“I yield you that, Father. The lady Chelynne seems to be as kind as she is fair, yet I don’t love her well. That takes time.”
“Ah, but time is what you have so much of! So much time! How I envy you your youth, your young wife! A trip, perhaps. An opportunity to have some enjoyable seclusion with Chelynne...”
“My lord, as you say there is much time ahead, but no longer do I coddle your whim without the paper you hold from me.” Chad’s voice had risen slightly and the earl felt his impatience.
“I do not have it, nor have I ever. I located it and that is all. It is still in the rectory of the small church in Browne where you and Anne were wed.”
“Then it was all a lie?” Chad scowled.
“I did breach the truth to see you home and wed, but never did I touch and thus defile church records. I only asked for confirmation from the priest. Had you gone and investigated one year ago you would have found there was no threat to your son. Mayhaps you would have refused to placate me. I took that chance, but I would sink no further, certainly not to stealing from a lowly parish to see my own ends met.”
“And how do I know you tell the truth now?”
“I expect you’ll go at once and see. There’s hunting near there, a fine inn and horseracing. Why not take the lady Chelynne and rest for a time? You could use the trip as an excuse to relax and enjoy your wife...”
Chad’s face darkened, anger glowering in those gray eyes that bespoke fury so intense the earl’s speech dwindled off. “You have used me badly, my lord. I wonder what I have done in my lifetime to warrant such deceit from my own father.”
“Our friendship has weathered many a storm, son. I know the ground on which I tread is thin and worn. I did this because I believed my meager apology would gain me nothing. I thought of your future, your happiness with a fine woman like Chelynne, and our family reunited.”
“You have so little faith in my charity that you thought to lie would be better? To lie and hold my son’s future around my neck like a noose? Do you find me totally incapable of seeing to my own future and selecting my own wife? My God, Father, why?”
“Chadwick! I thought not to anger you with this confession, but relieve you! Go, see the record is intact, and bring your son home. Enjoy your life again. I thought you might understand. I am a father, too. A father seeing to his son’s best interests. It was only good intentions that urged me on. No other fault was mine!”
Chad was silent. When he spoke it was slowly, carefully. “No, my lord. This all is for your faults, your greed. You would take possession of my very soul, living your entire life through me. You would select the bride, breed us like common stock, and hold our very life’s breath from us when we would balk from your desires. I am disgusted.”
“Son, I swear, I used my knowledge as a tool to initiate a truce between us, that is all. I sought out Chelynne with only one thought, to see you settled and happy with a woman who would do you honor.”
“A truce would have been a simple matter. It would have been afforded at your meagerest request. This time you have gone too far.”
Chad rose to leave and turned when he reached the door. “I go to Browne, but I go alone. The record will be moved, so you need search for it no more. I bid you see to the maiden you’ve brought to this house. The rest of your eager ambitions for truces and happinesses will be discussed at another time.”
“Chad,” the earl pleaded. “Chelynne is innocent of this. Do not hurt her, I beg you.”
“Innocent? It seems so, but I have been much fooled in my life by appearances, my lord. There was a time I thought you to be my father, wise and true. I was wrong, many times over.” He opened the door and turned once more to the old man. “I wonder...do you remember youth? Do you remember love? Do you remember being your own man, possessing your own will, or was your life planned by your elder?”
“You know I was left with this estate at a very early age. I much grieved that I was without the advice of an elder!”
“And I am much grieved that my elder never sees fit to leave me alone!”
Chad’s pace to his chamber was fast and hard, his heels hitting the floors with anger and rage. He was so intent on his wrath that he never noticed the figure quietly concealed behind the curtain in the gallery as he fled his father’s room. An eavesdropper, still completely undetected, trailed along behind Chad as he made his way to Chelynne.
Chelynne was seated at the breakfast table, her expression bright and happy, awaiting his presence before starting the meal. Stella worked at a furious pace putting Chelynne’s things in order so she could leave the room.
Chad’s anger increased as he looked on this scene. His father had trapped him. He was married now and had even come to like the situation, just as the earl would have it. With Kevin’s birthright as the pawn Chad had yielded first with his acquiescence, then with his free will and finally with open desire for his bride. He would be damned if he’d play the game any longer.
He was unsure of his plan until he noticed the two maids busily pulling the covers over the bed and fluffing the pillows with a great deal of whispering and murmuring. Chelynne seemed oblivious to their business but Chad knew what they were about. They sensed there had been no consummation, for it was well known his wife was a virgin. He smiled to himself as he saw his way clear. No longer would he play into their hands. His father and his “innocent” bride would learn that Chad still held the highest card. He sent all the servants from the room impatiently.
Chelynne was far from sensing his mood so it was not necessary for Chad to work at concealing his feelings. She looked at him across that short distance with simple adoration, not seeking to see beneath the surface. He took up his knife and casually addressed his plate, not speaking until he had washed down the first mouthful with coffee, hot and black.
“Tell me, when your uncle broached the subject of marriage, were you pleased?”
“I was surprised,” she replied.
“You were anxious to be wed?”
“I knew that it would happen someday. I thought it a bit soon, but no matter. He felt it was time.”
“Then you were ready?”
“I thought not. I was frightened,” she said with a light laugh. “I was much afraid you would be ugly and mean.”
Chad chewed his food thoughtfully, watching her out of the corner of his eye. “But you accepted the proposition.”
“‘Twas Lord Mondeloy’s choice for me and out of my hands.” She shrugged. “I am not displeased.”
Her conversation came so easily, her mood so compliant and trusting that it softened him somewhat. Not for an instant did it change his mind, but nonetheless, the rest came a little more gently. “Shall you like being a countess?”
“I think I shall,” she returned, not greatly upset with the question.
“And this, of course, was your reason for accepting so quickly?”
“Not mine. Perhaps my uncle’s reason. He recalled making your acquaintance some years ago and vouched for your good character. He was most pleased that your father would consider me.”
“Does he seek compensation from you for arranging this?”
“Of course not,” she gasped. “How could you think it?”
“Chelynne, it is not uncommon,” he said. “Know you so little of politics?”
“My lord,” she said earnestly. “He never suggested that. It was only my future that concerned him. God’s truth.”
Chad went on with his breakfast. Chelynne slowed down with hers, wondering at this topic of conversation. She watched him as he ate, noticing only now that some of his movements were tense and strained, his brow creased with thought lines. When he looked up from his plate, she was staring at him.
“Have you ever been in love?” he asked.
“No. I think not.”
“Not even a little, perhaps?”
“Nay, never love,” she said softly. Not before this man, she could see that now.
“Had we met, things would have gone quite differently, I think. I might have courted you for a while, but more likely I would have had little time for that. What did my father tell you of me?”
“Very little,” she confessed, growing nervous.
“Did he warn you of my attitude toward this marriage?”
“He...he said you would likely be reluctant.”
“Did he think to tell you that he used force of a most distasteful sort to bring me to the altar?”
“No,” she whispered, growing more alarmed.
“It is so. He could have brought me a fat old widow or a bony pox-faced spinster, but he chose a young woman of rare beauty. Do you know why?”
She hardly knew what answer he could expect her to give. Her eyes were frightened and when she looked at him he could almost feel her shudder. “For your pleasure, I assume,” she replied, lowering her eyes and folding her trembling hands in her lap.
“I suppose,” he muttered. “Primarily it is because he wants heirs, fine looking and well bred. You’ve done well for yourself, it’s true, for you’ve gained a fair amount of wealth and a fine title. You’re pleased, are you not?”
“I thought only of the manner of man I would wed. The title means nothing to me and I was content with my family’s wealth.” She was near tears, her eyes moist and troubled. She couldn’t fathom the reason for this discussion since it was done and they were wed.
“But you are willing to give me heirs, though a little naive?”
“I didn’t think on it heavily, my lord.”
“Ah, then you hadn’t considered pregnancy?”
“I...ah...well, I never...I don’t know,” she mumbled, distraught. She hadn’t thought of anything past kissing him and being near him. Thoughts of the consummation fled her mind but for that brief fear. Touching, loving, she had thought of that. Pregnancy? She hadn’t really thought that far.
“I will say this as gently as possible, Chelynne. I am simply not ready to be married. I have a great many matters of business that require my close attention and will take me away frequently, sometimes for long periods of time. Sharing this house with you is no great burden and there is no one else I seek to wed. The contract is signed and I will not break it. I was not well keened to the idea of marriage, and the earl would not consider a delay.”
“But ‘tis done,” she murmured, the shock obvious in her voice.
“Not entirely done, Chelynne. The vows were said and that is all.”
“Before a man of God,” she gasped, awed at this blasphemy.
“The problem is this,” he said easily. “I have made myself responsible for a great many things. There are business and personal matters that I will not explain to you because they are complex and private. Had the matter of marrying been left up to me, I would have waited to see these things done first. Had I met you, fallen in love with you, and desired you for my wife without the earl’s interfering, I would have asked you to wait to see these problems of mine solved. Do you understand?”
“I don’t think so.”
Chad sighed. “It is not very complicated, Chelynne. You are welcome to remain here as my wife, live in this house as its mistress and have everything you are due. I simply cannot tie myself down to the burdens of a family now and it will have to wait. I will not betray the personal terms of our marriage to outsiders. Enjoy the comforts of this home as my wife—”
“But I am your wife,” she cried, tears springing to her eyes.
“Partially,” he returned, taking another drink of his coffee and raising one brow at her.
“But if I do not live here as your wife, how could I stay? And I said the vows, and in truth I meant them, so how may I go?”
“The blossom of youth,” he muttered scornfully. “There are years ahead of you, my dear. There’s no need to despair a few weeks or months. The time will come one day when I can settle myself to family matters. To use you as a wife would be deceitful, for I don’t want one now. I have no time for fussing with garters and petticoats. There are important matters that need my attention and cosseting a youthful bride is not very high on my list of obligations. If this is going to send you into a fit, then go to your uncle and tell him there was no consummation and you wish to go home.”
“But...but he would be humiliated...your father would...”
“My father could stand some humbling. He will be my concern. What of you?”
“Sheldon would be...” Tears rolled down her cheeks pathetically. “You feel nothing for me?”
“Come now, Chelynne. We have only just met! You’re lovely and desirable but so is half of London. This is your choice: stay here and act the part of wife with patience or do as you please elsewhere. There’s no need to weep, it’s a simple matter of giving me the time I need to finish business.”
“I don’t understand,” she whimpered.
Chad was becoming more agitated with this upset every moment. “Had you married a knight who was called to war the morning after you were wed, what would you do?”
“Wait,” she replied softly.
“Now do you understand?”
“I suppose.” In her lap her hands twisted nervously, her fingers slipping on and off the ring she wore that bore his crest. This proposition was not frightening, only disappointing. That the groom was reluctant, she expected. That he would use her was something she had not expected. He was asking her to win him, deserve him, sit in patient exile while he made his decision. He could obtain an annulment whenever it suited him, cast her away and be done with it.