The Dutiful Rake by Elizabeth Rolls

Author:Elizabeth Rolls [Elizabeth Rolls]
Language: eng, eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2009-10-09T22:00:00+00:00

Marcus spent a solitary and lengthy evening by the fire in the library, attempting to read. Never had his cosy, welcoming library seemed so utterly bereft of comfort, so empty. He wandered along the bookshelves, seeking something more entertaining than Carey’s translation of the Inferno, noting Meg’s depredations as he did so. What had she taken? Mostly poetry, but a few of his mother’s novels as well. He smiled. No doubt she would enjoy Hatchard’s and Hookham’s. He must take her to both…He caught himself up sharply. Meg would be quite capable of finding her own way around…he was not going to sit in her pocket.

He glanced frequently at his watch and eventually, realising that he had not turned a page for the past ten minutes and that it was half-past ten, decided to retire. After all, he had been driving all day. An early night would not hurt him. He thrust away the thought that, despite retiring early for the last two nights, he was a trifle short on sleep.

In his bedchamber he found his nightshirt laid out ready, the bed turned down, everything as it should be. Yet he hesitated. The bed was enormous. A huge, old-fashioned four poster. The Earls of Rutherford had slept in it and bedded their brides in it for generations. No matter what else might be brought up to date and modernised in the London house, the Earl’s bed remained, a monument to generations of feudal privilege. Unfortunately it was empty and it looked damned chilly and uninviting. Which was ridiculous, since he knew perfectly well that his valet would have passed a warming pan through it as soon as he knew his master was on his way to bed.

Marcus swore fluently. The only thing that was going to warm that bed to his satisfaction in the foreseeable future was Meg. And the thought infuriated him. He did not wish to be held in thrall by his wife’s charms. Surely he could control his desire for at least one night! He had shared her bed for the last two nights, for heaven’s sake. What more did he want? And she had seemed happy enough with his intimation that he did not wish to avail himself of his…rights—he found the word rights rather unpleasant…as though he could take her when and as he pleased without any regard to her wishes. No doubt Winterbourne had thought he had the right to force himself on an unknown girl.

He should at least check that she was comfortable and happy in her room, and know that he was within call. No doubt she was sound asleep by now, but if she wasn’t, he could just tell her that…that he was near by, would come if she needed anything.

He pulled on his dressing gown and padded on bare, silent feet to the bathroom door, finding it slightly ajar. He pushed it open and stopped dead, his eyes almost popping out of his head in shock.

It was not dark as he had expected.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.