Geordie quickly grasped his wrists. “I didna mean that, mon, I didna, I swear!”
Anthony let him go this time, deciding to further the lie instead of using more force. “It won’t matter to you, Scotsman, whether I die or not. According to my new will, everything I possess, including my wife’s inheritance, goes to my family. They’ll of course see that my widow doesn’t want for anything, but other than that, she gets nothing. She lost it all the day she married me—and so did you.”
Geordie’s one good eye narrowed furiously. “She mun hate ye fer tricking her!”
“That’s my problem, isn’t it?” Anthony remarked as he stood up. “Your problem is getting out of London today in your present condition. If you’re still here tomorrow, Scotsman, I’ll have you arrested for that little stunt you pulled in the park this morning.”
“Ye’ve nae proof, mon.”
“No?” Anthony grinned at last. “The Earl of Sherfield witnessed the whole thing and followed youhere. How else do you think I finally found you? If my testimony won’t put you in prison, his will.”
Anthony left him mumbling about how Anthony expected him to leave London when he couldn’t even get up off the floor.
Chapter Thirty-six
Fortunately, Roslynn didn’t see Anthony when he returned home, and by the time he had bathed and changed, there was no evidence left of the fight. His knuckles might be tender, but thanks to the gloves he had worn, there were no cuts or abrasions from Cameron’s teeth. Still, he was disgusted with the whole affair. The man had offered him no challenge at all. It put him in a foul mood, one that wasn’t conducive to tackling his next challenge—Roslynn.
He didn’t even care to see her at the moment, but, as his luck would have it, she came out of the parlor as he was on his way out again.
“Anthony?”
He frowned at her hesitant tone, so unlike her. “What is it?”
“Did you—challenge Geordie?”
He grunted. “He wouldn’t accept.”
“Then you saw him?”
“I saw him. And you can relax your guard, my dear. He won’t be bothering you again.”
“Did you—”
“I did no more than persuade him to leave London. He might have to be carried out, but he’ll go. And don’t wait dinner on me. I’m going to my club.”
Roslynn stared at the closed door after he left, wondering why his terseness upset her so. She should be feeling relief, delight over Geordie’s thrashing, for she was sure that was the persuasion Anthony had used; but instead she felt deflated, depressed. It was Anthony’s curtness, his cold indifference. He had been in many different moods this past week, but this was a new one she didn’t like at all.
She had procrastinated too long, she realized. It was time she reached a decision about her relationship with Anthony, before the decision was no longer hers to make. And it must be done now, today, before he returned.
“Well, Nettie?”
Nettie paused in pulling the brush through Roslynn’s fiery hair to stare at her in the mirror. “Is that what ye really mean tae do, lass?”
Roslynn nodded. She had finally told Nettie everything, about Anthony’s seduction of her in this very house, about the conditions she had placed on their marrying, even about his lies that he would be faithful, only to have the truth come out the very next day. Nettie had been both furious with and aghast at the two of them. But Roslynn had left nothing out, and had ended by telling Nettie what she had decided to do. She wanted her abigail’s opinion, her support.
“I think ye’re making a big mistake, lass.”
She didn’t wantthatopinion. “Why?”
“Ye’ll be using him. Ye mark me, he’ll no’ be liking that one bit.”
“I’ll be sharing his bed,” Roslynn pointed out. “How is that using him?”
“Ye’ll be sharing his bed only fer a time.”
“He agreed to give me a child!”
“Sae he did. But he didna agree tae leave ye alone once that child is conceived, did he now.”
