Second Time Around (Runaway Brides Book 5) by Darcy Regina

Author:Darcy, Regina [Darcy, Regina]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Clean and Wholesome Romance
Published: 2020-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

SEVEN

Arthur Clemens opened his eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar room. No one was with him. But could he have expected his wife to be there at his side? He had hardly made a good impression on her by fainting in front of her. And in front of her beau. And the butler and the housekeeper.

For a moment, Arthur closed his eyes at the memory of his humiliation. To be weak in the presence of a woman was insufferable enough; to be so when she was entertaining a male suitor and one who had taken up a poker from the fireplace to protect her from perceived danger was mortifying; and to be viewed in a debilitated state before one’s household servants was beyond endurance.

The episode played itself again in his memory without any improvement in his perception of how he had conducted himself. There was no question about it, he had returned to his home in a perilous physical state and he had been seen in that condition. His self-esteem could not possibly recover from such a blow.

As he replayed the scene a third time, he was able to claim some comfort from the fact that, although he had not been physical prepossessing during the encounter, he had managed to hold his own verbally against all of them. One must discount the servants, of course, they were not in a position to challenge their master. But the suitor, Hendrickson . . . he had not provided sufficient argument to counter Arthur’s words. Except at the end, he had to admit; then, Hendrickson had delivered a succinct synopsis of his current circumstances with some skill.

Hendrickson . . . no title, or he would have given it. Hendrickson . . . the name was coming into recollection with more clarity.

Hendricksons, of course.

The frightfully rich family that had made its millions in the early years of exploration and had capitalised upon the seafaring profits to build up what was, by any standards, a fortune of such magnitude that it forestalled any sneering remarks about being in trade. The Hendricksons had turned their wealth to public good; that, and the family’s modesty regarding its largesse, made Joshua Hendrickson someone of note in the ton. He didn’t have a title, but as one wag put it, who needs a title when he has 50,000 pounds.

Randstand was one of the most profitable holdings of land in all of England, and Arthur was proud of that fact. He was a rich man by anyone’s standards, with an honourable title and family history, of which he was equally proud. Tabitha Greane had done well in her marriage. If she were covetous, she would regard a marriage to Hendrickson as a great achievement.

But she was not so; Arthur knew this well. That made matters more complicated. If she had believed that he was dead and had attracted a suitor of Hendrickson’s means, she was not lured by his income but by his character.

He had not expected to encounter a replacement when he returned home.

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