“I’m—” Kate broke off and took a deep breath before attempting to understand what he was saying.“You do not want me to sleep here?”she asked.
Grayson lifted a brow.“It makes for a rather inconvenient morning.”
The air went hissing out of her lungs in a low rush as Kate felt the impact of his words like a blow.He did not want her to stay with him after what had passed between them?Before Kate could gather her scattered thoughts, he headed toward the other bedroom.
“No matter, but you had better call your maid, for we leave for London this afternoon.”
“London?”Kate managed to halt him at the door.
“Yes.The town house is one of my principal residences, and I have some business to attend to that I have been neglecting of late.”
Kate stared, struggling to speak to the man who stood poised on the threshold, casually distant.A stranger.
“What about Lucy?”she asked.
“I’ve arranged for her to stay with the squire and his wife.”
“Too bad she’s not of age, or they, too, could be married in a day, and the business of their lives dispensed with as quickly,” Kate said, swinging her feet over the side of the bed.
Grayson gave a startled growl of laughter, his gaze sliding down to her bare legs and then swiftly away.“Good morning, then.I shall see you at breakfast,” he said, exiting the room without another glance in her direction.
As soon as he closed the door behind him, Kate sank down upon the bed, her brief show of strength spent, to bury her face in her hands.Who was that man?That haughty nobleman could not be the same person who had lavished attention upon her body for hours, sharing intimacies such as she had never imagined.
A sob broke loose from Kate’s throat.Things were far worse than she had anticipated.When she spoke her vows, her marriage of convenience had raised no expectations, had not touched the emotions she harbored for the man she was to wed.But now she had had a taste of what a true union could be, had given herself in love, to this man only to have him ignore it.
Why had he spent so much time on her… pleasure?Why had he claimed to want her?Kate had never thought Grayson a liar, but what else could she believe?His demeanor today mocked her tender memories of last night, took her feelings for him and threw them back in her face, as if to say, “Really, poppet, do be serious.I’ve no use for your affection.”
Her hope that he felt something for her was a delusion.After all, what did she know of men and their ways?What had been momentous to her had meant nothing at all to him.Less than nothing, for he wanted her out of his bed.
The very thought made Kate lift her head as anger crowded aside her despair.How dare he?Her mouth tightened as she resolved that he would have no further concerns on that score.She would never set foot in his room again.
And as for his peremptory commands… Kate waved her hand carelessly, a bitter smile curving her lips.So he thought to treat her poorly and order her about, did he?Perhaps he had forgotten that she was the woman who had shot him.And she bowed to no man.
That for your fine dictates, my lord marquess,Kate whispered.Snapping her fingers in disdain, she began to form plans of her own.
Chapter Fifteen
Kate was out in the garden when he found her.She had avoided the dining hall altogether, slipping out the front entrance and walking around to one of the outbuildings to get her implements.By the time Grayson arrived, she had already dug up a large pile of weeds, her anger fueling her efforts with the shovel and trowel.
She saw him, of course, but, taking a cue from his behavior, barely glanced at him while jabbing violently at the earth.She fancied an especially hard clod to be his heart—if he possessed one.
“What the devil are you doing?”His voice was rougher than usual, and Kate took some slight pleasure in his strained tone.
Was the great Wroth angry?She smiled sweetly.“I am working, as I do almost every day.Yesterday put me behind, what with the nuisance of that ceremony, you know.”She had the satisfaction of knowing she had upset his equilibrium, at least, for when she looked up, he was glaring at her fiercely.
“You know very well that you no longer have to act the servant.Leave that for someone else and get properly dressed.We are going to London.”
Kate bent to dislodge a particularly large specimen.“No,” she said, straightening again.“Youare going to London.This is my home.I live here.”
“No longer.You are my wife now.”
Am I?Am I really and truly your wife?Kate thought.But she kept her query to herself, refusing to let herself feel anything except annoyance.Her other emotions ran too deep and were too painful.
“By law, you must obey me.”
Kate loosed an unladylike snort of laughter.“I’m afraid you married the wrong woman if you want that, you arrogant, pigheaded bully!”She tossed the epithets carelessly at his head while leaning on her shovel.
He ignored them, as if she hadn’t spoken.“I’m not leaving without you.”
