The Gentleman's Scandalous Bride by Lauren Royal & Lauren Royal & Devon Royal

Author:Lauren Royal & Lauren Royal & Devon Royal [Royal, Lauren & Devon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult Historical Romance
ISBN: 9781634690584
Publisher: Novelty Publishers, LLC
Published: 2016-12-05T05:00:00+00:00

FORTY-THREE

CHRYSTABEL slid beneath the counterpane in her bedchamber, happily resting her head on her husband’s shoulder.

Joseph kissed her forehead. “Two weeks.”

“Pardon?”

“You were gone nearly two weeks. It’s the longest you’ve ever been gone from me.”

Chrystabel laughed softly. “You leave me for several weeks every year when you go to Tremayne.”

She felt him shrug. ”That seems different somehow.”

“Because you’re the one leaving and busy.” She knew he had to go, that Tremayne, a castle near the Welsh border, was as much his responsibility as Trentingham or his duty to Parliament. But that didn’t mean she liked it. “Now that the girls are grown, perhaps I’ll come along. And bring Rowan,” she said, warming to the idea. “After all, he’s now Lord Tremayne. He should learn the ins and outs of running the estate.”

“An excellent notion, Chrysanthemum.”

Her husband’s breathing was slowing, his head beginning to loll. She had always envied the way he could go straight to sleep the moment he climbed into bed. Meanwhile, she’d lay awake for long minutes—sometimes hours—her mind churning with thoughts of the day past and plans for the day to come. She’d never figured out what made them so different.

“I’ll have to leave again, though,” she said mournfully. “Soon.”

His eyes opened halfway. “Hmm?”

“Rose is so close to making the right decision. Another few days at court ought to convince her there’s no one there meant to share her life.”

“Mmm.” His arms snaked around her, pinning her securely against his warmth.

“I’m quite disappointed, though, that she hasn’t found a moment here to go off with Kit. Lily and Violet are monopolizing her—perhaps I was shortsighted to invite them.” She gave an expressive sigh, wiggling herself into a more comfortable position within the circle Joseph’s arms. “I believe I shall have to wait until they all turn in for the night and then devise a way to get Rose and Kit out of their beds for a short while. I imagine he’ll be leaving in the morning for Hampton Court. Perhaps we’ll wait a few days before following…give Rose some time to miss him. What do you think, darling?”

Her husband’s answer was a soft snore. He was fast asleep.

Oh, well. She was quite used to plotting these things without him. Men were dear creatures, but the vast majority of them didn’t seem to have much of an imagination.

After conceiving her strategy, she dozed until the voices and giggles died down, signaling all were abed. Joseph had rolled over, leaving her free to slip out of bed without disturbing him. Tying a wrapper over her night rail, she padded across the chamber in her bare feet, her toes curling at the chill in the stone floor.

The house was amazingly quiet. Rose’s room was right beyond hers, so Chrystabel tiptoed to the door and tapped her fingernails against it—rat-a-tat-tat. Then she moved to the door of the room she’d assigned to Kit and did the same thing.

Nothing. Rose was a heavy sleeper, and Kit must be, too. She tapped on both their doors again, then a third time.

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