His Contract Bride (18 page)

“
It's no shame to you if your husband was so distracted by the females he was unable to complete his education and had to return to attend to his studies to escape his meddlesome wife.”

Regina stared at him. He must have been drinking because that sentence made absolutely no sense. “I'm here to see Father. Do you know if he's in?”

Toby crossed his arms. “You know he doesn't like to have people arrive uninvited.”

“
I know. But I'm not just anyone. I'm his daughter.”

Toby snorted. “He's in a meeting just now.”

“
Very well, I'll wait for him in the drawing room.”

Much to her great irritation, Toby followed her, taking out his flask as he walked. “What have you managed to ruin that requires Father's help to mend?”

Regina swallowed the lump in her throat. Toby might be an easily manipulated drunk, but he certainly knew her well enough to know the truth of why she'd come here today.

He took a swig of his whiskey and wiped the back of his hand across his lips. “It must be bad, indeed,” he mused, a smug smile on his lips.

“
It's not so bad,” Regina said airily, racking her brain for something to say to change the subject. “I just wish to discuss a matter with him.”

“
The breakfast you're hosting, I hope,” Father said from the doorway. He walked into the room. “Toby, out.”

Toby shot to his feet as if he'd been tapped on the bottom with a heated fire poker.

“
Why did you come here?” Father demanded. His face was rigid and the muscle in his right jaw ticked.

Regina moistened her lips. “I—I...”

“
Want to catch your death by coming down with the ague,” Father supplied for her when it was clear she wasn't able to finish her statement.

“
Rain is falling from the sky, not bullets,” she retorted before she could think better of it.

“
Be mindful of who you're talking to, Regina,” Father thundered.

“
Forgive me. I have no idea what has come over me.”

“
I pray you don't disrespect your husband that way,” he said, crossing his arms.

“
I don't.” At least, she didn't think she did. Edward had never grown angry with her or accused her of disrespect when she made such offhand comments.

“
And why are you here and not with your husband?”

Regina took a deep breath. She'd never asked her father for anything before. But she couldn't avoid it. She had to pay for the items she'd purchased on Edward's credit before he found out about them. She straightened her spine. “I need to borrow a small sum.”

Father's eyes lit. “Has your husband exhausted his credit somewhere?” he asked, cocking his head to the side in interest.

“
No. I have.”

Her father laughed. “Too many gowns will bankrupt a man, Regina.” He idly flexed the fingers of his right hand as she'd seen him do many times after meetings with clients.

She simultaneously cleared her throat and her thoughts. “Will you lend me the money?”

“
I do wonder why it is your husband doesn't ask me himself.”

“
He doesn't know.”

Father rolled his eyes. “I have a hard time believing that tale. He might have an unnatural interest in natural science, but I doubt he doesn't know to keep track of his expenses.” He waved a stiff hand through the air. “It's of no account. I shall lend you the money.” He reached into the breast pocket of his coat and took out a bag of coins. “How much do you need?”

“
Two hundred pounds,” Regina said with a gulp.

“
Damn, Regina. It's little wonder you need to borrow the money. Any man who sees his wife has spent so much on useless frippery is likely to lock her away.” He gestured for her to follow him down the hall to his study. “Why don't you sit down while I write out a bank note?”

“
I'll pay you back,” she said meekly, taking a seat.

“
Yes, I know you will.” His words were spoken as if it were all a big jest to him.

“
I mean it, Father. I'll pay every pence back. With interest.”

Father's pen scratched across the parchment in front of him. “Of course you will.” He finished filling in the bank note then set it aside. “Shall we discuss the terms?”

“
The terms?”

Father flicked his wrist. “Never mind all of that,” he murmured, scribbling across the paper in front of him. He handed the paper to her. “Just sign this.”

Regina took the paper and picked up a nearby quill. She inked the quill and brought it to the paper.

Across the desk, her father had that impassive look on his face. The very one he’d worn when he'd convinced Regina that Edward had requested her hand for a reason other than they were already betrothed and he was ready to call in the contract.

She pulled the pen away and read the paper in front of her. She frowned. It was written in Latin.

“
I understand that I'll have to repay your two hundred pounds, but what does
decem
mean?”

“
It means ten in Latin.”

She nodded. “So I'll owe you ten percent interest?”

“
Not exactly.”

“
Then what exactly does the ten have to do with anything?”

Father's mouth formed a tight line. “You'd do well to remember your place. You're the one in need of something here, not me. I don't know of any other banks who will lend money to a lady, but if you'd like to be insolent, then you may find someone else to lend you the funds.” He leaned closer. “And believe me; even if you were to find such a man, my demands are far more favorable than his would be.”

A chill ran down her spine. “I'm not refusing, I just don't know what your terms are,” she pointed out.

“
Ten invitations,” he said simply, his face relaxing. “In addition to the two events you are hosting, I should like you to make sure I am invited to ten events that are hosted by someone of the rank of countess or higher.”

“
You're cracked,” she burst out. “I don't even know ten ladies of such rank.”

“
Then you'd better start making friends.”

Regina's lower lip quivered, so she clamped her teeth down on the inside to keep it still. What he was asking was impossible. She'd never been very popular at school. There was no way she'd be able to make friends with enough ladies this Season to meet his demands. “And if I am unable to gain you the ten invitations?”

“
Than it shall double to twenty next Season,” he said as cool as you please.

“
I'm sorry,” she said, forcing herself to stand. “I cannot accept your loan, after all.”

“
Of course you can,” he said jovially.

“
No. I can't.” She moved toward the door. “If you'll excuse me, I need to be returning home. Baroness duties, and all.”

His face hardened. “Then do you intend to tell your husband of your folly?”

“
Yes.” Enduring Edward's wrath
had
to be a better alternative than being in her father's debt. At least, her one saving grace was the items weren't to be delivered until after the breakfast.

~Chapter Nineteen~

“
Regina, may I help you with the plans for the breakfast?” Edward said, joining her in the drawing room. At the request of the head schoolmaster, he'd spent all day yesterday and most of this morning at Eton sorting out exactly who had participated in which trivial misbehaviors and the extent of their punishment. Nonsense, if you asked him. But it was his responsibility to be there—even if he'd have rather spent the day with his wife. Not so today. He'd just arrived and didn't want to waste another minute outside her company.

“
You don't have to help me plan anything. As the hostess, it is my responsibility.”

“
You're right,” he acknowledged, looking at her curiously. Something seemed different about her this morning. “But I want to help.”

She eyed him curiously. “You're not offering to help because you think I'm handling everything poorly, are you?”

“
No.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So help you, Edward Banks, if you're lying I will order the gruel right now.”

“
There is no need for such. Besides, per your own rules, I still have one mistruth left.” He paused. “Or are we counting my minor omission at the beginning of our marriage as a lie?”

She swatted at him with a sofa cushion. “I ought to suspend your 'lying allowance' by ten years for that one alone.”

“
It's too late for that, madam,” he said. “You've already agreed to the rules.” He took the paper from in front of her and scanned the list she'd made. “So what do you say? Would you like my help?”

“
But it is my duty.”

Edward scoffed at her weak attempt at a protest. It would take more than that to sway him. “Your duty, you say? I don't remember seeing a line saying, 'Thou shan’t accept help from thy husband, the baron, when planning a social event.' anywhere within the pages of
Brazzel's Instructions for Baronesses
.”

“
Are you certain?” Regina set down the quill she'd been using to make notes. “I specifically remember seeing that very line on page two hundred ninety-three.”

“
Two hundred ninety-three is mighty ambitious, don't you think?” he asked, leaning closer to her. “I'd have thought the duties of a baroness could have been summed up in a matter of one paragraph.”

“
And would the theme of that paragraph be? To do whatever it takes to please the baron?”

“
Of course,” he agreed with a grin, “including letting him help when he offers his assistance.”

“
What makes you think I'm in need of your help?”

He sighed. Her pride was both admirable and damnable. “Would you like the truth?”

“
Yes, for I should hate to make you unwell in an effort to spare my feelings.”

“
Thank you. That's very considerate,” he murmured, screwing up the courage to say his next words without sounding like a besotted fool. “I should like to spend the day with you today.”

“
Don't you have some experiment to attend to or a formula to test?”

“
No.” The truth was, even though he felt he was making remarkable progress with Regina, he didn't want to be locked up in his library working on his latest project today. Odd, that. He cleared his throat. “What do you say? Would you care to spend the day with your stodgy lord of a husband?”

“
Can I tell you something first? Then let you decide if you'd like to spend the day with your biddy of a lady wife?”

He laughed. “With a statement such as that, I don't believe I wish to hear whatever confession you think you need to make.” Not to mention that short of murder or adultery, both things he was certain she hadn't committed, there wasn't a single thing she could have done that would make him not want to spend the day with her. “How about a compromise? You can tell me whatever it is you believe will make me think of you as an old bird tomorrow; and as your payment for whatever ghastly thing you've done, today we go do whatever I wish.”

A slow smile spread over her lips. “I'd love to.”

He stood and extended her his hand. “Splendid.”

“
You cannot be serious,” Regina said when they entered the carriage, and Edward requested she wear a blindfold until they arrived.

He doubled over the black silk stocking. “I want it to be a surprise.”

“
Then I shan't look out the window.”

“
How do I know you won't peek?” he questioned smoothing the silk over his thigh.

“
It's just a chance you'll have to take.”

“
Unless, I keep you distracted with something else,” he murmured. He folded up the stocking and shoved it into his breast pocket. “All right, you have been spared the blindfold, but will now have to suffer my conversation.”

“
I don't mind so much.”

He couldn't stop his smile at her admission. “I'm glad to hear that.” And he was. He'd grown quite fond of her in the past weeks and would be a bit saddened to find she didn't feel the same for him.

The carriage rolled on, taking this street then that. It was forty-five minutes before the carriage came to a stop. Booming voices and peals of laughter filled the chilly air.

“
Where are we?” Regina asked, pulling back the edge of the red velvet curtain that hung over the window.