Lady Unveiled - The Cuckold's Conspiracy (Daughters of Sin Book 5) by Beverley Oakley

Author:Beverley Oakley [Oakley, Beverley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-19T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Stephen was glad to be back at The Grange and to note that Sybil was her usual serene self. Clearly, she had not been rattled as he had by suggestions that someone knew something about their affair.

This evening, Lord Partington was dining with them as Hetty was still in residence. Even when he was with his mistress, and it was just the two of them— Sybil and Stephen—they took infinite care in front of the servants never to disclose the nature of their relationship. In fact, Stephen was almost certain, and proud of the fact, that none of them could have discovered their secret. Dinner was conducted with the usual decorum. Hetty chattered the most. She seemed happy these days, he was pleased to note. Sir Aubrey was clearly a better match than he’d have believed. In fact, the couple appeared as smitten a year after their nuptials than they’d been when they’d wed so hastily.

He wished he could have married Sybil.

The syllabub was delicious, Sybil declared, smiling down the table as Stephen gazed at her. She was so easy to please. He smiled back, quickly transferring his look to Hetty, though not before he caught the flare in Sybil’s eye. She wanted him to come to her tonight, even though she sat at her husband’s right hand. He could tell. Much as Stephen wished he could legally sleep with her every night, there was something enormously erotic about the veiled glances they shared, her sudden flush of consciousness as he fixed her with a smoldering look.

Suddenly, he was in a fever of impatience to get dinner finished. His Lordship might request his company for coffee and port though Stephen doubted it. The old man looked out of sorts tonight. Perhaps he might go straight to his own apartments. Stephen doubted he’d head off to the little house by the bridge to see Miss Hazlett with Hetty visiting. He thought of Lord Partington’s daughters by his mistress—Lissa and Kitty. They were both beauties—clever and enterprising, too—who could have married well under different circumstances. Lord Partington was a harsh father to his bastard offspring, he thought. Just as he was a harsh husband to Sybil. Stephen knew if the slightest whisper got about regarding his affair with Sybil, they could consider it finished.

It was why he was prepared to pay any amount to keep it secret.

At last. The ladies were rising. Stephen and Lord Partington rose too, nodded to each other and with relief, Stephen saw that his Lordship had no desire for anyone’s company tonight. In fact, his leg seemed to be troubling him, particularly as he limped from the room with the aid of Puddles the butler on one side and Sybil on the other.

“I’m ready for my bed, too,” Hetty said on a weary sigh. “Lysander was up three times in the night. He’s cutting another tooth, and I fear tonight won’t be any better.”

Stephen murmured the required sympathy and prepared to follow her when one of the footmen handed him a note.

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