Libertine's Wife (25 page)

His saying of
years
quite so
deliberately made her eyes narrow. “Does that ball he put in your
shoulder still pain you, my lord? What of the one he put in your
wife’s womb? I’m sure that causes you much discomfort these
days?”

Denham stiffened, his dark eyes filling
with suppressed rage. “That insult to me ensures patience is
needed. I have enough sense to not try to earn the man’s spite in
such an obvious manner, Bianca,” he said coolly.

“
Naturally, darling, I know
how you abhor any kind of violence these days.”

Lord Denham eyed his companion with a
frown. “We’ve talked of this. Ravensford is not one to be played
with. You might have learned that already once. You would do well
to show caution as I have. There are more discreet ways of bringing
about the desired result we seek.”

“
Oh, I can complicate
Garret’s nest with a few well-placed birds I know, my lord,” she
said and laughed softly under her breath. “That is just the
beginning. I will do whatever necessary to ruin him.”

“
We will see how far you
will go.”

“
I said I would aid you in
this, Anthony,” Bianca whispered and her golden eyes narrowed. “You
just do your part, and I’ll see to the rest.”

Lord Denham left her then, seeing his
wife looking around for him. Bianca watched Garret and his wife
until she grew bored. She left the ballroom to seek out her
husband’s eldest son who escorted her tonight.

~ ~ ~

Arianne felt like she was within a
whirlwind. Her social schedule was grueling. She felt guilty to
rise from her husband’s bed in the middle of the day. Her head
ached. Her feet were a painful reminder of how many times her toes
were crushed the night before while dancing. She appreciated the
services of a nanny now.

Her husband seemed to require much less
sleep than her. Garret was up at promptly eight each morning. He
delighted in seeing to Jaime’s breakfast, a moment that became
theirs from then on. She resented the fact her son seemed to prefer
his father to her these days.

She’d been in London three months now.
Her entrée to society was a success. Eustace had not approached her
in over a month since she gave him some of the Ravensford jewels to
sell to pay off Thaddeus Dench.

Arianne felt like she walked a fine
line, waiting for him to come back. She was mindful of any strange
men loitering on the street as well. So far the money lender who
threatened her family hadn’t approached her, and for that she was
relieved. She still didn’t work up the courage to tell Garret the
truth, waiting for the right time.

The right time failed to ever arrive.
Her hand slid to her abdomen. She still hadn’t told her husband
another truth. She didn’t know why she hesitated. She knew he would
be delighted to learn she carried his child. For some reason, she
stayed silent. A lone tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it
away as she waited for Ginny to see to her bath.

She had to tell him. Time was getting
away from her. She knew to delay would prove to be foolish. She
stalled, praying some miracle would intercede. In truth, she was
reveling in his attentions too much to want to end the deepening
relationship with her husband. Despite her dark thoughts, a smile
curved her lips to think of his erotic attentions on the way home
from a masked ball the night before.

He refused to wait until they got home
to satisfy his desires. Garret was dressed as Henry VIII and she
was disguised as his doomed wife, Catherine Howard. They bade the
driver go around the block. The fantasy kept them driving around
the block dozens of times before he was content.

Arianne had little hesitation as her
husband immersed her into his secret world of passion. There was
little she wouldn’t do to please him, and their erotic lovemaking
grew intense and uninhibited.

Garret still didn’t speak words of
love, but she was confidant what was growing between them was just
as meaningful to him. The way he looked at her at times made her
feel cherished. She refused to think what she saw in his eyes was
merely lust. What they had was way beyond that.

Arianne went down to discover her
husband was away at his club. The nanny took Jaime to the park. She
sighed and sought the kitchens for a tray to be sent to her. She
wasn’t feeling well at all. This pregnancy was blessedly free of
morning sickness, but she was tired much of the time. Ginny
suspected her condition with pointed comments when her monthly time
failed to arrive the last two months. She chose to ignore them. She
would tell her husband in her own time. Now was not that
time.

Before she could return to lie down in
her room, a visitor arrived. Mrs. Phelps informed Arianne that a
strange woman waited for her in her salon. She frowned at the
unannounced visitor who refused to leave their name. She went down
and entered the salon. She saw an attractive dark-haired woman
seated upon the settee.

The woman was in her mid-thirties and
wore face paint that did little to disguise it. Her gown was a bit
garish, if not stylish. She smiled as she rose, curtseying
awkwardly before Arianne came forward.

“
Lady Ravensford, I
apologize for the intrusion,” the woman demurred pleasantly, but
her pale blue eyes held little warmth as they looked her over.
“Since your husband has seen fit to ignore me, I thought I would
seek you out. You should know the type of man you’re married to, my
lady.”

“
What is your business
here—ah—who are you, if I might ask?” Arianne asked directly, her
voice slightly annoyed at the woman’s rudeness.

The woman laughed then, a tinkling
sound that made her head pound. “I’m sorry to arrive here with my
little matter, my lady, but Garret avoids the issue. Pardon me, my
name is Celeste Newland. Your husband and I have a history you
might not have known about, my apologies.”

“
What issue might that be,
Ms. Newland?”

“
The choice of schools for
our son Gregory has escaped his notice,” Ms. Newland replied with a
note of displeasure in her tone. “I have written Thomas Helms
several times and the matter is still unresolved. I decided the
better course was to speak with his lordship directly. Since he
isn’t here, I thought to speak with you.”

Arianne could only stare at the woman;
shocked at the gall Garret’s former mistress had to confront her
with matters related to her son with Garret. She knew of the rumors
he had several children by mistresses over the years. Since he
never spoke of them, she thought those stories were all false. Ms.
Newland’s arrival only confirmed the rumors were true.

“
I will certainly speak with
Lord Ravensford on your behalf, Ms. Newland,” she said in her most
even voice, refusing to allow the sly creature to see her shock. “I
have other appointments today. Elliot will show you
out.”

Arianne left the salon, her eyes
narrowed in anger. She knew she had no right to feel the way she
did. Garret made no secret he was the worst sort of libertine years
ago. He seemed to revel in his free living and made no apology for
it.

Her tears were no doubt her taut
emotions that seemed to be right on the surface lately. She
couldn’t help it. The horrible woman’s arrival challenged her
husband’s affections for any female now. A man who could move on
from one woman to another so often likely looked at none of them
with any real regard. The insecurities began to grow then, her
doubts she could trust her heart to such a man stood out
glaringly.

What if he sent her back by Season’s
end? Was this merely another dalliance for him? He didn’t need a
wife, he’d said countless times in the past. Did he now? She was
horrified to receive four more visits that day by the other
mistresses.

Their complaints and concerns made her
cringe to know everything said about him was true. She was dismayed
to see his five previous mistresses all eyed her rather knowingly,
even smugly, during their visits.

They were all beautiful, sophisticated
and worldly, and sent her pitying glances during the interviews.
One even had the gall to ask if she could wait for Garret to arrive
home and speak with him privately.

When Garret arrived home, she was
waiting at the study door, a tight look fixed upon her face. He
smiled at her as he approached, green eyes growing wary to see her
expression.

“
What is it?” Garret asked
as he joined her, his hand reaching out to take her hand. He looked
perplexed when she withdrew her hand, a look of anger in her
gaze.

“
A word, if you please.” She
indicated the study and followed him inside. He shut the door and
she stared at him with flashing eyes. “Ms. Newland arrived to ask
what school you intend for Gregory, my lord. I had no answer for
her. The other four arrived as well. I had to write down all their
considerable complaints.”

Garret looked irritated as he went to
pour a brandy, sitting behind his desk. “Celeste and the others
came here?”

“
Yes, they claimed you’ve
ignored their requests. Ms. Newland decided to seek your council in
these matters relating to your son. The other ladies had similar
concerns.”

Garret poured a brandy and offered her
one. She declined, her eyes pinning him in his chair. He appeared
amused by her show of anger, unrepentant to the extreme.

“
When did you plan to
discuss your other children with me, Garret?”

“
They shouldn’t concern you
at all, Arianne. I had a life before we married,” he replied
tightly and shrugged. “You knew I was no saint before you latched
upon your scheme with Eustace. Why should it surprise you I have
other children besides our son?”

“
You never speak of them,”
Arianne argued, determined to find fault with him, feeling buoyed
by her own secret.

“
It’s hardly a matter one
discusses with one’s wife, Arianne.”

“
Just how many children do
you have?” She had her hands perched upon her hips in
outrage.

“
At last count I have five.
Helms thinks the number is more likely seven, though the last two
haven’t made any claims, as they are married,” Garret said and
ignored her horrified gasp. “I have two sons and three daughters.
What else would you like to know?”

“
Do you see them? Spend time
with them?”

“
Yes, of course,” Garret
replied and met her gaze unperturbed. “They are all sent to my
apartments on Tuesdays. I thought it best to not visit their homes
after I brought you back. I knew the gossip would circulate and
didn’t wish to cause you undue distress.”

“
I’m distressed you failed
to mention them at all,” Arianne responded harshly and shook her
head. “How could you keep it from me? You tell me everything else,
but fail to mention this!”

“
It’s not appropriate to
discuss such things with a wife, Arianne.” His green eyes narrowed
in sudden anger. “You’re to pretend they don’t exist, madam. That
is what is supposed to happen here.”

“
I don’t wish to pretend
they don’t exist.” She was eyeing him like the loathsome insect she
thought him at that moment.

“
What is it you want from
me, Arianne?” Garret tossed down his brandy. “I will not apologize
for things that happened long before or even after I married you. I
never intended to marry at all! If you wished a husband with so few
flaws, perhaps you should take that up with your
brother!”

Arianne glared at his
throwing
that
back
in her face. “I would, but it seems I’m not allowed to speak with
him, my lord!”

“
Why do we fight over this?”
Garret asked in annoyance. “Celeste and the others no doubt wished
to cause trouble. You play into their games by taking notice. I
already told her Gregory isn’t going to some high-priced school in
Switzerland! He stays here! That matter has been addressed already.
Since I’m paying for it, he goes to Oxford, as I did.”

Arianne was somewhat mollified he’d
handled the boy’s schooling. Still, his cavalier attitude outraged
her. “How old is he?”

Garret sighed, giving her a look of
disgust. “He is fifteen, soon to be sixteen, and desperate to get
away from his mother. She is desperate to find some means to vex
me; that is obvious. Are you satisfied? Do you need to know more
about my illicit liaisons?”

Arianne’s chin went up in defiance.
“Yes, I wish to know everything.”

“
My time with Celeste was
very brief,” Garret explained and eyed her in growing amusement to
see her flashing eyes. “You really wish to hear all of
this?”

“
Just tell me.” Arianne
crossed her arms and slid into the chair across from him, a look of
anger still simmering in her gaze.

“
I was nineteen then.
Celeste was the daughter of a neighboring baron. Her father’s
estate is not far from Ravensford Hall. She was betrothed to an old
man and wished to get out of it. She set upon me to end the
engagement. That is all there is to tell. The affair lasted only a
fortnight and she became with child.” He smiled in amusement to see
her displeasure. “You wished to hear it, I remind you? Anyhow, she
came to me and demanded money to run away from her family. I let
Helms deal with her from then on. Gregory is a good lad. He bides
his time.”