The Invisible Husband (8 page)

He swirled
around and headed back towards his study where he’d be able to
avoid having to speak with the couple. His key was in the glass
door as he heard Eve call out a few feet behind him, “Adam!” She
was out of breath. His heart froze his feet leaving him vulnerable
to temptation. “Adam…”

“Eve?”

“The footman
says you ordered Mr and Mrs Roberts to be sent packing after
refreshments.”

“I did.”

“Mrs Roberts is
heavily pregnant. She’s having pains.”

“Then she can
give birth at the next Inn…or in my mother’s carriage.”

“You can’t let
a woman give birth in a carriage; it would scare the horses. They’d
all end up in a ditch with broken necks.”

“If the woman
is about to be brought to childbed, she should have stayed at
home.”

“Adam…I think
we should let them stay the night.”

“No. Something
about Mr Roberts gives me a bad feeling.”

“You’re going
to make a pregnant woman suffer because her husband looks
unpleasant?”

“I don’t like
him. I don’t want him roving through my house and I certainly don’t
want him anywhere near you.”

“I admit he’s
rather sinister under that fake pleasant smile, but does that mean
his wife should suffer?”

“She married
him!”

“What if she
was forced to marry him?” The angry words struck his heart, making
it whimper in pain.

Adam whispered
curses on his mother as his heart slumped in horror at the prospect
of his Eve thinking ill of him. “My gut feeling is not to trust
them. They come in my Mother’s coach that confirms I shouldn’t
trust them. They’re bound to be part of another mad scheme to ruin
my life.” He hadn’t meant his words to sound terse.

“What if we
have to travel while I’m heavily pregnant and every Inn rejects us
because they don’t like your face?” Adam felt the truth of the
words like another blow to his heart. “How would you feel if I had
to give birth in a ditch to your child?”

“I love you; I
wouldn’t allow you to travel in that condition.” His heart sneered
in rage as she made no reply, ‘She hates you…hates you…hates you!
My life is over…over…over…!’ Rolling his eyes, Adam growled hoarse
curses on his mother and his heart as he turned and took Eve’s hand
and marched her back around to the front of the house, up the steps
into the house. “Where are those…people?”

“Mr and Mrs
Roberts are in the red drawing room my Lord…where her Ladyship
directed me to take them.”

“The wretches
will be staying the night. I’m returning to my study; I don’t want
my wife left alone with Roberts. I want you or another male servant
in attendance at all times. Lady Latham will entertain them.”

“Very good my…”
Adam had already released Eve’s hand and was hoping to disappear
down a dark hall as footsteps pattered after him.

“Adam!” His
tongue remained silent as his heart effusively replied,
‘Eve…Eve…Eve…’ “You’re not angry with me are you?”

“No.”

“You’re walking
like you’re angry.”

“I’m not
angry.”

“You’ll still
show me the gardens this evening, won’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Could you stop
for minute?” She loudly caught her breath as he abruptly stopped.
“I need to know that you’re not upset with me.”

“I’m not upset
with you.”

“Yes you
are.”

“No I’m
not.”

“Yes you are! I
can smell your irritation and its wafting in my direction.”

“So your
intuition is valid, but mine is not. I’ll remember that in
future…”

“Hah! I knew
you were upset with me.”

“Those people
are bad news and you dismiss my intuition, which is always right,
and now you’re trying to make me feel bad for wanting to protect
you.”

“I don’t…I’m
not!”

Adam folded his
arms in defiance. “Yes you are.”

“No I’m not…why
would I want to make you feel bad?”

“To prove that
you’re right, when clearly you’re not.”

“Right about
what?”

“About letting those ghastly people stay the night; you wanted your
way so you poked at the poor creature caged in my chest. I’m sorry
if you were forced to marry me. There’s still time to change your
mind if you find your present situation repugnant.”

“I’m sorry I
hurt your feelings. I was just trying to…”

“Get your
way?”

“Help a heavily
pregnant woman!”

“Eve, Mr
Roberts is probably not the father. He’s probably not her husband.
I doubt Roberts is even his name. They’re a pair of charlatans and
now, thanks to my helpful mother, you think me a savage villain.
You’ll never love me and my poor heart will starve to death…”

He tensed as
Eve flung his cloak back over his shoulders and tapped on his chest
with a light finger. “Hello in there? Did I hurt you? I’m
sorry.”

Adam manfully
sniffed back emotions as she pressed her cheek over his heart. A
soothing peace oozed through layers of fabric and penetrated his
skin. “My heart is purring with pleasure at your nearness. Forgive
me for thinking you’d want to hurt us.”

“I didn’t mean
to hurt you and I don’t care how I came to be in your clutches. I’m
content to remain, if it suits you.”

“It suits me!”
Adam felt his heart smile allowing his face to follow suit.

“Good, tell my
creature that at dusk I’ll be knocking on your study door demanding
its attention.”

“It’ll be
unlocked. We’ll be waiting for you; silently arguing over which one
of us loves you more.” Adam’s shoulders relaxed as she laughed in
amusement.

“What will you
do if it’s a draw?”

“We’ll be
duelling at dawn with pen and paper. You might get some vile
poetry, but I assure you that will be from the creature…Ouch! It
just pinched me. It says I’m a vile mannerless toad who couldn’t
win a woman with ink and paper if my life depended on it.”

“Which one of
you wrote me the charming note this morning?”

“That was me.
Your creature says I’m a liar…”

“Well since you
can’t decide I’ll have to thank you both.” She kissed her hand and
pressed it to his shirt front and then kissed her hand again and
reached into the darkness of his hood to touch his chin.

Adam took hold
of her hand pressed a firm kiss to her palm before reluctantly
allowing it to escape. “Until dusk my Lady…”

“Until dusk my
Lord…” He turned and watched her shadow cheerfully skip back down
the long hall. How long would it take to win her heart? He wanted
to order every oil lamp in the house to be brought to his study. He
wanted to look her in the eyes as she entered and see that she
wasn’t repulsed by his face. He flung the hated hood back off his
head and continued towards his study mumbling curses on silly
hopes.

Eve was still
smiling to herself as she handed her cloak and bonnet to a servant
and asked them to be delivered to her husband’s study. Hopefully
he’d hang them up and think of her every time he looked at them. He
might even decide to stop hiding and show himself. The thought
produced a pleasant ache in her stomach. She didn’t care if he was
hideous; she needed to see the face of the man whose kisses had
changed her. Her heart agreed as it slumped in dejection against
its cage as it whispered with longing; Adam…Adam…Adam…

Finding Mr and
Mrs Roberts cheerfully stuffing themselves with cake, Eve sat down
nearby and poured herself a cup of tea. Mrs Roberts chatted away at
lightening speed about Adam’s mother’s last dinner party as Mr
Roberts eyed her with a smile that reminded her of a dog waiting to
snatch food off its master’s plate. She ignored the man and
concentrated on his wife. Adam was probably right about the couple
being charlatans. They appeared comfortable with each other, but
there was no sign of intimacy or tenderness. Mrs Roberts only once
glanced at her husband and that was with a scowl as he snatched the
last piece of cake. The pregnant woman kept touching and fondling
her large belly as if the child inside needed reassurance that it
would still have a father after its birth.

The
conversation remained a one-sided affaire until Mr Roberts excused
himself, presumably for a call of nature. As soon as the door was
closed behind him, Mrs Roberts effortlessly jumped off her seat and
replanted herself next to Eve. “My dear Lady Latham, do you mind if
I sit next to you?” Eve opened her mouth to reply, but the lady
continued, “I’m so glad he’s finally left! It’s so hard to have an
interesting conversation with a man mooning at one’s elbow. Don’t
tell my husband or he’ll be furious, but I wasn’t really having
pains. Lord Latham’s mother has sent me on a special mission.” Eve
again opened her mouth, but wasn’t given time to reply. “I have
something for you. Her Ladyship gave me repeated instructions to
implore you not to tell your husband that you’ve received it. Her
Ladyship says the last time she mentioned it in his hearing she
thought he’d kill her.”

“I don’t…”

“For your own
safety, you must give me your word.”

“I think…”

“I’m sure
you’ll understand the delicacy of my mission when you see what I’ve
brought you. Has Lord Latham revealed his face to you?”

“No, but…”

Mrs Roberts
solemnly nodded her head. “It’s as Lady Latham, the Dowager,
feared. She’s long worried that her son would be driven mad by his
scar.”

“I don’t think
he’s…”

“Lord Latham
would be furious if he knew what I’m about to give you.”

Eve was
starting to get irritated at the overblown theatrical delivery. She
clenched her teeth and smiled. “Perhaps if you gave it to me…”

“Of course…”
Mrs Roberts took a small wrapped object out of her pocket and
pressed it into Eve’s hand. “…open it!” Eve refrained from asking
the woman if she could say anything without sounding like she was
on a stage and untied the ribbon. She didn’t have time to pick up
the gift before Mrs Roberts had leaned over and hissed, “It’s a
picture of Lord Latham…before the incident! He would kill me if he
knew I was giving you this…” Eve turned the miniature over and
stared at the handsome black haired boy smiling under the glass,
but her heart wasn’t impressed. It snubbed the picture and kept
calling for the man in the study.

“Thank you,
that was very kind of his mother to think of me.” Eve slipped the
picture into her pocket and picked up her cup and saucer.

“Well what do
you think; wasn’t he handsome?”

“Yes, but he’s
thirty-seven now; frankly I don’t care what he looks like.”

Mrs Roberts
looked momentarily confused, but her smile returned as she fondled
her large belly. “Lady Latham is so happy that her eldest son had
finally married. Lady Latham longs for grandchildren…” Mrs Roberts
ogled Eve’s stomach before whispering, “Is there any chance you
might be increasing?”

Eve flushed at
the rude question and tactfully changed the subject. “So where are
your family?”

The woman
looked confused. “My family?”

“Yes, the
family Lady Latham lent you the carriage to visit.”

“Oh, a ways
North of here…” Mrs Roberts waved her hand to dismiss them as her
eyes lit up. “…so Latham hasn’t come to your bed yet? Oh dear, his
mother was afraid he might not have the nerve to…you know…with a
young lady of refinement. Your mother, she explained the marriage
bed?” With her face on fire Eve opened her mouth to give the lady a
sharp retort, but wasn’t given the chance. “They say lie back and
think of England, but that’s so boring. I advise you to purchase
some bon bons and keep them next to your bed. Then while he’s…you
know…you can eat them and think of a pleasant play or a pretty bit
of scenery. There’s a particular part of Sheridan’s The Rivals I
always find amusing. They…he always thinks I’m enjoying myself and
that makes them happy! It’s always good to keep one’s man
happy.”

“Is that how
you came to be enlarged Madam?”

The woman again
looked confused. “Enlarged?”

“Your impending
joy…”

“Oh…you mean
Cabbage…I know its silly, but you have to call it something.”

“True, though
perhaps Baby might be more appropriate?”

Mrs Roberts
snorted in amusement. “Yes of course…but do you think his Lordship
might come to your bed tonight?”

Eve’s face
turned a darker shade of pink as her temper started to rise. “Lord
Latham’s nightly movements are his own affaire.”

“Oh yes, I
suppose it is awfully rude of me to be so bold, but I have a
dreadful curiosity. Mr Roberts says it’ll one day land me under a
mail coach.”

“What an awful
thing to say.”

“Men are like
that dear…Lady Latham has been deeply concerned for her eldest son.
He was one of those difficult children. She secretly despairs of
ever helping him.”

“Perhaps if she
were to ask him directly he’d be able to enlighten her. Perhaps he
doesn’t need help…”

“Of course he
needs help! After that villain slashed out his eye and nearly slit
his throat, he was never the same. He hides away pretending he
likes solitude when really his heart is breaking for company. His
mother has tried everything imaginable to get through to him. He
must be the most mulish man alive; I don’t envy you my dear.
Heavens! If his mother’s experience is anything to go by, you’ll be
begging the rest of your life for a new fan or hair comb. Men can
be so selfish, but perhaps he’ll be different with you. That was a
pretty broach you were wearing on your cloak. They looked like real
stones.”

“Lord Latham
gave it to me this morning.”

Mrs Roberts’
eyes widened as she leaned closer. “Really? His mother will be
astounded…did he demand you kiss him first?”

“No. Why?”

“How odd…well
perhaps he won’t be as bad as her ladyship fears, but he’s always
been so closed fisted. It’s an awful thing to say to a new bride.
Mr Roberts was generous until I got too fat to…you know!” The
enlarged lady sighed in irritation as the man returned looking
smug. “Where have you been; filling a chamber pot or a chamber
maid?”