Christmas with His Wallflower Wife by Janice Preston

Author:Janice Preston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-09-05T18:48:32+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

‘Tonight?’

It was Saturday, and Jane and Alex had just returned from a hack on Pearl and Nelson. They had even seen a shooting party on Halsdon land, and Alex had told her Lascelles was entertaining a party of gentlemen at the Manor, but even then he hadn’t thought to mention he’d been invited to join them for dinner that evening.

‘Yes. You don’t mind, do you?’

‘But...’ Jane frowned. ‘When was this arranged? I wasn’t aware you had seen Anthony since you went over there on Thursday.’

‘I haven’t.’

‘But you didn’t think to tell me he had invited you to dine tonight?’

‘I didn’t think I needed permission to accept an invitation on my own behalf. I’m sorry you’re not included, but it’s a male-only gathering.’ He grinned at her. ‘Not your idea of an enjoyable evening at all, I’ll wager.’

He didn’t even seem to realise how unreasonable he was being. She tightly folded her arms, as if to keep her anger inside.

‘You should have told me. I could have warned Mrs Godfrey. She’ll have prepared a meal for two...if I’d known I would be dining alone, I’d have been happy with only one course.’

Alex scowled. ‘Why should the cook care? It’s just a meal.’

‘And how do you think it makes me look, that I didn’t even know my husband intended to dine out tonight?’

Alex’s jaw set and Jane turned away, hurt he hadn’t told her—like he hadn’t told her anything about his visit to Lascelles, despite her asking. It was as though he were excluding her, reminding her of the old Alex...going his own way without being beholden to anyone. It made her feel...incidental. Shut out. First his nightmares. Now this.

‘Come on, Janey.’ He pulled her round into a hug, and kissed her cheek. ‘Don’t be cross. I’m still learning this husband thing... I dare say I’m too used to coming and going as I please. I’ll do better. I promise.’

He held her at arms’ length and his rueful smile melted her anger.

‘I’m not so much cross as hurt you didn’t tell me.’

‘I know. I understand. I’ll do better. And, to prove it, I should tell you Anthony has invited me over to play billiards any time I like.’ He arched one brow. ‘Do you mind?’

‘No. Of course not.’ How could she say anything different now? She consoled herself with the thought he was unlikely to go regularly. ‘Although—’

She bit her lip, locking her words inside. He’d already objected when she’d warned him to be careful. Sometimes it was hard not to recall his troubled boyhood and the scrapes he had dived into headlong...hard to relinquish the role of the sensible one who tried to prevent the worst of his excesses. But that was many years ago—their lives had led in different directions: his to school, university and the life of a man about Town whereas she had remained at home, only seeing him when she went to Town for the Season since he stopped visiting the Abbey.

‘Although?’ His lips continued to smile, but there was glint of annoyance in his tiger-gold eyes.

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