The Baron's Betrayal by Hutton Callie

Author:Hutton, Callie [Hutton, Callie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: category, Historical Romance, Regency, secret pregnancy, divorced, Series, marriage mart mayhem, Betrayal, callie hutton, husband returned, annulment, Romance, Historical, reunion, blindness, Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 9781633751705
Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous
Published: 2015-01-12T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Tristan’s arrival at his London house was unspectacular. Unless the disapproval of one’s staff counted as memorable. Ellis had hurried up the stairs before him, apparently advising all within earshot what a lowly man his employer had become.

A footman arrived at his side. “My lord, such a surprise to see you. May I assist you to the library? Or would you prefer to go directly to your bedchamber?”

All the questions were vexing him. He wanted to be left alone. That’s precisely why he had fled Donridge Heath. No, he corrected himself. He hadn’t fled, he’d merely decided that living apart from Marion was the best solution to their problem.

They had barely cleared the door when hurried footsteps and a strong Irish brogue announced the arrival of Mrs. O’Rourke, his combination housekeeper and cook. “Sure and that’s not our laddie returned from the country withou’ a bit a warnin’?”

Despite his gloom, he managed a smile for the woman who had taken him under her wing when he and Mrs. Gibbons had arrived from Portugal. She’d come with the house along with a butler and one maid.

“Yes, Mrs. O’Rourke, I am back from the country. I could no longer stay away from your colcannon and soda bread.”

“Oh, go on with ya’ laddie.” The pride in her voice turned his smile into a full grin. “And where is the lovely Lady Tunstall? You haven’t left the poor woman to fend for herself up the stairs, now have ye?”

How the devil had the woman known about Marion? When he had lived here in hiding for two years he’d never referred to his wife. Apparently some exchange of information had occurred between his soon-to-be-fired blathering valet and his London staff.

“Lady Tunstall decided to remain in the country.”

“Not that she had a bit of choice,” Ellis mumbled as he moved past him, most likely heading to his bedchamber to unpack his clothing.

“Will yer wife be joining you soon, then?” Mrs. O’Rourke was another employee who felt no need to observe the finer points of her position. Why was his staff so comfortable sticking their noses into his personal business? Since he had never been an overly stringent employer to begin with, always enjoying an easy relationship with his servants, there would be no putting Mrs. O’Rourke in her place.

“That has yet to be decided.” Before she could question him further, he added, “I would like to have warm water sent up to my bedchamber. I find the need to refresh myself from my journey.”

“Right away, my lord.”

Was that reproach he heard in her voice? He was obviously becoming much too sensitive to nuances in every word uttered to him. Perhaps it was guilt, or maybe he saw demons where there were none. In any event, he was here to stay, and his staff must adjust to his decisions. And he needed to stop second-guessing himself.

A few hours later, Tristan sat at the dinner table, pushing his food around his plate. Mrs. O’Rourke’s Irish stew was as good as ever, but he had no taste for it.

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