he poured a brandy. He held up the sherry decanter and raised his eyebrows.
“No, thank you.”
He tugged at his cravat and pulled it free from his neck with a sigh. “At last, will you now tell me what the devil is going on? When did Coventry get married, and why in heaven’s name is his wife occupying one of my guestrooms?”
Elizabeth related a brief synopsis of Olivia’s sorry tale.
“Blast the man!” Grif grumbled. “How could he be so callous of the woman’s feelings?” He removed his jacket before joining his wife where she rested on the settee. Leaning back, he rested his foot on his opposite knee.
“Indeed.” Elizabeth shook her head. “It doesn’t seem like the Coventry we know. He’s always had a rakish reputation, but never have I seen, or heard, of him treating a lady with such a cavalier attitude. And his own wife!”
“Maybe I should speak with him.” Grif studied the brown liquid as he swirled it around the glass in his hand. “Lady Coventry is under my roof, so I feel a sense of responsibility toward her since there is no male relative to speak on her behalf.”
“No, I think not. Let’s see what Olivia says in the morning. She must have had a reason not to reveal herself tonight.” Elizabeth stared at a spot on the rug, nibbling on her bottom lip. “But we are having some revenge.” She turned to her husband, grinning. “We have purchased, and will continue to purchase, a complete new wardrobe. Wait until Coventry sees the bills! That should make him sit up and pay attention.” She giggled.
Grif placed his glass on the marble table next to him and cupped Elizabeth’s hands in his. “And you, my dear, have caught my attention by your loveliness. Shall we make use of the time we’ve been given by retiring early?” His eyebrows rose.
Heat suffused Elizabeth’s face as she contemplated the look in her husband’s eyes. Desire sparked there as he cupped her face with his hand and drew her near. They were a married couple with a child, yet his attentions continued to weaken her knees and release butterflies in her lower parts.
“Oh yes,” she breathed before he took possession of her mouth.
…
Olivia allowed Elizabeth to drag her from shop to shop on Bond Street the next morning. She smirked as her friend blithely informed shopkeepers to deliver all bills to Lord Coventry .
Mademoiselle DuBois bowed and fussed as soon as they entered the shop. Within an hour, fabrics of every color and texture littered the room. Elizabeth, Olivia, and the modiste poured over patterns and pictures. Shop girls and minor seamstresses hurried back and forth with new fabrics, new patterns. Olivia winced as she was stuck with pins and her body measured over and over. But that pain was minor compared to the hurt of last night’s encounter with Jason. Was she truly of such little worth?
“Are you sure we can do this?” Olivia bent to whisper in Elizabeth’s ear as they left Mademoiselle
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