Page 56 of The Lady’s Sweet Revenge

Chapter Twenty

When Reese came downstairs, Belle rushed up, pressing her huge head against his leg for a quick pat before she slinked into the breakfast room ahead of him, likely on the scout for some dropped morsel of food. But before he entered, someone stopped him.

“There ye be,” Mrs. Garrison said as she entered behind him. “I had Rupert check in on you a few hours ago, worried you’d fallen ill.”

Reese’s valet had not mentioned sneaking into his room earlier when he’d helped him dress.

“I’m well,” he assured her with a jaunty bow. In fact, he was more than just well. It seemed there was another inept word to add to his list.

“I can see that. You must have missed your mama something terrible, but you seem happy that she’s here.” Mrs. Garrison patted Reese’s arm the way she had when he was a lad.

Reese wanted to laugh at such a misunderstanding in regards to his happiness. Of course, it was best to let the housekeeper continue on in that line of thinking for he’d not be able to explain what had really put the smile on his face.

Clearing his throat, he nodded toward the door.

“Are they both waiting?”

“Aye. Lady Harlow was feeling better this morning.” She frowned and lowered her voice. “Your mother was up at dawn. Writing to let everyone in London know she’s arrived in the Devil’s Kingdom unscathed.”

Reese chuckled at the joke. All of the staff knew Lady Breckenridge was not in Slains Castle by her own doing. His mother had made it clear what she thought of the castle and Scotland in general.

“You should get in there. Poor Lady Harlow was being interrogated about her dowry.”

Reese winced and with a nod, left the housekeeper to assist the woman who’d shared his bed the night before.

When Reese entered the room, they were both looking at him. His mother with a raised brow to show she was not amused that he was late, while Lo looked desperate for him to save her. He wondered if she’d been as frighted on the Zephyr as she was now alone in this room with his mother and guessed it was likely a close thing.

He looked between them for a moment before narrowing his eyes.

“Whatever are the two of you up to?”

“Nothi—” Harlow started to speak, but the countess cut her off with, “I was just telling Lady Harlow how the two of you would make a splendid match.”

“Need I remind you, mother, I brought you here to keep us from being forced into a marriage neither of us wants, not to push for something that will never happen.”

He glanced at Harlow expecting to see her relief that he’d taken care of his mother’s meddling, but instead she looked as if she were in a great deal of pain. From the way her hand was reached up, it seemed the pain was somewhere in the region of her chest.

Reese hadn’t meant to lash out so abruptly, but his mother drove him near to madness with her constant meddling. Harlow still looked rather startled by his outburst, while his mother only frowned and looked away toward the window as if she were completely bored and totally disappointed in him.

She’d done the same ever since he’d been a lad.

He’d been so happy when he’d come down, but his mother had already put him in a foul mood. And to make it even worse, it had started to rain. Which meant he wouldn’t be able to steal Harlow away to the gardens or the beach alone where he might ravish her yet again.

If that was what she’d wanted. Part of him worried what she might be thinking in the light of day. And because of his mother he wouldn’t be able to just ask her how she felt about things this morning.

Why the devil had he made the countess come here?

Of course, he knew and as soon as his body calmed, he’d be glad for her presence once again, for it would mean no questions as to Lady Harlow’s reputation. Even though he’d destroyed it last night.

The ton, however, would never know of such things. That’s all that mattered. Appearances.

The way he appeared to be dead set against any thought of marriage to Harlow, when it had been on his mind as he’d come down the stairs only minutes earlier.

His mother did this to him. He would likely try to find a way to stop breathing if his mother told him to breathe.

“I must take Belle for a walk.”

“But it’s pouring and you haven’t even eaten,” his mother said.