“Geordie? But—why?”
“Why else? To give him the good news. Or hadn’t you realized that until he is made aware of your new status, he’s still a danger to you?”
Roslynn could feel the blush starting, and it was a furious one. He was late on her behalf, and how did she meet him at the door? Like a shrew.
“I’m sorry, Anthony.”
Her contrite, downcast look was irresistible. He pulled her close until her head rested on his shoulder. “Silly girl,” he teased her gently. “You’ve nothing to be sorry about. I rather like having someone worry about me. Youwereworried, weren’t you? That’s why all the fuss?”
She nodded, having heard him, but she wasn’t that attuned to what he was saying. Her nose was twitching, assaulted by an offensive, sweet smell comingfrom his coat, almost…like perfume, cheap perfume at that. She leaned back, frowning, and caught sight of a thin yellow string on his shoulder—no, not a string, a blond hair. She picked it off and pulled, but it kept coming, until at least a twelve-inch length dangled from her fingers. She might have thought it was her own, even though it was so light in color, but it was brittle, not fine.
“I knew it!” she hissed, looking up at him with outraged fury in her eyes.
“Knew what? What’s got into you now?”
“This!” She shoved the hair in his face. “It’s no’ mine, mon, and it certainly isna yours, is it now?”
Anthony scowled, swiping the hair from her fingers. “It’s not what you think, Roslynn.”
She stood back, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh? I suppose it was some brazen wench who just happened to plop down on your lap uninvited, rubbing her cheap smell all over you before you could be stopping her?”
Good God, he groaned inwardly,did she have to hit it right on the nose?“As a matter of fact—”
“Hell’s teeth, you canna even make up your own tales!” she shrieked.
This was so ridiculous, it was laughable, but Anthony didn’t dare laugh when her expression at the moment boded murder. Very calmly, he said, “Actually, it was a barmaid. And I wouldn’t have been in a position to have found her tumbling into my lap if I wasn’t in a tavern, one of many, mind you, looking for your cousin.”
“Aye, put the blame on me for your unfaithfulness. That’s typical of a mon’s arrogance, isna it? But I’ll be telling you what I’m to blame for, and that’s believing you last night! I’ll no’ be makingthatmistake again!”
“Roslynn—”
She jumped back when he reached for her, and before he could stop her, she slammed the door in his face. Anthony swore foully, his temper finally unleashed, but with nothing to vent it on now.
He turned around, facing the empty street, gritting his teeth. At least James had gone on in the carriage to White’s to kill a few hours before his rendezvous with self-same barmaid. He didn’t think he could have borne having his brother be a witness to this absurdity and watching him laugh his head off as he reminded Anthony about marital bliss.
Bloody everlasting hell. Kicked out of his own house! A fine topping for a day that had gone from bad to worse. If thetonever got wind…
Anthony’s head came up with a jolt. It washisbloody house. What the devil did she think she was doing, kicking him out of his own house?
He swung around and started to kick the door, he was so angry. He thought better of that at the last moment and tried the latch first. But finding it unlocked, he threw it open forcefully. The resounding bang was satisfying; however, it did nothing to appease his temper. Nor did the fact that he caught his wife by surprise, halfway up the stairs.
“Get back down here, Lady Malory. We haven’t finished this discussion.”
He was amazed that she obeyed him immediately, coming stiffly down the stairs. But when she reached him, it was to give him a look of contempt.
“If you’ll no’ go away, then I will,” she said, and she actually walked toward the still-open door.
Anthony caught her wrist and spun her around.“The devil you will! You aren’t leaving this house, and neither am I. We’re married, remember? Married people live together, last I heard.”
“You canna make me stay here!”
“Can’t I?”
He could, and it infuriated Roslynn more that she had given him that right.
She jerked her hand away from him, rubbing the wrist that would be bruised come morning. “Very well, but I’ll be taking another room for myself, and if you’ve anything to say about that, you can save it for another time.”
She turned back toward the stairs, only to be brought around again with a hand to her shoulder. “I prefer right now, my dear,” he said darkly. “You’re condemning me out of hand.”
