Desperate Measures (Regency Undone) (5 page)

As he departed the house an hour later, Guy was aware of
a lightness to his step that had not been there previously.  Undoubtedly due to relief he decided.  Her acceptance had averted what could otherwise have been a very awkward situation. 

She had certainly not been overly effusive by any means when they had broken the news to Sophia and Ralph, maintaining a quiet dignity that he had personally thought quite charming even if it was slightly piquing that she appeared to have no interest in him as a man whatsoever.  But she was a strange woman and he suspected he would have to be patient with her.    He had
inkling it might be something of a wait until such time as his bride was ready to welcome him to her bed, but although she had said it was not her
preference
to indulge in marital relations, she had not put that forward as a precise condition.  To his surprise he found himself viewing the prospect of winning her over, with anticipation.

The thought occurred to him that he had perhaps taken on more than he
’d bargained for in asking Lady Isabelle Pennington to be his wife.  She was direct to the point of bluntness on occasion and clearly had no qualms about stating her opinions.  But he could not believe her to be feckless or   superficial as Charlotte had been, and for that at least he was thankful.  So - the scene was set.  He would organise a quiet wedding as soon as possible and be done with it.

‘I love Christmas now that you are with us, Mama.’

Isabelle turned from where she was adding a few decorations to the tree and looked at her little step-son in surprise.

‘‘Why Charles, that is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.  I shall take it as a great compliment.  Thank you.  But why do you say it?’

He sidled up to her and slipped a warm little hand into hers. 
‘Cos I love you,’ he said, his eyes serious and oh so like his father’s.  ‘And because we have never had a Christmas tree before.  I like it.’

 
Isabelle smiled and gave him a hug.  ‘It is a new idea that I heard about.  It sounded such fun and soon I will put some small gifts beneath it that we may open on Christmas Day.’

‘
Will there be one for me?’

‘
But of course.

‘
Sadly that will not be the case.’

Isabelle spun round at the sound of Guy
’s voice, jumping up nervously and straightening her gown as she did so.  ‘Oh, Your Grace.  I did not hear you there.’

He sauntered into the room, a frown marring his brow. 
‘Why are you not with Nanny Peters, Charles?  Should you not be learning your reading?’

‘
I suggested he stay down here with me this afternoon,’ Isabelle said quickly.  ‘He was not feeling particularly well this morning and I thought it would do him no harm having some time away from the nursery.  He has been helping me to decorate the tree.  Do you like it, Your Grace?’

Guy
’s frown deepened.  He was beginning to get mightily fed up with being called Your Grace the whole time, recognising it for what it was … a method of keeping him at arm’s distance. They had been married a full month now and whilst he could not fault Isabelle’s management of the household and her treatment of his son, he was finding her coolness – the very coolness he’d thought such an asset – to be something of an irritation. 

At her request, he had laid down the ground rules for this marriage before they had entered into it, those rules to include such things as the fact that he sometimes liked his own company of an evening and that as it was a marriage of convenience on both sides, they must both feel free to spend their time as they wished. 

What he had not expected was that she would stick to those rules quite so rigidly, so that this would result in Isabelle taking herself off every night after dinner to read quietly in the library by herself, or if he chose to join her there, to take her leave and move upstairs to her room.  Why it should bother him that she seemed as fond of her own company as he did of his, he had no idea and he could only think that perhaps it was due to the frustration he was beginning to feel at having a beautiful woman in his house, but not in his bed.

Being an honourable man he had dispensed with Angelica
’s services upon his Engagement and somewhat surprisingly, apart from the fact that his sexual appetites were not being met, he had not missed her at all.  In fact, next to Isabelle’s quiet aloof beauty, Angelica had seemed suddenly coarse and vulgar - traits he had tended to overlook during the course of their intimacy.

‘
What did you mean Sir, about the Christmas presents?’ Isabelle asked him now, referring back to his statement.  ‘Do you not exchange gifts in this house?’

‘
There will be presents certainly, but we will be spending Christmas at my mother’s and she will not have a Christmas tree.  It was therefore the idea of presents around the tree that I was referring to.’

‘
Oh but that is such a shame.  Especially now that Charles is so looking forward to it.  Perhaps we could take just a little tree with us?  I’m sure Charles would love that, would you not Charles?’

‘
Yes, yes, yes,’ the little boy laughed excitedly.  ‘Can we papa?  Can we?’

‘
I think not.  Grand Mama will already have her Christmas celebrations planned.  Be still Charles and stop jumping around like a jack in the box.  Go and find Nanny Peters.  I am sure it must be nearly time for your tea.’

The little boy
’s face fell but he did as he was told straight away, leaving the room quietly after extracting a promise from Isabelle that she would visit the nursery to say goodnight to him.

‘
You have worked wonders with the boy,’ Guy said, moving further into the room; but his voice was cool.  ‘He has clearly become fond of you.’

‘
He is a lovely boy,’ Isabelle smiled.  ‘It would be hard not to love him.’

Yet something told her that Guy did not find it so easy.  He was always so strict with his son, never allowing any softness or emotion into his manner when he spoke with him.

‘He is like his mother,’ Guy said carelessly.  ‘Sociable and fond of attention.  There is certainly little of me in him.’

‘
Oh, Your Grace, I cannot agree.  He is so like you.’

‘
You see what you want to see, Isabelle.  Excuse me …’’ 

With a stiff bow, he retreated from the room, leaving her to stare frowning after him. Whatever was the matter with the man?  She really was beginning to find his moods quite intolerable. 

She pulled herself up sharply.  It was not for her to find his moods intolerable – indeed compared to her previous husband’s tantrums they could not even be called moods.  She should not be finding it at all difficult living with Guy; he made very few demands upon her after all.  And yet … she was aware of a tension when he was near her that made her quite nervous and very reluctant to spend any more time with him than was absolutely necessary. 

It disconcerted her.

‘
We have had an invitation,’ Guy said to her at dinner that evening.

‘
Oh?’ Isabelle looked at him politely. 

‘
It is my mother’s birthday on Saturday.  She has decided to have an impromptu dinner party and my sister and her husband will also attend.  We will remain there for the weekend.’

‘
Well, I shall certainly enjoy seeing your mother again, Your Grace.  I own I became fond of her during my visits when she was so ill.’

‘
I am sure she will like to see you too, Isabelle.  She is always quick to tell me that I do not deserve a wife such as you.’

Isabelle blushed. 
’She is too kind, Your Grace.’

‘
Guy…’ he said quietly, and as she looked at him in surprise
,‘
that is my name, and as my wife, I request that you use it.’

The gleam in his eye made her feel
uncomfortable; she could feel the colour in her cheeks deepening.

‘
Of course … Guy.  If you will excuse me now, I will retire to the library and continue with my reading.’

She rose from the table, and inclined her head as the footman held the door open for her.  She didn
’t know why she felt so uncomfortable when her husband looked at her in that particular way.  Just that she did, and she needed to make her escape. 

In the library she ran her fingers lovingly along the shelf of books, enjoying the feel of them.  Finally she came to the current book she was reading.

‘What book is that?’ Guy’s voice came from directly behind her. 

She jumped.  He was standing
close; so that she could smell the scent of his cologne, feel the warmth from his body.

‘A … a novel by Mrs. Radcliffe,’ she responded, unnerved.  ‘It is very light reading.  I thought I would take it to my room.’

‘
A Sicilian Romance?’ he murmured, his hand closing over hers so that he could see the title.  ‘That surprises me.  I would not have taken you for a romantic.’

She felt uncomfortable at his closeness, an unfamiliar tingle darting through her at the touch of his hand on hers.  Her breath seemed suddenly tight in her throat and she wished there was a little more space between them.  

‘As I said, Your Grace, it is quite a gentle read.  Quite nonsensical really-’ sh
e
broke off abruptly as he suddenly reached out and turned her to face him fully.  The gleam in his eye was there once again as he looked down at her. 

‘
I do believe I asked you to call me by my name, Isabelle,’ he reminded her softly.  ‘Do you really find it so difficult to oblige me in that matter?’    

‘
I …of course not … Guy.’ 

Drawing on the strength of the last few years
, she drew herself to her full height and met his gaze full on.  ‘It is just because we still do not know each other terribly well that I find it a little difficult.’

‘
Then perhaps we need to rectify that,’ he murmured, tightening his grip on her arms so that she was aware of the latent strength in his fingertips.  He dipped his head towards hers, one hand moving up towards her cheek, and her assuredness faltered as it occurred to her that he might be about to
kiss
her. 

‘
Your G… Guy!’  Her hand fluttered up, blocking his chest - a solid chest that felt firm and very masculine beneath her touch.

‘
Do not move.  You have a speck on your eye lash.’

The gentle touch of his fingers on her
lashes caused the breath to catch in her throat.  Her heart was pounding so heavily in her bosom she was sure he must hear it.  He was looking at her with such concentration she could feel the colour burning her cheeks.  Then suddenly he smiled and pulled back from her.

‘
There, that is better.’

The shock of his smile rendered her speechless.  It altered his features completely, making him appear softer; more
appealing. 
She shook the sensation off.  From somewhere she found the strength to clear her throat and speak, her demeanour distant as she murmured.  ‘Thank you.  Now if you will excuse me, I think I will retire to my room?’

It was because he was standing so close to her, had been looking so deeply into her eyes that he knew her reserve was being used as a cloak to cover her discomfiture. He would have had to be blind not to see how rigid her body had gone when he’d drawn her into his hold; not to notice the panic in her eyes.  Yet the soft flush of colour to her cheeks, the way her hands had fluttered against his chest like that, had also told him that she was aware of him as a man.  And he drew encouragement from that.  She was an attractive woman he acknowledged, as his gaze took in the fine auburn hair framing the delicate oval-shaped face, the slender but generously curved body laced so exquisitely into the cream silk gown.  In fact more than that, shewas a beautiful woman.  She seemed to have blossomed these last few weeks, acquiring a smooth glow to her skin that was very appealing.  In other circumstances he would very much enjoy exploring her body; making love to her - but he was pretty sure that would be the last thing that Isabelle would want
,
even though it was no more than he as a husband had a right to expect. 

He could not help but feel a stirring in his groin at the startlingly unexpected vision of those tousled locks spread over his pillow, the green eyes glazed with passion as he slowly took his pleasure of her.  It was an unlikely image to enter his head bearing in mind her cold disposition and he banished it swiftly from his mind, putting it down to his body
’s unmet needs. 

He indicated to a chair. 
‘Sit with me, Isabelle.  I would speak with you.’

She looked at him uncertainly, but clearly not wishing to aggravate him, moved over to the fire where she sat down on the edge of her chair and spread her hands demurely in her lap.

Guy took the seat opposite her and looked at her levelly. 

‘
I am aware Isabelle that we agreed certain guidelines when we contracted to this marriage.’

‘
And I have done my best to stick to them.’

‘
I realise that.’  He paused.  ‘I did not mean however, when I said I sometimes enjoyed my own company, that I would never have a desire for yours.  I feel you go out of your way most nights to avoid my company, which was not my intention at all.’

‘
Oh.’

It also brings me to a rather more - delicate subject.
’

She looked at him through raised eyebrows. 
‘Sir?’

He took a deep breath. 
’One topic we did not resolve fully prior to our marriage was that of our conjugal relationship.  I take it you understand my meaning?’

Her returning look was cool. 
‘Of course, but it was my understanding that a relationship of a sexual nature would not be required between us.  I am well aware that you already have someone to provide you with entertainment of that nature - Angelica, I believe her name is?  And I feel I must tell you that it was only the knowledge that you would
not
be requiring such services from me, that convinced me to accept your proposal of marriage’