WitchofArundaleHall by Jennifer Leeland Page B

question whether it was really for the best. Or whether
she was just afraid.
     

Chapter Six
     
    The next few days were a torture and Perry knew his behavior
left much to be desired. In truth he felt like a wounded animal, snapping at
everyone and limping through his existence. Neither Madame de Laval nor Mr.
Asher had asked any questions and that, at least, was a relief.
    He believed none of the nonsense about Sarah’s children. It
was another ploy by Lady North to torment them, to hurt the Arundale family. But
he had his pride. He’d provided the protection of his name to his new bride and
stopped the vicious rumors that Lord Robert had begun and Lady North had
confirmed.
    The news of his marriage had become the newest gossip,
spread by Sarah’s selfish brother. The ton must be bored indeed to have found
news of his marital state of interest.
    Unfortunately callers stopped by the infamous Madame de
Laval’s residence to visit the newly married couple. He had hoped to face them
with confidence. Instead he was forced to sit coldly beside his wife, who
refused to belong to him in any way except in name.
    It made the calls by rejected women in his past painful. Unlike
his father, Perry had refused to take titled women of the ton to his bed, since
he had nothing to offer but blood and violence, and many of them had resented
his…method of distancing himself. He had inherited a vicious tongue from his
grandmother and it tended to let loose when he had been drinking. That had
been, sadly, all too often.
    Three days after Sarah had tossed him out of their bedroom,
stating that she did not trust him or care for him, he sat in the drawing room
with another successful woman from the ton, a Lady Bastworth. She’d been Miss
Greenway when he’d ignored her innocent attempts to capture his attention. As
he remembered it, and his memory was hazy, he’d been a complete cad, laughing
at her seduction techniques and offering her a critique to help her.
    Now she was Lady Mary Bastworth, visiting her distant
relation Miss Sarah Ayers. Her bright brown eyes were filled with curiosity and
animosity toward him. “I have received my invitation to the luncheon, of
course,” she said, and smiled at Sarah. Could Sarah see that it did not reach
her eyes?
    “We would have had a ball,” Sarah answered with a cold smile
of her own. “But we are bound for France in three more days.”
    “Oh, a trip to the Continent.” Lady Bastworth clasped her
hands together. “I’m sure Perry will be an excellent guide.”
    Sarah raised her eyebrows. “Oh?” She turned to him and he
stifled a heavy sigh. “I did not think you’d been to France, Perry.”
    Was he the only one who could hear the bitterness in her
words? “I have not. Perhaps Lady Bastworth is thinking of my brother. He lived
in Jamaica.”
    But nothing was going to shut the woman up. “I was thinking
of your…knowledge of the Continental ways,” Lady Bastworth said with a sly
glance at him. “Perhaps I misunderstood you.”
    Behind those sharp brown eyes was the young girl to whom
he’d been so cruel. He tried to remember that. “Did you?”
    “I’m sure I did,” Lady Bastworth continued, and gave Sarah a
quick glance. “Your manners were so…different from all my rather gauche
acquaintances.” She leaned forward and touched Sarah’s knee. “Once, when we
attended the same ball, he explained the intricacies of…certain items. I was
certainly shocked.” Then the woman smiled at him. “Perhaps he found me
too…innocent.”
    He’d had enough. “You are quite right to say my manners were
different. I was a brute, drunk and angry at our last meeting, and treated you
abominably. You certainly did not deserve my censure.” He rose to his feet and
took the woman’s hand and kissed the air above it. “I can only offer my sincere
apology for my behavior. But your resentment against me does not warrant any
slurs against my wife.”
    She raised her eyebrows. “I assure