Page 4 of Seducing the Marquess (Lords and Ladies in Love 1)

Devon recognized the chit when she entered. A slight girl, and whether she was attractive or not was unknown since her face was swollen with tears. She crushed a handkerchief between her fingers and moved to stand in front of Eugenia.

It seemed to him she’d been employed for some time now. Certainly before he and Eugenia had married. Another reason he was grateful for his wife. He detested dealing with servant issues.

“Yes, Jennie. Bellows said you wished to speak with me.”

She curtsied. “Oh, my lady, I am so sorry for interrupting you. I feel so bad, but something has come up that I…” The girl burst into tears, blubbering into her soaked handkerchief.

Devon glanced at Eugenia, who looked back at him, her eyebrows raised.

“Perchance you might tell me what your problem is?” Eugenia’s soft voice encouraged the girl to pull herself together.

Sniffing, she said, “I believe I am with child, my lady.”

“Indeed.” Something in that one word must have encouraged the maid, because she seemed to draw strength from it.

“Is she married?” Devon mouthed to Eugenia, who gave a curt shake of her head.

He sipped his brandy, feeling sorry for Jennie, about to lose her position with a child on the way.

“Who is the father, Jennie?” Eugenia continued in a voice that appeared to calm the maid.

“Mick,” she mumbled, casting a glance at Devon.

Devon nearly choked on his brandy. “My groom?”

“Yes, my lord.” This was the first time the girl had directly looked at him since she’d entered the room. He was getting more and more uncomfortable with the conversation. Why the devil had he been dragged into this? These matters should not be brought up while he was around. Most likely, Eugenia would dismiss them both.

If he’d been surprised by the entire exchange, he was completely taken aback when Eugenia turned to him and said, “You must insist your groom marry Jennie immediately.”

“What?”

Eugenia lifted her chin. “Jennie is a good girl. If she is in a family way, she is not the only one responsible.” She turned to the maid, who regarded his wife with something akin to adoration. “You may go about your duties. His lordship will take the matter in hand.”

“Oh, thank you, my lady.” Jennie burst into tears once again and fled the room, the twisted handkerchief sopping the waterfall.

Eugenia regarded him, determination in her blue eyes. “I will leave the situation in your capable hands, my lord.”

She retrieved her glass of sherry and took a sip. “Has there been progress on the bill you are sponsoring in Parliament?”

He was afraid he appeared dimwitted as he stared at her slack-jawed. She had just handled a most distressing situation with grace and aplomb. Now she wanted to continue on as if something extraordinary had not just occurred.

He mentally shook himself and collected his thoughts. “Yes, I have managed to gather a bit more support for it.”

Of course, he mused, there was much more to the gathering of support, but since women were unable to grasp politics, there was no reason to expound on that. Truth be known, he’d always questioned such an assumption drilled into him by his father. He and Eugenia had had several conversations where she’d surprised him with her intelligence and insight.

Although, after the scene he’d just witnessed, he was hard-pressed to admit he really knew his wife at all. He saw Eugenia as a compassionate person, but her handling of the maid’s situation impressed him. Surely, had his own mother, or any other woman of the ton he’d known, been faced with a similar situation, they would have dismissed both servants with no recommend.

And they called her The Ice Queen.

They fell silent, the only sound the ticking of the long-case clock in the corner of the room. He refused to move onto the subject of the weather. Why was it he had never noticed until now how little they had to say to each other? Mayhap if he’d encouraged her thoughts on the bill he was sponsoring, he would once again see her enthusiasm as she voiced her opinion. Keeping to certain subjects when conversing with one’s wife made for stilted discussions.

His thoughts wandered as he sipped his brandy and Eugenia stared into the fire, a picture of female serenity. He’d wanted a wife he could count on to always do the right thing, handle every issue that came up in his household without troubling him, who was both beautiful and gracious. No hint of scandal had ever been, nor ever would be, associated with her name. When he’d decided the time was right to set up his nursery, he had not wavered from his choice. He had wanted The Ice Queen and had gone after her with the same determination as he did all things.

He had paid her the necessary court once he’d received the approval of her brother. After an acceptable period of time, he’d met with Lord Clarendon again and had worked out the marriage contracts, then he’d proposed to Eugenia, anticipating her acquiescence. She had accepted with grace and charm and had presented her cool hand for his kiss. They’d had a lavish wedding under the eyes and good wishes of the ton.

Everything had been perfect from then on, so why was he now experiencing this sense of restlessness, of wishing they had more to say to each other?

Wanting to break the silence, he said, “I was quite impressed with your handling of the servant issue just now, Eugenia.”