“I should be glad to,” Gideon said, then corrected himself, “we—should be glad to. And you must come to us too, at Caerleon. I will send you an invitation card.”
“Mrs. Threnthorpe would be most pleased. Our prerogative first, of course. Shall we say this time a fortnight? We are lodging at Number 3, Jermyn Street, with a view of St James’s Square.”
Gideon inclined his head graciously, suppressing the urge to whoop in victory. Threnthorpe took his leave, and Gideon turned to find Catherine standing behind him.
“Are you enjoying our celebration?” she asked.
He realized he was grinning and promptly shed the expression.
“It is…tolerable.”
“More than tolerable. You looked ready to cheer. I enjoyed talking to Sir Obadiah earlier. He is very funny. So direct!”
“He is a commoner, bought his way into the gentry,” Gideon said dismissively.
He didn’t want to go into his business arrangements or the reason for his elation, which had clearly been too obvious on his face. He couldn’t suppress the good feeling inside, though.
“I have been trying to secure his investment for some time now in a business venture. This has proved the perfect opportunity.”
Even now, he felt that he was sharing too much, but something in him needed to be let out. It was the urge to share a victory.
Better to share it with Jeremy or Ben, except that they care nothing for business, or with Jeremy… who I am now rather suspicious of. Hang it all, is there no one I can share this with?
“Yes, the coal mine in Lancashire,” Catherine said brightly. “Sir Obadiah is truly very enthusiastic about the idea. He was explaining it to me earlier.”
Gideon stared at her. She colored under that gaze and cast her own eyes downward, swallowing.
“Is there something wrong, Aaron?”
“I do not recall telling you about that venture.”
“As I said, it was Sir Obadiah…”
“If I do not raise a subject with you, you may take it as read that I do not wish you to be discussing it. With anyone!” he barked.
He glanced around, moderating his tone for fear of drawing attention. His ire had surged at the thought that this woman hebarely knew was discussing his most important business with an investor.
Catherine raised her eyes, and he spotted the spark of defiance. It was bright and hot, but died quickly, a spark thrown into tinder from flint and steel, but failing to catch.
“I’m sorry. I was simply trying to mingle with our guests and make a good impression. Was that not why we are holding such a public event?”
Gideon gritted his teeth, unable to gainsay her. He looked about and then took her arm, guiding her towards a door and through it. On the other side was a gilded corridor with more doors leading off it.
“I want to make one thing clear to you, Catherine,” he said brutally. “I did notchooseto marry you. That act was dictated by circumstances. And youractionsare the root of those circumstances. I do not and shall not know if I can trust you, and speaking behind my back about my business affairs is no way to go about proving otherwise—”
She suddenly pulled free of his arm, stepping away from him. Her cheeks flared scarlet, and her eyes suddenly blazed. The spark had taken light.
His words failed him at the sight of her ferocious beauty. She had cast off the image of the timid, fearful young woman as though it had been a cloak.
“I will not go on apologizing to you every day for what I did. But youdidchoose to marry me. And despite your remonstrations, you didnothave to. I will not grovel in gratitude every day, either. I accept our circumstances and will do my utmost to make them work. I will not bleat about how I’ve been forced into this marriage, Aaron!”
“Bleat?” Gideon snapped.
“Yes, bleat! If you must treat me like a stranger, then do so. But a true gentleman treats even a stranger with courtesy and respect.”
“So, you question my character now? That is rich for someone who is dependent on…”
He stopped himself at the last moment. Suddenly, he was aware that they had both raised their voices and might be audible above the babble next door. He had also been about to shout about Catherine’scondition.It seemed clear to him, having witnessed it more than once himself. Her ailment appeared to have vanished since her ingestion of his personal antidote earlier in the week.
