Page 19 of Marrying the Wrong Earl (Lords and Ladies in Love 2)

“If we do not move forward with our marriage, you will not have the protection of my name. Incidents like that will happen on a regular basis, until you are driven completely away from Society. I know that is not fair, but that is the way of it.”

Arabella twisted his handkerchief in her hands. “She is a horrid woman. I’ve heard her speak to others that way, but never have I been subjected to her tongue.”

“Nor will you be ever again, I assure you. We will take a few more minutes to allow time to compose yourself, and then I will return you to your home. I will speak with your Mother, as I wish to settle the matter of the wedding date.”

After about another fifteen minutes, he turned the carriage and headed back to Mayfair. In three days, he would be a married man. Not something worrisome, to be sure. He had no intention of his life changing in any way. Once she settled in, Arabella would be an acceptable wife. She had a definite stubborn streak, and was a bit more headstrong than he would have liked, but he was sure he could contain her and impress upon her that all major decisions would be his.

From what he’d seen, once the matter of her animals was settled, she would not bring discredit to him or his title, and hopefully, in a short time, she would be increasing. Based on what he’d felt when he held her in his arms, getting her with child would be a most pleasurable task. Something he was certainly looking forward to.

Once he got his finances in order, theirs could be a very satisfying life. After the display he’d seen from Lady Spencer, he was feeling a bit relieved that Lady Arabella’s name would be the one alongside him in the marriage book, and not Lady Grace.

Feeling quite content with the way things were proceeding, he hummed to himself as he returned his future countess to her home to prepare for their wedding. Yes, with proper handling on his part, life with Arabella would be uneventful and peaceful.

Chapter Six

“You may not bring all these animals with you to my house!”

Angered at his words and tone, Arabella fisted her hands on her hips. “I am sorry, my lord, but I thought now that we are married it was also my house.”

Shortly after sunrise, Arabella had awakened with a sore throat and a stabbing pain behind her eyes. After drinking a posset Sophia brought her from Cook, she’d staggered out of bed, feeling as bad as she had the morning after she’d drunk too much champagne at Lord and Lady Devon’s wedding.

She’d had little enthusiasm for dressing in the gown she’d selected for her wedding. The material had scratched her skin, and all she’d wanted to do was crawl back into bed.

The wedding hadn’t gone much better when the minister had instructed Nash to place the ring on her finger. Panicking, she’d withdrawn her hand. He’d pulled it back. She’d yanked it back again. The tug-of-war continued until the ring had fallen to the floor and rolled under the lectern. Harsh whispers between the two of them had been interrupted by the minister’s well-placed cough.

Now it was mere hours since they’d said their vows. After much grumbling and complaining about the lack of time, Mother had put together a lovely wedding breakfast. A small group, consisting of long-time friends of Nash, Lord and Lady Dowding, who acted as witnesses, along with Mother, Lady Clarendon—now the Dowager Lady Clarendon—and Nash’s aged great aunt, Lady Hyatt, had joined the newly wedded couple for the repast. Nash’s sister, Eugenia, and her husband, Lord Devon, had not had time to attend, since they had recently retired to the country until Eugenia’s confinement ended.

Arabella had pushed the food around her plate until she’d finally asked a footman to take it away, since she thought she might toss up her accounts if she had to stare at it any longer. The few sips of champagne she’d had only made her feel worse.

When Nash had looked at her with concern and asked after her health, she’d shrugged it off, hoping she was correct that it was merely bridal nerves.

The guests had all departed among kisses and well wishes, and now Arabella was preparing to move her things—and her animals—to her new home.

“Most certainly, it is also your home, my dear. But animals do not belong in houses. We can perhaps build some sort of structure for the dogs—that is a dog, is it not?” He pointed to the poor straggler to whom she had not yet given enough attention. The bath certainly had helped, but his coat was in sore need of a trim. All this wedding business had taken her attention away from the things that really mattered.

“Yes. Of course, he is a dog.” She sniffed. “And he needs care.”

“What he needs, Wife, is a pistol to end his miserable existence.”

Arabella drew in a breath. What sort of monster had she married? Killing animals? Relegating them to cold, lonely places outside of the house?

“I will not shoot my friends. And these animals,” she swept her hand to encompass her current menagerie, “are my friends.”

Nash rubbed the back of his neck. “What of that pathetic bird?”

Arabella studied the poor thing lying in the small box in her hand. As if she knew what Arabella’s thoughts were, the bird fluttered her wing. “She is mostly recovered from her accident. I assume I can release her soon.”

“Today?”

She raised her chin. “Tomorrow. Maybe.”

This was not starting out well. What she hated more than anything was the gloating expression on her mother’s face. A perfect “I told you so” look that Arabella had been subjected to most of her childhood.

However, this was important to settle here and now. She had no intention of discontinuing her rescue of all things broken and lost. She’d spent her childhood surroun

ded by animals who’d needed food, shelter, and most of all, love. Some creatures she’d been able to move into loving homes, others had remained under her care. The less civilized ones tended to eat well, sleep well, then take off for parts unknown.

“What I don’t understand is why that cat hasn’t eaten the bird.” Nash eyed the ball of orange and white fluff licking her nether parts, totally oblivious to the humans’ chatter. Hopefully, he was far enough away from the animal that he would not begin a sneezing session.