Loving the Marquess (18 page)

After dinner she joined Catherine and the dowager
marchioness in the drawing room. Nicholas and Lord Kerrick remained behind, and
Louisa couldn’t help but wonder if they were discussing her.

As she had the previous evening, Catherine went immediately
to the piano and began to play. They’d had a pianoforte in the cottage until
last year, when they’d had to sell it after their father fell ill. At the time
Catherine had said she didn’t mind, but seeing the joy on her face as she sat
on the piano bench told Louisa that she had missed it very much.

Louisa sat on a settee and took out a new handkerchief she
planned to embroider. It had been years since she’d done any kind of needlework
other than mending, and she was looking forward to the decorative work as a
welcome change of pace. Nicholas’s grandmother sat next to her. They’d been
listening in silence to Catherine’s playing for about a minute when Lady
Overlea turned to her.

“Is something amiss between you and my grandson?” Her voice
was pitched low so Catherine wouldn’t overhear.

Louisa’s hands stilled on the embroidery, and it was several
moments before she could meet the older woman’s gaze.

“It is not something I can discuss with you,” she said when
she finally replied.

Lady Overlea’s lips tightened into a thin line.

“I will speak to my grandson and settle the matter.”

“Oh, no, please do not trouble yourself,” she said, anxious
to reassure the older woman. “It is merely a misunderstanding.”

She didn’t think Nicholas would take well to his grandmother
interfering in his romantic life.

Lady Overlea looked at her. It was clear she was measuring
her words when she spoke again. “You know of his illness?”

She was about to admit she’d witnessed two episodes, but
something stopped her. Nicholas’s grandmother wouldn’t have asked her question
if he’d told her about those episodes, and Louisa guessed he was trying to
shield her from any additional worry.

“Yes,” she said.

Lady Overlea merely nodded in reply. For a moment Louisa was
afraid she was going to be subjected to yet another lecture about the pressing
need for an heir, but Lord Kerrick entered the room at that moment. Her gaze
moved past him when her husband’s tall form moved into the doorway behind him.
She was struck anew by just how handsome he was. With his dark hair and dark
eyes, he had the appearance of a dark angel. Her dark angel. Only he was doing
everything in his power to push her toward another man.

A horrible realization came over her as she met Nicholas’s
gaze. She wasn’t sure how or why, since she barely knew him, but she was
certain of one thing. She cared for him very much. Perhaps even loved him. At
that moment she knew she would do whatever was needed to discover whether
Nicholas Manning had even a small amount of affection for her.

Looking from her husband to Lord Kerrick, she couldn’t tell
what had passed between them during the few minute they’d spent together before
joining them in the drawing room. Neither showed any sign of having had a
disagreement. Lord Kerrick met her gaze and gave her a reassuring smile before
turning his attention to Catherine, joining her at the piano. Louisa caught her
sister’s telltale blush under his attention.

Louisa took up her embroidery as they listened to her sister
play, but she was very conscious of her husband. He stood by the fireplace,
holding himself aloof from the others in the room. At times she could almost
feel his eyes on her, but when she glanced up from her work he was always
looking elsewhere. She ached to reach out to him, but knew such an overture
wouldn’t be welcome.

Catherine finished her piece to enthusiastic applause from
Lord Kerrick. She blushed again and stood.

“It would be wonderful if we could play whist,” Catherine
said. “We haven’t played in so long. Not since Papa fell ill and we no longer
had four players.”

A smile touched Louisa lips as she remembered their frequent
games.

“What a splendid idea,” Lord Kerrick said. He turned to
Louisa and continued, “As the only guest present, I am going to impose on your
hospitality, Nicholas, and claim the lovely new marchioness as my partner.”

A twinkle of merriment danced in his eyes. Louisa glanced at
her husband and was heartened to see a brief flicker of annoyance cross his
face.

Nicholas turned to Lady Overlea. “Would you like to make up
the foursome, Grandmother? I know how much you enjoy a good rubber of whist.”

Lady Overlea shook her head and stood, her movements slow.
“I exerted myself today and think I should retire early.”

Catherine was alarmed at her words. “I am so sorry,” she
said. “I got carried away looking at all the plants in the conservatory. I had
never thought to see such plants outside the pages of a book.”

“I enjoyed myself,” Lady Overlea said. “So much so that I
forgot I am not as young as I once was.”

After his grandmother took her leave, Nicholas turned to
Catherine. “That leaves me with the honor of partnering you.”

Catherine smiled broadly and led the way to the card table.

Under normal circumstances, Louisa would have enjoyed the
game. Catherine was in high spirits, and Lord Kerrick flirted shamelessly with
the two of them. Nicholas actually made an effort to join in the conversation,
but it was obvious to everyone that his heart wasn’t in the match.

In the end, she and Lord Kerrick won. He made a point of
commenting on what a good team they made and smiled at her broadly. She
returned the smile but couldn’t help darting a glance at her husband. He was
not amused.

Louisa stood. “I think I, too, will retire now,” she said.

She could feel her sister’s eyes on her as she bid everyone
goodnight and fled to her room, breathing a sigh of relief when she reached it.
She was far from tired and picked up a book to read, but found she was too
keyed up to follow the story. Instead, she paced back and forth in front of the
fireplace, allowing the warmth of the fire to envelop her. All she could think
about was her realization that she loved Nicholas. And with that discovery, she
found herself thinking more and more about his death.

A soft rap at her bedroom door startled her out of her
reverie. She turned in time to see a folded piece of paper being slid under her
door, which was followed by the sound of retreating footsteps.

She crossed the room and bent to pick up the note. She
paused when she heard footsteps come back down the hall and held her breath
when they stopped outside her door. She couldn’t keep from hoping it was
Nicholas. When the footsteps continued she released her breath in a rush of
disappointment.

She glanced down at the note in her hand where her name was
written. She unfolded the piece of paper and read the brief message.

Meet me in the
library in thirty minutes.

~K

The next half hour dragged by as she wondered what Lord
Kerrick wanted to tell her that they hadn’t already discussed earlier. Finally,
when the appointed time arrived, she made her way downstairs. Relieved when she
reached the library without having seen anyone, she opened the door and slipped
inside.

The candles were still lit, but there was no fire in the
hearth. The room was empty and she found herself waiting yet again. She turned
when she finally heard the library door open and was shocked to find not Lord
Kerrick, but her husband standing there.

His expression told her he was angry.

“Were you expecting someone else?”

She swallowed hard when he closed the door and moved into
the room, his steps measured. Menacing. The odd glint in his eyes sent a shiver
of awareness down her spine.

“I take it the two of you have decided to go along with my
plan?”

She didn’t reply. What could she say? She wouldn’t lie to
him, yet it was vital that he believe what he was accusing her of.

He stopped before her and she barely resisted the urge to
take a step back.

“It would have been nice if the two of you had decided to
act with a little more discretion. It will be a miracle if the staff isn’t
already gossiping about the two of you belowstairs.”

Unnerved by the heat in Nicholas’s eyes, she looked away.

“Tell me,” he said, his voice soft with menace, “have the
two of you kissed yet? Surely you haven’t already gone to his bed.”

Her temper flared at the condemnation in his tone. What was
wrong with him? He was the one who wanted her to conceive a child with his best
friend, and now he was treating her as if she were a strumpet.

She tilted her chin upward and met his gaze evenly, not
bothering to hide her own anger. “It is what you desired, is it not?”

She knew he would take that as confirmation. A muscle
twitched along his jaw and he took a step closer.

“Did you enjoy it?”

She looked away. Nicholas’s mood was unpredictable and she
no longer knew what he wanted from her. “I will not discuss this with you.”

She jumped when he grasped her upper arms.

“Answer me.”

She remained silent. He lowered his head until their eyes
were level and she had no choice but to meet his gaze. She could see the
turmoil there.

“Nicholas,” she said softly, her anger evaporating in that
instant.

His eyes closed and she held her breath. His grip loosened
as if he meant to release her, but then he swore and dragged her against his
body. The very air seemed to spark around them. Louisa was frozen, afraid to do
or say anything that might cause him to turn away from her.

He swore again and lowered his mouth to hers. The kiss was
hard at first, punishing in its intensity. She welcomed it, though. Welcomed
kissing him and being held against him. She had craved his touch, fearing she
would never receive it again.

Her lips parted and his tongue surged into her mouth. She
met his urgency with her own. He released her arms and she raised them to
encircle his neck, desperate to get closer. His hands streaked down her back
and cupped her bottom, and he brought her firmly against him as he continued
his assault on her mouth. She could feel the hardness of his arousal and her
breath caught with anticipation. She made a low sound deep in her throat and
tried to bring her body even more firmly against his. Her desire was a living
thing.

Almost as quickly as it started, it was over. He tore his
mouth from hers and stared at her, his breath coming in audible rasps. Her own
breathing was equally shaky.

He released her, took a step back and looked away.

“Go to bed,” he said, his voice uneven.

She placed a hand on his arm. “I want to stay.”

Silence stretched between them. She waited as he stood stock-still,
his posture unbearably straight. Finally, without another word, he turned and
left the room.

She could only stare at his retreating figure, despair
sweeping through her. She’d thought the situation bad before when she’d
believed he didn’t want her, but this was so much worse. Even if he didn’t love
her, it was clear that he did desire her. It was equally clear, however, that
he would fight his attraction for her to the end.

The following morning she was
waylaid by Lord Kerrick on her way down to breakfast.

“Did it work?” he asked.

Her lips tightened as her suspicions about last night’s
encounter with Nicholas were confirmed. “You planned that.”

He nodded. “I left another note partway under your door for
him to find. I figured if he was annoyed enough he wouldn’t be suspicious about
my being so careless. I can just imagine the expression on his face when he saw
that it was you, not I, waiting in the library.”

“You could have warned me about your plans.”

He shook his head. “It was better this way so your surprise
would be genuine when he entered.”

She made an attempt to rein in her annoyance. It was not
Kerrick’s fault, after all, that Nicholas remained adamant they follow through
with his absurd plan.

“He was very angry,” she said after a moment.

“Didn’t I tell you as much? Despite what he says, he doesn’t
wish to see the two of us together.” He stopped when he noticed her mood. “Are
you all right? What happened?”

She hesitated, but only for a moment. Kerrick was the only
person in whom she could confide.

“He wanted to know if we had agreed to his proposal.”

“And what did you say?”

“I didn’t reply.”

He nodded at that. “He would have taken that as a yes.”

“He did, and then he…”

“And then he what?”

“He kissed me.”

Kerrick released his breath in a low whistle. “I knew it! I
knew he cared for you.” His expression turned sober. “I don’t mean to pry, but
I do need to know how things now stand between the two of you. The last thing I
want to do is continue to make Nicholas believe I am pursuing you. Not if he
has decided he no longer wants me to.”

“He left,” she said, her voice hitching slightly before she
continued. “It was obvious he regretted his actions. I do not think he will
kiss me again.”

Kerrick swore. “Damn his stubborn hide. That man will go to
his grave making himself and everyone around him miserable.”

“Yes, well, be that as it may, I have decided that I will
not give up. He may have given up on our marriage before it has even begun, but
I have not.”

Kerrick smiled. “Good girl.”

They made their way to the breakfast room. Lady Overlea and
Catherine were already seated, but the somber expressions on their faces when
they turned to her caused a knot of worry to form in the pit of her stomach.

“What is the matter?”

“It’s Nicholas,” Lady Overlea said. “A maid found him this
morning in his study. He has had an attack.”

From the look on the older woman’s face, Louisa feared the
worst. “How is he?” she asked around the lump in her throat.