“My Lord?”
I forced my gaze off mywifeto the housekeeper. “Yes, Lady Leighton has recently honored me with the privilege of calling her my wife.” I could feel the dopey grin taking over. The title didn’t sound quite as wrong when it was Davina’s.
“Oh, good Lord… Gibbs! Gibbs!” she shrieked, turned, and fled from the room calling the man’s name at a pitch I wasn’t sure was entirely audible to humans.
No sooner had her skirts slipped around the corner than Davina’s restrained laughter escaped in a near snort. Her face found my chest as her shoulders shook with laughter. Mine came out in an occasional huff into her hair.
“What have you done to me? I was respectable once and now look at me.”
“Respectable and grumpy. Now you’re a happy menace like me,” she retorted, peering up at me with her chin on my chest. I caught the back of her head and pulled her frame against mine before dropping a kiss on her hair.
Mrs. Reed returned, panting and breathless, with a bewildered Gibbs dragged along behind her. She was still panting his name between every breath even though he was in her possession.
The man dug his heels in at the sight of Davina and me wrapped up in each other. “My Lord?”
Oh, good. This conversation again.
Before I could reply, Mrs. Reed wheezed out the word, “Wife.”
Gibbs straightened, his eyes widening, darting between Mrs. Reed and us.
Who had they assumed she was?“Yes, I’m pleased to introduce Lady Leighton.”
“Lady… My lady, I am all apologies. If we had known we would have had everyone available to greet you. I assure you!”
There was no discernible movement, no straightening of the spine, or shifting of the shoulders. But the expression Davina served them completely belied her kiss-reddened lips, mussed hair, and wrinkled gown. Not to mention the position we had just been caught in. She was every bit the duchess she had spent her life training to be.
“But not Lord Leighton?” She leaned back against my palm in apology for the title, but it didn’t twinge in quite the same way when I heard it in connection to its match.
“We— That is— My lady…” Mrs. Reed stammered.
“Hmm.” Davina managed to convey a great deal in that single note—disapproval, disbelief, disinterest, and a disinclination to hear more. “I trust preparations have begun for supper,” she added pointedly. If the gulp Mrs. Reed gave was any indication, it wasn’t a very impressive supper if they had.
“Of course, my lady. But if you had any requests, we would be delighted to accommodate them.”
“I have none. But perhaps Lord Leighton does.”
Three sets of eyes shot to me, though Davina’s were filled with mirth. “None at all,” I added with a gentle flick to her back. It would be a wonder if she felt it through the corset, but it made me feel better to reprimand her mischief.
“My lady, we could—a tour, perhaps—would be appropriate?” Mrs. Reed bumbled through the offer.
“Oh no, Lord Leighton and I were exploring perfectly well on our own.” I couldn’t disagree with her on that point. I’d enjoyed my earlier exploration of her person quite thoroughly.
Both looked like they wanted to protest, but Davina’s unflinchingly innocent yet commanding countenance left themno room to argue. Her brow lifted a quarter of an inch and they both backed out of the room slowly.
“How did you manage that?”
“What do you mean?” She turned in my arms, straightening my cravat.
“Since I was a child—those two stalked me around this place like a wildcat with prey, convinced I was going to break something or go somewhere I wasn’t supposed to.”
“It’s your house. Break anything you’d like.” Her hand slid down to find mine, lacing our fingers together before leading me out of the room.
“Your world is strange.”
“It’s your world too,” she replied, distractedly pulling me along after her to the ostentatious staircase at the front of the house.
“Perhaps.” Something about my tone made her pause and turn to me. She understood—Davina always understood—the implications. I wasn’t ready for more discussion on that subject, at least not at the foot of the stairs, so I tipped my head toward the steps. She took the encouragement and we started up together.
