What Rumours Don't Say (5 page)

In just one week, it seemed as if she had completely settled in, having changed not only the drapes from purple to green but also the order of the furniture in some rooms and the meals, which he had to admit were now more scrumptious. In the past few days, she had taken to riding out, as well, and from what he had heard, she was welcomed warmly everywhere, which caused his chest to swell with pride, affirming the correctness of his choice of countess.

Indeed, she was diligent in all her duties except for one, which was her duty both as a wife and a countess, and since it had already been a week, he intended to remedy that tonight.

With that intention in mind, he went to her bedchamber after dinner, right after she had finished with her bath and the maids had brought down the tub.

“That will be all, Leah,” Axelle said as he entered, mistaking him for a maid since her back was turned to the door, her gaze seemingly directed beyond the window as she brushed her hair. “You may…”

As soon as she saw him, she stopped and slowly set down her brush on the dresser. “Forgive me, my lord, I was not aware it was you who had entered my chamber.”

“As you have made clear,” he said as he took a step closer to her.

“To what do I owe the honor of this visit?” she asked, unintimidated by his presence.

“You sound displeased,” he said as he entwined a lock of her brown hair around his finger, not missing the icy edge of her tone. “I was under the impression you were enjoying your stay here.”

“And I was under the impression I no longer concerned you,” she said. “After all, my lord, I have barely heard a word from you since we arrived.”

She
was
displeased, he thought. “I was not aware that conversation during meals was one of your requirements.”

“I was not aware I had to require it.”

He frowned. “And would you also like to require that I escort you to your bedchamber after dinner and kiss you good night?”

“That, my lord, would be a perfectly sound idea,” she said as she walked to the bed. “Although of course, I would not dream of requiring anything else, considering all of the things I have already asked of you. I am only your wife, after all. Your second wife, I might add.”

“Would you care to explain what that means?”

“Why, nothing, my lord,” she answered. “Simply that I would never be able to fulfill your expectations since I could never compare to Anne.”

He clenched his jaw, his temper rising. “I thought I had made it clear we would not, under any circumstance, discuss my first wife.”

“You have made it perfectly clear, my lord, that as your second wife, I…” 

“First wife or not, you are still my wife, Axelle,” he interrupted her. “And as my wife, you should be aware of the purpose of my visit.”

“I see.” She sat on the bed. “I must admit, my lord, I did wonder at first why you came, but now that you have enlightened me, I am reminded that a man only visits his wife’s bedchamber to collect on his rights.”

“Damnation, woman.” He stood beside the bed. “I was simply giving you time to settle in. Now, it has dawned on me that I should never have extended such courtesy.”

Her green eyes widened. “Giving me time?”

“I should have just done this a long time ago.”

With those words, he held her chin and kissed her.

Four

Reeve was kissing her.

At first, Axelle was not even aware of what was happening, the feel of a man’s lips on hers one she had only experienced once before and had already cast out of her memory, considering how that experience had been concluded. Then, when she realized that he was actually kissing her, she was too stunned to do anything except close her eyes, barely able to breathe as she was suddenly and acutely made aware of the seriousness of his intent to collect on his husbandly rights.

At that thought, she was unable to suppress a shiver, though strangely, unlike before, she did not feel too apprehensive and when she felt the tip of his tongue on hers, slipping past her lips, she felt that apprehension vanish, replaced by a feeling she could not entirely comprehend or put into words.

All she knew was that she suddenly felt very warm even though her skin was still damp from her bath under her thin chemise and the bedroom window was open, letting the cool evening breeze drift into the room. She felt almost feverish, in fact, and as he held her chin firmer, pushing it back so that his tongue could delve deeper into her mouth, she felt herself melting, the warmth quickly transforming into a pulsating heat that made her breasts ripen and the place between her legs tingle.

Whatever it was she was feeling, she suddenly knew she wanted more and she pushed her tongue back against him and whimpered. As abruptly as Reeve had started the kiss, though, he stopped and she opened her eyes to look at him, questioning him.

He simply groaned, though, as he walked away, pausing by the window.

She was tempted to ask him what was the matter but kept silent instead, wrapping her arms around her as she suddenly felt the chill in the room.

He pulled the window shut. “Tomorrow, I will depart for London.”

“May I ask why, my lord?”

 “Rest assured, I am not going to see any mistress, as I have told you I keep none, nor do I plan to take any,” he answered.

She looked at him, still waiting for an answer.

He frowned. “You and Rosalind seem to be alike in wanting to be privy to my affairs.”

“Perhaps because we are both concerned about you, my lord,” she said.

“Suffice it to say that it is a matter of business.”

“Ah.” She rubbed her arms. “I seem to recall hearing that before.”

“As you will many more times in the future,” he told her. “I have a lot of business matters to attend to, after all.”

She said nothing.

“I will be back in a few days,” he went on. “When I return, we shall talk.” He approached her to stroke her cheek. “And you may expect, Madam Wife, that I shall continue what was begun here.”

 He gave her a look that told him he was utterly serious about his promise, though it sounded more like a threat, making her feel warm and chilly at the same time, and then left the room, leaving her just as bewildered as she had been on her wedding night. Unlike before, though, this time, she did not feel any despondence, not even a hint of sadness. Instead, all she felt was a sense of relief as her consternation diminished, and strangely, even a sliver of joy.

I was simply giving you time to settle in.

So that was it, after all. He had not been ignoring her or casting her aside. He had simply been waiting for her to become comfortable with her new home and her new life.

At that thought, she could not help but smile. She could not help, too, but feel a surge of renewed hope as she brushed a fingertip against her lips, tracing the skin which, just moments ago, had been imprinted with his.

She suddenly could not wait for her husband’s return.

“Now, you must be patient,” Lady Caroline, the Countess of Westbury, said as she picked up her cup of tea. “Sometimes, it takes time for the children to arrive – I myself had to wait four years and suffer two miscarriages before my three daughters and then, my son, Henry, arrived. Then again, you don’t seem to appear in a hurry to set up a nursery.”

“No, I am not,” Axelle admitted.

Having learned that the Countess of Westbury was in residence at the Westbury Manor right next to the Ravenhall estate, she thought it was only proper for her to pay the other woman a visit. She was also hoping that it would distract her from Reeve’s absence, which had already taken three days, which was why she was now having tea with Lady Caroline.

“And I imagine your husband disapproves of it,” Lady Caroline said.

“He is giving me some time to settle in.”

“Don’t tell me the marriage has not yet been consummated?” Lady Caroline stopped just before she held her cup to her lips to give Axelle a mingled look of surprise and horror.

“It has been,” Axelle lied calmly, trying to disguise the fact that the question appalled her. She had known that married women, who had the freedom to discuss anything among themselves so long as they did so discreetly, were inclined to discussing matters that took place inside the bedchamber, which she supposed was no surprise since unmarried women were forbidden to speak of those particular matters or even contemplate them, but it still appalled her to be involved in such a discussion herself and in so casual a manner. She had vowed not to dabble in such matters, after all, having resolved to utilize the freedom that came with her elevated status to discuss more enlightening topics.

It seemed, however, that Lady Caroline was intent on such a discussion, much to her misfortune.

“It is good that your husband is considerate and all, though I admit I have never imagined him to be such,” she went on after taking a sip from her cup. “But you must not allow your husband to neglect his duties in the bedchamber. If you must, seduce him. It is your right. Otherwise, your husband will turn elsewhere for the relief of his lust. Men, after all, are…”

“I appreciate your concern, Lady Caroline,” Axelle interrupted the older countess. “But I believe I shall place my trust in my husband.”

“Of course you will.” Lady Caroline set down her cup. “You have only been married less than a fortnight.”

Axelle said nothing, sipping her tea in silence.

“Forgive me if my words seem a bit much,” Lady Caroline said. “But it is simply concern from one woman to another.”

Axelle still said nothing.

“I am especially concerned for you, I must admit,” the other countess went on. “After all, your husband has already displayed interest in a woman of the streets.”

Axelle set her cup down and looked at Lady Caroline curiously. “You mean Anne?”

“Why, don’t tell me, dear, that he has not told you anything about her?” Lady Caroline gave another horrified look.

Axelle did not answer.

“Poor child, he has kept you completely in the dark, hasn’t he?” Lady Caroline’s expression turned into one of sympathy. “Then again, I suppose he would rather forget it, considering he…”

“Considering he what?” Axelle asked, leaning forward.

“It is best for you to hear it from him, dear,” Lady Caroline said. “It is not something at all for a woman of dignity to divulge.”

“I see.” Axelle leaned back.

“Though of course, perhaps it would be better if you never heard it at all,” Lady Caroline added. “It is in the past, after all, and it was such a tragedy. You must simply look forward to your future and perhaps, pray that you will not share the same fate as that poor Anne.”

“I fear it is difficult to avert a fate I know nothing about.”

“Ah, there is that,” the other countess agreed. “But let us not stray to such distressing matters. Tell me more about yourself. Tell me, do you miss London? I’m sure there is a lot you must be missing…”

Axelle was missing, or at least she did not seem to be at the Manor at the moment, Reeve thought as he exited into the rear courtyard of the Manor, having already searched the house for a sign or his wife and found none.

He had hoped she would welcome him warmly upon his return or at least, be at the Manor. He had been eager to see her, after all, having strangely missed her more than he ought while he was away, and had even brought a present for her, which was why his return had been delayed. He had expected, too, that she would be happy to see him after that passionate kiss they had shared, which she had seemed to enjoy so much he had hardly been able to tear his mouth away from hers.

Yes, it had been difficult for him to end that kiss, which had resulted in much discomfort on his part afterwards that he had hardly managed to sleep, and yet he had mustered the strength to do so, simply because he had hoped that kiss would leave her wanting, asking for more, and perhaps less defiant and more pliant to his wishes, if not eager to throw herself into his arms as soon as he returned.

Apparently, his hopes had been futile.

With a scowl, he walked to the stables and approached one of the grooms. “Where is Axelle?”

“Her ladyship has not returned from her afternoon ride, my lord,” the groom answered.

Reeve’s eyebrows creased. “Isn’t she usually back by this time?”

The groom nodded.

Reeve’s frown deepened. “Was she unaccompanied?”

“She prefers to ride alone, my lord.”

“And what mare did she take this time?”

“It was a stallion she took this time, my lord, said she could ride one just as well as any man can.”

“Which stallion?”

“The chestnut one, my lord.”

“And did she mention where she was headed? What route she was taking?”

The groom shook his head.

“I see.” He scratched his chin. “Prepare the black stallion at once. I shall go riding after her.”