been able to stand.
If a woman says no, it’s no. And it shouldn’t matter
whether it’s a whore or your virginal wife. I was so glad
that I was injured at Badajoz, because I wouldn’t have
been able to stand seeing the rape and murder that
occurred when they sacked the city. It sickened me to
the core at Cuidad Rodrigo.’
‘I understand Wellington issued an ultimatum
that all soldiers had to be out of the city by night fall or
he would start stringing them up?’ Thomas ventured.
‘Actually it was noon the next day, after the
rioting was over.’ Richard said. ‘I wonder if he did it to
encourage the French to surrender the next time he has
to take a fortified city.’
‘Well, let’s hope it works!’ Charles said and
reached for the decanter again.
Charles, Kitty and Richard travelled in the plain
Landau to the Henderson’s ball. ‘I don’t understand why
we don’t walk.’ Kitty said again. ‘It’s only a couple of
streets away, not the other side of the river!’
‘I can’t anyway.’ Charles said and laughed loudly.
‘But a ducal heir never walks anywhere.’
‘True. It’s such a pity, but at least you can
support me for the rest of my life, now. I won’t have to
rely on Robin.’
‘What are you going to do if Ponsonby actually
makes an offer?’ Charles asked.
‘Refuse.’ She said coldly. ‘I had a feeling he was
the domineering type last week, when he passed that
comment about a wife’s place?’ She sighed. ‘So last
night was the final straw, just like Viscount Dalton, he
grabbed me quite hard.’ She shivered. Flicked her eyes
across at Richard and said ‘you know I’ll never be able
to trust a domineering male. I’m not used to it. Daddy
has always been so generous, when I talk to Louise
Trenchard, her father is positively autocratic. He’s
determined that she marry a title, so beware brother.’
‘Louise Trenchard is delightful.’ Charles said ‘and
if I was looking for a wife, I might even offer for her. But
I’m not. Not yet, it’s too soon.’
‘You mean too soon after Badajoz, don’t you?’
Kitty said with sudden insight and maturity. ‘You don’t
trust yourself not to wake up in the night and kill her by
accident.’
‘That’s exactly right, Lady Amelia.’ Richard said
softly. ‘I have exactly the same problem.’
‘But as I understand it, you don’t have to share
your wife’s bed all night long.’ She said innocently
making both men smile. ‘Aunt Agatha explained to me
that a wife has to wait for her husband to take his
conjugal rights!’ She lied convincingly.
Both Charles and Richard guffawed at the
precise way she explained it. ‘Some times, Kitty, you are
so innocent. I don’t for one minute think that a lifelong
spinster like Aunt Agatha has any idea what constitutes
a marriage. You’d probably be better off asking Victoria
about it from now on.’
The coach pulled up in front of the Henderson’s
impressive townhouse in Grosvenor Street. Richard
alighted quickly and helped Charles down the steps and
out of habit offered his hand to Kitty. She looked at the
proffered white gloved hand and to Charles’s surprise
she actually rested her fingers on his palm as she
stepped from the carriage. Due to the sultry summer
heat, Kitty had donned an ivory silk shawl and as she
stepped down, it slid off her other arm. Richard gallantly
grabbed the light silk before it landed in the horse muck
scattered all over the road and gently draped it back
over her shoulders. As she stood with her arms out
waiting for it, he had an urge to lean in and kiss the
nape of her neck and instead he received a waft of a
delicate jasmine scent as he draped the silk over her
arms. ‘Thank you, my Lord.’ She said and smiled coyly at
him. Charles stood with his eyebrows up in surprise.
‘What?’ she demanded as she looked at her brother.
‘It’s just that I’ve never known you to take a
strangers hand before.’ Charles said softly as she joined
him. She lifted her skirts
If a woman says no, it’s no. And it shouldn’t matter
whether it’s a whore or your virginal wife. I was so glad
that I was injured at Badajoz, because I wouldn’t have
been able to stand seeing the rape and murder that
occurred when they sacked the city. It sickened me to
the core at Cuidad Rodrigo.’
‘I understand Wellington issued an ultimatum
that all soldiers had to be out of the city by night fall or
he would start stringing them up?’ Thomas ventured.
‘Actually it was noon the next day, after the
rioting was over.’ Richard said. ‘I wonder if he did it to
encourage the French to surrender the next time he has
to take a fortified city.’
‘Well, let’s hope it works!’ Charles said and
reached for the decanter again.
Charles, Kitty and Richard travelled in the plain
Landau to the Henderson’s ball. ‘I don’t understand why
we don’t walk.’ Kitty said again. ‘It’s only a couple of
streets away, not the other side of the river!’
‘I can’t anyway.’ Charles said and laughed loudly.
‘But a ducal heir never walks anywhere.’
‘True. It’s such a pity, but at least you can
support me for the rest of my life, now. I won’t have to
rely on Robin.’
‘What are you going to do if Ponsonby actually
makes an offer?’ Charles asked.
‘Refuse.’ She said coldly. ‘I had a feeling he was
the domineering type last week, when he passed that
comment about a wife’s place?’ She sighed. ‘So last
night was the final straw, just like Viscount Dalton, he
grabbed me quite hard.’ She shivered. Flicked her eyes
across at Richard and said ‘you know I’ll never be able
to trust a domineering male. I’m not used to it. Daddy
has always been so generous, when I talk to Louise
Trenchard, her father is positively autocratic. He’s
determined that she marry a title, so beware brother.’
‘Louise Trenchard is delightful.’ Charles said ‘and
if I was looking for a wife, I might even offer for her. But
I’m not. Not yet, it’s too soon.’
‘You mean too soon after Badajoz, don’t you?’
Kitty said with sudden insight and maturity. ‘You don’t
trust yourself not to wake up in the night and kill her by
accident.’
‘That’s exactly right, Lady Amelia.’ Richard said
softly. ‘I have exactly the same problem.’
‘But as I understand it, you don’t have to share
your wife’s bed all night long.’ She said innocently
making both men smile. ‘Aunt Agatha explained to me
that a wife has to wait for her husband to take his
conjugal rights!’ She lied convincingly.
Both Charles and Richard guffawed at the
precise way she explained it. ‘Some times, Kitty, you are
so innocent. I don’t for one minute think that a lifelong
spinster like Aunt Agatha has any idea what constitutes
a marriage. You’d probably be better off asking Victoria
about it from now on.’
The coach pulled up in front of the Henderson’s
impressive townhouse in Grosvenor Street. Richard
alighted quickly and helped Charles down the steps and
out of habit offered his hand to Kitty. She looked at the
proffered white gloved hand and to Charles’s surprise
she actually rested her fingers on his palm as she
stepped from the carriage. Due to the sultry summer
heat, Kitty had donned an ivory silk shawl and as she
stepped down, it slid off her other arm. Richard gallantly
grabbed the light silk before it landed in the horse muck
scattered all over the road and gently draped it back
over her shoulders. As she stood with her arms out
waiting for it, he had an urge to lean in and kiss the
nape of her neck and instead he received a waft of a
delicate jasmine scent as he draped the silk over her
arms. ‘Thank you, my Lord.’ She said and smiled coyly at
him. Charles stood with his eyebrows up in surprise.
‘What?’ she demanded as she looked at her brother.
‘It’s just that I’ve never known you to take a
strangers hand before.’ Charles said softly as she joined
him. She lifted her skirts
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