“And then what?”
“Do what every aristocrat does. Get his wife pregnant and go hunting.”
The earl shrugged. “Reuben isn’t one to rest.”
Sadie shifted in her seat. “Is he a violent man?”
“Undoubtedly. But never to someone he has sworn to protect.”
“And he can be bought?” Iseabail asked.
“Yes.”
“For how much?” That was the main question. What would it take to buy his help?
The countess leaned forward. “But you said he has more money than he knows what to do with. Whyever would he sell himself for more?”
Sadie huffed. “He must be one of those men who is never satisfied. Always needs more and more money to no purpose except to have it.”
“That’s not Reuben. He doesn’t need money; he needs new challenges. He’s so damned good at everything. He tries something, wins, then gets bored.” The earl pushed up to his feet. “Well, I’m off to find a special treat for Amber. She’s been up night and day with the new baby and could do with something to cheer her up.”
“You’re trying to find her a gift?” Sadie asked.
“Yes. Something to help. I feel so damned useless with a new baby. I’m thinking flowers or a new face cream, maybe.”
Sadie shook her head. “She’d much rather you hold the baby while she sleeps. Rock the baby, bathe the child, even change the nappy if needed.”
The earl frowned at her. “But we have servants for that.”
“My lord, she doesn’t need flowers.” Sadie’s tone was too tart, but she didn’t hold back. She never held back. “She needs to feel as if you are in this with her. That you are sharing the burden with her.”
“But I can’t—”
“Spare me from husbands who say they can’t. Ask your wife what she wants. She’ll tell you. And if she doesn’t know, then sit there with her until she can. And for God’s sake, don’t tell her what you can and can’t do. You have to be quiet until she can tell you what she needs.”
The earl stared at her, his expression thunderous. Clearly, he wasn’t a man used to being told what to do. But a moment later, his gaze hopped to his mother. “Is she right?”
“Of course she is.”
“Then why has no one said that to me before?”
All three women stared at him with not a one daring to answer so basic a question. In the end, he planted his hands on his hips and glared at the room.
“I’m not an intimidating man. Someone should have said something to me before!”
He was, in fact, a very intimidating man, but his desire to please his wife was to his credit. And so Iseabail said in a soothing voice, “I am sure your wife feels your respect and understands that you want to help any way you can.”
“Well, I do,” he grumbled.
“And do you think Mr. Bates will respect and honor a bargain made with a woman?”
“What?”
The man’s mind was clearly back on his wife, but the countess understood immediately. “You are thinking of him seriously? As a marriage prospect?”
As asomethingprospect. Especially if his morals were more flexible than the standard soul’s. “I will not entertain a man who would go back on his word.”
“Well, you can rest easy then with Reuben. He’ll honor his word. Says it’s good business to do what one promises. But if he doesn’t promise, then he’ll happily turn his attention elsewhere.”
