She sighed. He probably thought it was due to the satisfying kiss that sent tremors of awareness throughout her body. Later, when she relaxed in their copper soaking tub, she would think of him touching her and remind herself what a lucky woman she was to have such a passionate husband. And then they would pleasure one another as soon as he came home.
“Please give Lord Quinn my regards. We should invite him to bring a lady friend to dinner some evening soon.”
“Perhaps,” he agreed, releasing her. “But Quinn has had many chances and can never seem to choose only one.”
He was chuckling to himself when he left, while a stone settled in her stomach.
Could any man who had been used to variety settle for only one?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Days later, it was his turn to question her when, after dressing to the nines, she was heading out the front door precisely as he came down the stairs.
“Where are you off to today?”
Purity realized she didn’t have a ready answer. And in her brief hesitation, his eyes flickered with doubt.
“I am going to visit Clarity and her little ones.”
“But you’re not taking Diana,” he pointed out.
He had caught her in a lie too easily. And now she had to add to it.
“My sister’s littlest has sniffles, and I didn’t want to risk Diana catching anything again. I will be home in a couple of hours.”
She turned, wincing at her string of lies.
“Purity,” he called after her.
Freezing in place, she turned back to him as he closed the distance between them.
“You’re not taking your maid with you,” he asked.
“Being married has a few privileges, my lord. And one is I can at least leave my home when going to my sister’s without need of a chaperone.”
“And what else?” he asked.
“What else?” she repeated, examining the flecks of gold in his sherry-colored eyes.
“You said afewprivileges,” he reminded her, drawing her into an embrace.
She smiled up at him. “Then there is being able to kiss a handsome man whenever I wish,” she added.
On tiptoe, she kissed him.
“We ought never to go anywhere without doing that,” she said, glad he had caught her.
“Agreed,” he said before letting her slip out the door.
Having picked up a newly framed painting with the help of their driver, she dropped it off at her sister’s home for safe-keeping and away from Matthew’s eyes. At least, she had gone to Clarity’s in truth.
On the other hand, she could see how easy it was for a spouse to go anywhere and do anything with the other being none the wiser.
The following morning, when her husband disclosed his tasks — first joining Lord Quinn at Tattersall’s to view horses before a meeting with his trader at the Stock Exchange at Capel Court, she experienced the same sense of misgiving, a twinge of doubt.
Completely irrational and, as far as she knew, unwarranted.As far as she knew.
But why was he being so particular in his details?He was either reassuring her or fooling her.
