Anthony’s answer was a slow smile, his first, and James sobered. Yes, he supposed the little Scot was worth a bit a patience. But as for Anthony’s strategy, it was obvious to James he was only digging his hole even deeper. James wouldn’t be at all surprised if, when he returned to England, Anthony’s wife had much in common with Jason’s, who used any excuse available to avoid her husband.
Nettie appeared in the doorway. “Excuse me. Sir Anthony, but Lady Roslynn would be liking a word wi’ ye.”
“Where is she?”
“In her room, my lord. She’s no’ feeling up tae snuff.”
Anthony waved the woman away before growling, “Bloody hell!”
James shook his head in disgust. “There, you see? You hear your wife’s ill, and instead of being concerned—”
“Confound you, James, you don’t know what the bloody hell’s going on, so stay out of it! If she’s ill, it’s what she’s been praying for. I noticed it the othermorning when—” Anthony stopped at James’ quirked brow. “Damnation. She’s going to tell me I’m going to be a father.”
“A—but that’s splendid!” James said in delight, only to notice Anthony’s scowl grow even blacker and add hesitantly, “Isn’t it?”
“No, it bloody well isn’t!”
“For God’s sake, Tony, children usually do follow marriage—”
“I know that, you dolt! I want the child. I just don’t want the conditions that come with it.”
James started to laugh, misunderstanding. “The price of fatherhood, don’t you know. Good God, it’s only a few months you’ll have to stay out of the lady’s bed. You can always find relief elsewhere.”
Anthony stood up, his voice calm, but cold enough to freeze. “IfI wanted relief elsewhere, andif itwere only for a few months, you might be right, brother. But my celibacy begins the moment my dear wife announces her condition to me.”
James was surprised enough to reply, “Whose ridiculous idea wasthat?”
“It bloody well wasn’t mine.”
“You mean the only reason she came to you was to get a child?”
“None other.”
James snorted. “I hate to say it, dear boy, but it sounds like your wife needs her backside treated to a good thrashing.”
“No, what she needs is to admit she’s wrong, and she will. How soon is the question that’s going to drive me crazy.”
Chapter Forty-one
Weak tea and dry toast, at Nettie’s insistence. Not a very appetizing breakfast, but better than the hot chocolate and pastries that had sent Roslynn flying toward the chamber pot earlier. She had suspected her condition for the past week, after her monthly time was late. She had been sure three days ago, when the most ghastly queasiness had started in the morning, only to vanish come noon. And each day it had gotten a little worse. This morning she had had to stay near the chamber pot for nearly an hour, had heaved her stomach dry. She dreaded what tomorrow would bring, and tomorrow morning was Frances’ wedding. She wasn’t at all sure she would be able to make it, which was just one more thing to depress her at the moment, when she should have been nothing but overjoyed by her condition.
Her stomach still wasn’t settled completely, even with the bland toast she had nibbled on. It was hard for her to remember, considering how she was feeling, that a baby was what she wanted more than anything. Why couldn’t she be one of those lucky women who suffered not a day of morning sickness? And to have started so soon! Why, she had made her infamous bargain with Anthony just two weeks ago. And she had suspected she was pregnant one week later, which told her plainly she hadn’t needed to make that bargain at alt, that she had in all likelihood conceived the very first time they made love.
Roslynn very gently set the teacup back on the tablebeside the chaise longue on which she was reclining. Undue movement, as she had discovered to her horror the other morning when Anthony made love to her, started her stomach rolling. Extreme concentration had enabled her not to embarrass herself and have to make her confession right then. And she had selfishly gone to him for two more nights without telling him the truth. But she couldn’t put it off any longer. This morning she had just barely made it out of his room before he woke up and called her back to bed. And with the nausea getting worse, there was no way she could enjoy morning lovemaking anymore. She had to tell him before he found out for himself and knew she was ignoring their bargain.
Hell’s teeth, how she hated that bloody bargain. Anthony had been so wonderfully amorous these past two weeks, at least in his bedroom. He made love to her so often she knew very well he had nothing left to give another woman, that she’d had him all to herself. It was as if each night were her wedding night, with all the passion and tenderness he was capable of, hers for the taking.
But outside his bedroom he was another man entirely, either indifferent or cold and sardonic, but never pleasant. And Roslynn knew this could be blamed on the bargain, his way of letting her know his distaste for her conditions hadn’t lessened.
And now it was over. But she didn’t want it to be over. Hell’s teeth, she had become addicted to Anthony, but by her own idiotic decision, she was going to lose him. Temporary, she had said. Two short weeks was certainly that.
“You wanted to see me?”
He hadn’t knocked, but had come right in. Hehadn’t been in this room since the night she had pretended to be indisposed. There was no pretense now.
Anthony gave the new furnishings a cursory glance before his cobalt eyes settled on her. Roslynn could feel her stomach rioting from her nervousness.
“I’m going to have a baby,” she blurted out.
