Secret Brides [3] Secrets of a Scandalous Marriage (6 page)

But even as she tried to enjoy herself, apprehension clawed at her insides. She had no idea what would happen next. Her life had been anything but predictable of late and there was no indication that pattern would cease any time soon.

A knock at the door signaled Louisa’s arrival and the efficient little lady’s maid with bright green eyes and neatly braided blond hair set about helping Kate into one of the few gowns she’d dragged with her from her husband’s home. She eyed the light blue morning dress she wore. It was inappropriate. She hadn’t even had time to have the gowns dyed black. And she certainly wasn’t about to inconvenience Lord Medford’s servants by requesting that they do it. But did it even matter? Would a Society that assumed she had murdered her husband truly fault her for failing to properly mourn him? She shook her head. Even when she was trying to break the rules, they crowded into her brain and mocked her. No. No. No. She refused to care anymore. Society and its rules had ruined her.

“I hope you don’t mind my saying so, your grace,” Louisa murmured, after she’d arranged Kate’s hair in a loose chignon. “But you must be the prettiest lady I’ve ever seen.”

Kate’s cheeks heated. “Why, what a nice thing to say, Louisa. Thank you.”

The maid returned her smile. “Lord Medford asks that you meet him in his study at half past, your grace,” Louisa announced, bobbing a curtsy and retreating from the room.

Kate glanced at the delicate clock on the mantelpiece. Fifteen minutes yet. She squared her shoulders and smoothed her skirts. She might as well go in search of Lord Medford’s study. Louisa had rushed away before she’d had a chance to ask its location.

Taking a deep breath and opening the door to her room, Kate made her way into the hall, through the corridor, and down the grand staircase in the foyer. She glanced about uncertainly. Which way? Might as well begin here. No doubt she would find the study eventually. She poked her nose into the first few salons in the front of the house. All perfectly appointed like the rest of the mansion. Where were all of the helpful servants when she needed them? All probably industriously occupied elsewhere no doubt. She couldn’t imagine any one of them being lazy for even a moment. She gingerly made her way toward the back of the house, where she came upon two large wooden doors. Either the study or the library, she decided. She knocked lightly and a deep voice answered, “Come in.”

Ah, the study.

She opened the doors with both hands and pushed them wide. She twirled around in a large circle to take in every detail of the vast space. The study was a grand room, and it didn’t have so much as one paper out of place. A large mahogany desk sat in the center of the room framed by floor-to-ceiling windows behind it. Two large coffee-brown leather chairs rested in front of the desk. Bookcases lined with an enormous variety of tomes marched along the walls and a warm fire crackled in the hearth across from the desk. A big yellow dog lay on the rug in front of the fireplace. The dog jumped up and wagged its tail eagerly, watching Kate, but the animal remained in its spot, obviously awaiting a command from its master.

I want to pet a puppy.
The memory of what she’d said to Lord Medford when he’d made her his offer in the Tower came floating back to her. He hadn’t mentioned that he had a dog.

She smiled brightly. “Oh, but she’s adorable. I love dogs! I haven’t seen a dog since I lived at home with Mother and Father.” A wave of homesickness hit her and she pressed her lips together tightly.

Lord Medford had looked up from his papers and was watching her. “Would you like to pet her?” he asked with a smile that made Kate’s heart flutter.

She nodded. “Yes, very much.”

Lord Medford gave a short whistle and the dog bounded forward. She stopped in front of Kate and sat politely, wiggling and putting up one paw that Kate took and shook. Kate laughed. “Well, well. Someone has extraordinary manners. What’s her name?”

“Themis.” Lord Medford stood up and walked around the side of the desk. He rested a hip against it and smiled at the scene in front of him. “I’ve enjoyed training her,” he said. “Though sometimes I think I may have gone a bit too far.” He laughed.

“Themis.” Kate put a finger to her jaw. “Why do I know that name?” She tapped her fingertip to her face. “Ah yes, the goddess of custom and order.”

“You know her?” Was that a look of admiration in his green eyes? “Themis isn’t one of the more popular goddesses.”

“She’s the goddess of divine justice,” Kate murmured. “Perhaps that’s why I know her. I need to call upon her now.”

His eyes shifted back toward the dog and he gave a little laugh, perhaps to lighten the mood. “Well, here she is.”

Kate bent down and patted the dog’s head. “Themis,” she said. “You and I shall become fast friends.” Themis stamped a paw on the floor and breathed out through her snout.

Kate smiled at Lord Medford. “I’ve never seen such manners. What else can she do?”

Lord Medford issued commands for the dog to sit, lie, roll over, and bring him the paper, all of which Themis did without hesitation. She obviously loved her master.

Kate clapped her hands. “Amazing, truly. How long have you had her?”

Lord Medford sighed. “She was a stray, actually. My friend Lily, Lady Colton, she and her sister have made it a habit to rescue animals in need. This poor girl was not long for the world, I’m afraid. She had no one to take her in.”

Kate watched him carefully. “So you agreed?”

“Yes, and I must admit I never thought myself one for owning a dog until I met Themis.”

Kate ducked her head to hide her smile. How wonderful. The man had saved a dog out of the kindness of his heart. And he obviously loved the animal. She could tell just by watching them together.

“I used to have a dog that looked very much like Themis,” Kate said, her voice trailing off softly.

Lord Medford braced his palms on the desktop on either side of his hips. “Did you? What happened to him?”

“I couldn’t take him with me when I married. My parents kept him. Eventually he … he died of old age just before my parents did.”

“What happened to your parents?” Lord Medford asked softly.

Kate glanced up at him and it struck her then. Lord Medford had kind eyes. Very kind. “They both had the fever,” she murmured, swallowing.

Lord Medford nodded. “I’m sorry.”

Kate cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. She pinched the delicate skin on the inside of her arm. Why had she told him about her dog and her parents? No doubt Lord Medford wasn’t interested in such drivel. She had a job to do. A pamphlet to write. “Shall we get started?” she asked, schooling her features into the most professional manner she could muster. “Discussing the pamphlet?”

“By all means.” He stood and moved back around to his seat behind the desk, gesturing for Kate to sit in one of the facing chairs. Themis trotted away and curled up on the rug in front of the fire again and closed her eyes.

“Before we discuss the pamphlet,” Lord Medford said. “I wanted to speak to you about your defense. I’ve sent for Mr. Abernathy. He’s the most experienced barrister in town.”

Bracing her hands on the arms of the chair, Kate sat up straight and blinked. “Mr. Abernathy?”

“Yes. I promised you the best and I’ll deliver.” He winked at her and Kate’s insides felt funny again. “I must admit I was quite surprised to hear you didn’t already have someone employed. Abernathy was working on another case, but I … persuaded him to put his work on hold.”

Kate settled back into the chair and expelled her breath. “Thank you, my lord. I’m going to need the best. But I’ve seen enough of how the aristocracy works to not trust the House of Lords, to be honest. I doubt even Mr. Abernathy will stand much of a chance against the charges I face.”

Lord Medford cleared his throat. “Abernathy will do everything he can. He’ll be here at one o’clock.”

She took a deep breath. “I look forward to meeting him. In the meantime, perhaps you should tell me what exactly you have in mind for the pamphlet.”

He leaned his elbow on the arm of his chair and propped his chin on his fist. “I ask nothing more than that you tell your story, in your own words.”

Her gaze snapped to his face. “Truly? You don’t want the salacious details? I thought surely—”

“Trust me. The
ton
will be interested in whatever you have to say.”

Kate shook her head. Trust me, he had said. That made her stop. She didn’t trust him. Didn’t even know him. True, he’d been kind to her so far, but he wanted something from her. Though he had surprised her by giving her free rein to write the pamphlet. And seeing to her defense. But there had to be a catch … somewhere.

He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of his chest. “What is it that you want to tell people?”

“That I’m innocent,” she said in a loud, strong voice, quite sure her eyes were flashing with all the passion she felt on the subject. “Though I expect most won’t believe it,” she finished more softly.

His eyes narrowed on her face. “May I ask you a question?”

She smiled. “I believe I cannot say no to that.”

He leaned back in his chair. “You might have an easier time of it if you had friends in the aristocracy. Why is it that you were in the country for so long? Why did you never come to London? Never meet anyone? Make friends?”

She swallowed and glanced away. “What does any of it matter?”

“It matters to your defense.”

Kate bit her lip. “Very well.” She paused, expelling her breath. “After we were married, my husband and I … we soon realized we didn’t suit. He wanted to pursue his … pleasures in London, and he didn’t want me there, reminding him of what an awful choice of wife he’d made.”

Lord Medford pursed his lips. “Awful choice?”

She stared at her hands that were folded in her lap. “You must have heard about me, Lord Medford. My past. It’s been in all the papers.”

He nodded. “If you mean that your father was a gentleman landowner, not a peer, then yes. But how does that make you an awful choice?”

She raised her head and gave him a skeptical look. “You know how vast the divide is. I was never a part of my husband’s world. Despite the fairy tales, one does not go from a farm to a ducal estate. Not successfully at least.”

“You didn’t enjoy your new position?”

She looked up at the ceiling and searched her memory, trying to locate the right words. “I tried. I truly did. I tried everything to fit it, to be a good wife. But I just couldn’t, and I wasn’t. I was miserable and George was even more so. We’d made a terrible mistake.”

Lord Medford’s brow remained furrowed. He shrugged. “Many couples find they aren’t a love match. It’s not uncommon.”

She glanced away, her face heating fiercely. She should stop talking. She’d already said too much. “There were other … reasons.” She cleared her throat and shook her head. “But none of that matters now. None of it changes … anything. Including the reason why we’re here.” Oh God. Why was it seemingly so easy to talk to this man? He was a stranger. Did she have to remind herself of that again? And here she was sharing the intimate details of her life with him.

He nodded. “I understand. And all I ask of you is that you write your story, your grace. And that you write the truth.”

CHAPTER 8

When Mr. Abernathy was ushered into the study, Lord Medford invited the man to sit. Lord Medford pulled out the other chair in front of his desk for Kate. She walked toward her seat slowly while Lord Medford nodded to the butler asking him to bring tea.

Kate swallowed convulsively but kept her eyes trained on the barrister. “Thank you very much for agreeing to represent me.”

“It shall be my pleasure, your grace,” Mr. Abernathy replied with a precise nod and a matter-of-fact smile. The man was older with a trimmed white beard, a lean, able build, and sharp, discerning eyes. He seemed like the type of man who didn’t miss a thing, and Kate had the awful feeling that she was being closely scrutinized.

She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. “I assume you have … experience with this sort of thing.”

Mr. Abernathy extracted a pair of silver-rimmed spectacles from his inside coat pocket and placed them on the tip of his nose. He sat up even more straight and regarded her over the rims of the spectacles. Oh excellent, more scrutiny. “I’m experienced, your grace, but the fact is there’s never been a case quite like … with these exact circumstances, and I—”

“I understand,” she replied, putting up a hand. “You’ll do your best.”

“I’m quite qualified,” Abernathy replied. “I assure you. I’m enrolled to practice before the House of Lords, which, of course, is where your trial will be held, should it come to that.”

She furrowed her brow. “Should it come to that?”

Abernathy bobbed his head in a brisk nod. “Yes, well, we hope for the best, of course, but we must plan for the worst.”

“I see.” She swallowed. “What can I expect, then?”

*   *   *

James lifted his brows. Impressive, the way Kate was taking charge of the conversation. She seemed even more interested in her defense than he’d expected. Good. He’d been a bit worried that she’d be meek or even worse, act guilty, but the confidence with which she’d said, “I am innocent,” earlier had given him hope. There was definitely a fighter beneath her beautiful surface. One he’d witnessed when she’d demanded that he free her from the Tower. One that he wanted to see more of.

Mr. Abernathy pulled a large stack of papers from his well-polished leather bag and set them on the desk in front of him. He consulted the stack, flipping through it and pulling out a small group. “In this case, Lord Medford’s solicitor has employed me directly. I will be in charge of your defense, leading the investigation on your behalf, and drawing up the necessary paperwork.”

Kate shook her head and met James’s eyes. “I don’t understand. Hasn’t there already been an investigation?”

Mr. Abernathy gave a curt nod. “The magistrate near your husband’s country house has performed his investigation, yes. And there was an inquest over the…” He cleared his throat. “Forgive me for being indelicate, your grace.” He gave her a kindly yet still efficient look.