The Belligerent Miss Boynton AND The Lurid Lady Lockport (Two Companion Full-Length Regency Novels) (26 page)

Jared put his arms around his sobbing aunt, and after some minutes she gained control of herself and allowed her nephew to explain. He owed the poor woman the truth, and her face brightened considerably as Jared told her of his one meeting with his old mistress, during which he had made it clear that their association was at an end. But then her face clouded once again.

Jared tried once more. "I told you the truth, Aunt. I admit I went to Blanche with the notion of bedding her, but I knew I had made a mistake the moment I saw her again. So I'm innocent, Aggie. I'm not proud of my behavior that night, but I am innocent nonetheless. You're still frowning. Now what's the matter?"

"Why, I should think it's obvious, Nephew. You certainly cannot tell that story to Amanda."

"Why not? It's the truth."

"The truth? I see I gave you credit for more sense than you must possess. Do you really think it makes a jot of difference to Amanda whether or not you achieved what you went after? No, the mere idea that you wished to bed the creature will be enough to send Amanda up to the treetops. Lie to her, Nephew,
lie
to her. It's the only way."

"Aunt, you never cease to amaze me. Do you really think my wife is too small to accept the truth such as it is? After all, in a way the truth flatters her."

Lady Chezwick vehemently shook her head. "That don't signify a scrap, Jared. You must not admit to setting foot in that woman's house since the day you laid eyes on Amanda."

"But that's almost the truth. I only saw her the one more time. I don't like the idea of lying to my wife, even if you say it will protect her."

Lady Chezwick sighed in deep exasperation. "Jared, my favorite nephew, believe me in this. Lie to the girl. It's your only hope of salvation."

Jared raked a hand through his hair, torn between his reluctance to lie to his wife and the niggling worry that his aunt—who was, after all, a female—just might be right. "All right, Aunt, I bow to your judgment. But if you're wrong I promise you I'll lay all blame directly on your doorstep. Just promise me you won't give me away at some future time."

His aunt sniffed at this unheard-of possibility and then suddenly broke into delighted laughter.

"Now what has tickled you, Aggie?"

"It's just—it's just that I've suddenly seen how funny it all is. You see, I never did tell you why our guests left so hurriedly. Goodness, Denton was really quite put out by his intended bride's haste. Oh, it's too good!" She clapped her hands in glee.

Jared grinned as, after all, he, too, enjoyed a good joke. But he didn't really understand this one and pressed his aunt to explain.

"Amanda told me of her discussion with Lady Wade this morning—the one in which she found out you had left your gloves in that hussy's bedroom on your last visit. Amanda coolly replied—I don't know how she found the courage, but I'm sure it was to protect you in some way—that you had told her all about that last visit and that it was indeed just that, your last visit.
All about
it, Nephew! That's when Lady Wade spilled her tea all down the front of her atrocious gown and flew upstairs on her broomstick to pack her things. Jared? Don't you think Amanda was quite clever? Jared, whatever can be the matter now? You look positively ill."

Jared stalked to the doors and pulled them open before turning to his aunt, saying coldly, "Your brain is to let, madam, if you think Blanche Wade will take that kind of insult lying down. Nothing but my head on a platter will satisfy her now. I'm going to see my wife."

He hurriedly charged up the stairs, only to stop himself and walk slowly toward the main bedchamber, where he was sure Amanda was waiting, her battle lines clearly drawn. The news that she had so effectively set down and inadvertently insulted Blanche filled him with concern. It was, however, a concern he could not let his wife see.

But then, just what could Blanche do? She would seem to have taken her best shot in coming to Storm Haven, and her ignominious retreat without so much as a pound of silence-money from him should be the end of it. Yet had he ever imagined she would have gone as far as temporarily engaging herself to a dullard like Denton, just to exact revenge on an old lover?

She must have seriously believed Jared would marry her. If she'd believed that, it was easier for him to believe that she might want to destroy him. But Amanda? He hadn't counted on that sort of twisted revenge, hadn't seen the danger. If he'd had, Blanche would have been thrown out of Storm Haven within moments of her arrival.

But now he knew. It had been Amanda she had been out to destroy all along. Amanda had been her reason for coming to Storm Haven. And, through Amanda, Blanche would hurt him, hurt him more than she could possibly dream. Thank God no one had mentioned the baby. At least Blanche and, though her, Denton and cousin Freddie, remained ignorant of Amanda's pregnancy!

As Jared entered the bedchamber, Amanda dismissed Sally and turned to her husband with a set look on her face. "I'm honored, my lord, that you are still in residence. I had thought you would be on the road to London by now, to bid a fond farewell to your doxy."

Jared winced, thankful his aunt had prepared him for this meeting. "Amanda, sweetheart, let me explain—"

She cut him off, exclaiming, "Explain? Whatever is there to explain? You and that jade were lovers—most probably before, and definitely since, our marriage. Deny it, sir, if it's untrue, and I promise to believe you. But please, Jared, don't bore me with
explanations
."

"Then I deny it! Well, I deny part of it—the last part. But I can explain all of it." Jared was having trouble keeping his tongue unknotted. "Curse it all, woman, look at me when I talk to you. It's deuced uncomfortable, talking to your back."

Amanda whirled on him, her amber eyes dark with pain. "Does it make it easier to lie to my face, my lord?"

"No. I mean, yes. Oh, damn it!" He wasn't doing well in this exchange, and he knew it. He had never found any difficulty in dealing with a woman before—except his aunt, of course—but then he had never cared for a woman as he did this slip of a girl. "Think of the baby, Amanda. You might harm the child."

"Ha! All this concern over one small child. How many children have you from the wrong side of the blanket, Jared? Will my baby have many bastard brothers?" Her hands flew to her mouth then, as if she'd realized how much those words could hurt him.

Jared crossed the area separating them more quickly than Amanda could register his movement, and she found herself clutched tightly to her husband's chest. "Stop this, Amanda. Stop it now."

"Let me go."

"If I let you go you'll probably hit me, and I don't think that will help matters, do you? Now be quiet a few moments, please, and let me see if I can get us out of this muddle."

When her struggles to free herself ebbed and she promised to be good, he let her go, and then paced the carpet as he pleaded his case. "I'm nearly thirty, Amanda, and I told you once before that I was a bit of a hellraker. I'll not deny I've known many women—Blanche Wade among them, more's the pity—but there are no by-blows of mine running the countryside. You of all people should know that."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "But I'm so angry, Jared. So angry—so
hurt
."

"I know, darling, and I'm sorry." He ran a shaking hand through his once neatly brushed hair. "But I refuse to lie and tell you I sported a lily all my life, because I know you couldn't believe such a blatant lie. However, I'm not lying when I tell you I haven't made love with any woman save you since first I laid eyes on you at Almacks. If Blanche told you I was her lover in London these months past she was lying, and may I die tomorrow if what I say is untrue. There. I've said all I'm going to say. I leave the next move to you, Amanda. Please, if you love me, don't make me wait too long." He took a deep breath, said a silent prayer, and turned on his heel, prepared to leave his wife alone to think about all he'd said.

He'd gotten halfway to the door before Amanda stopped him, saying, "I believe you."

Jared raised his eyes to heaven and vowed a new ruby bracelet to his wise aunt before he turned and opened his arms to a now softly weeping Amanda.

"Oh, my poor darling," she cried against his shoulder. "How could I have been so corkbrained as to believe a single word that odious woman said? Please forgive me. I love you so much and I was eaten up inside with jealousy. Of course you couldn't have been with that trollop while you were gone. Anything you did before you met me doesn't concern me, although I must say I am surprised in your poor taste if you ever thought that fleshy, flashy thing attractive."

Jared buried his face in Amanda's hair. "I've wondered the same thing a hundred times over, ever since she arrived here. I must have been deep in my cups to find that obvious female attractive. You're my heart's delight, Amanda, and from the moment I met you every other woman in England has looked to me a crone." He nibbled one small ear as he whispered, "You're my own sweet witch, imp, and I'm eternally and most happily under your spell."

Amanda felt her last doubts melting away. It was far easier to forget than to keep up an argument with a man you loved so entirely, and she turned her face for his kiss. Jared could feel her trembling in his arms as he teased her with his tongue and then sucked lightly on her lower lip. His hands reached out to untie her dressing gown and he traced a pattern of kisses down her throat until he reached the curve of her breast.

Suddenly he felt a movement against his lower belly and put his head up in mock shock. "Madam, you take liberties uncommon in a well-bred female."

Amanda giggled and denied any forwardness.

"I distinctly felt you reach out and touch me. There! You did it again!"

Amanda held out her hands to proclaim her innocence—and he felt the movement a third time. She tried to suppress her mirth while she took hold of one of his hands and pressed it to her gently-rounded stomach. "I know my gowns still conceal the fact, but as my husband you must be aware of our child's growth. It's your own son who has nudged you, my lord." She kept his hand pressed to her abdomen and was soon rewarded by a very healthy kick.

Jared drew his hand back as if he had touch something hot, then gently replaced it, remarking, "Champing at the bit to get out here with us, isn't he? Doesn't that hurt, Amanda?"

"No, silly, I enjoy it immensely. But this is the first time he's performed for you." She looked deeply into his eyes. "I know you don't like talking about the baby, the birth. Are you upset?"

In answer, he scooped her up into his arms and deposited her lightly on the bed, then quickly joined her. "Upset? Infant, I'm confused and bewildered by just how pleased I am. I must admit I've thought of our child as an enemy, when I wasn't busy trying to ignore his existence. But you're right, you know, it is definitely a son, and now I find myself quite proud of his amazing strength at such a young age." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Are you quite sure it doesn't hurt?"

Amanda was delighted at her husband's new interest and hastened to explain that all babies kicked their mothers—although definitely not as lustily as a child of Jared Delaney was capable.

His next question was not quite as easy to answer. "Is it time we stop our lovemaking, pet?"

Suddenly she was quite shy, an emotion she had not felt in some time around Jared. To admit she would miss his lovemaking terribly would seem brazen, yet she didn't want it to stop, no matter how advanced her pregnancy. Finally she cast down her eyes and stammered, "S-surely, t-there are, um,
ways
an experienced gentleman such as yourself would know that—that would not injure..."

Jared's face lit in a wicked grin as he reached for her and whispered into her ear.

"Oh, Jared. No. Really?" Then she giggled. "Oh, my goodness,
really
?

#

Amanda and Aunt Agatha were sitting in the small salon, intent on placing invisible stitches in the hems of some dresses for the coming baby, when Jared entered with a letter in his hands.

"That is unfortunate," he said as he read, "Kevin writes to say he can't be with us for Bo's party tonight. It seems he's been called to his uncle's bedside in Sussex. The old man has been dying these last twenty years or more, but this time it appears he really means it. Kevin's his only heir, you know, and will inherit a packet and the title once the old codger sticks his spoon in the wall."

"
Hrruumph
!" sniffed Lady Chezwick. "Poor old man. The vultures always gather at the end."

"I wouldn't waste my pity on the old earl if I were you, madam. He always was a bit of a rum touch." Jared went back to his letter and soon remarked, "Blast me if Kevin didn't sponge on me for a second sheet! He refuses to cross his lines, you know. I wonder what he has to say that could be so important." He read for a few moments and Amanda could see the confusion etched on his face.

"What's the matter, darling? You seem upset."

Jared folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket, trying to appear at his ease even as he silently cursed the news he'd just read. "Nothing to concern you, my love. Kevin sustained some heavy losses at White's and begs a few pennies, that's all. Oh, yes," he said rather offhandedly, "he also mentions that he saw my cousin Freddie at Manton's Gallery—I wonder that Freddie knows which end of a pistol to point—and he told Kevin he'd heard about our child. How could he know, I wonder?"

"Heavens, I haven't the faintest idea. Is he by any chance known to my stepfather?"

Jared tensed, sure that Amanda was about to tell him something he didn't want to know. "Denton? I do believe he might be," Jared answered, now convinced that trouble was on the way. He looked to Amanda rather intently. "Why?"

Amanda colored prettily. "I just remembered that I asked Lady Wade if she wished our coming child to address her as Grandmother. It's possible she mentioned it to my stepfather, and he repeated it to your cousin."

Jared spoke before he could think. "The devil you did! Good God, Amanda, I know you don't like the woman, but was that really necessary?"