The Marriage Bargain (Regency House Party: Havencrest Book 5) by Heidi Kimball

Author:Heidi Kimball [Kimball, Heidi]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2019-08-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Anslowe listened for the click of Emmeline’s door before he allowed himself to grin like a fool. He’d almost kissed her. Standing so close to her, the intoxicating smell of her skin and the rosy hue that enlivened her cheeks had made it almost impossible for him to resist.

But now was not the time for giving into impulsive behavior. Something made her hesitant about opening herself up to love, even to him, her husband. Perhaps something from her past had taught her that love was not to be trusted.

And so he would, as with anything that mattered to him, take his time.

Anslowe retreated to his room and shut the door behind him, electing not to ring for his valet and instead undress himself. He unknotted his cravat, frowning as he remembered the look of anguish upon her face as she’d overheard her name being bandied about as fodder for gossip. Anger boiled beneath his skin, at the women who had spoken so thoughtlessly. Though he’d given Miss Hastings a set down, how he wished he could have done more.

But deep down, Anslowe was angry with himself. He’d been selfish. He’d thought only of his own image and had given no thought to how such rumors might affect Emmeline. What a cad he was. He finished undressing and climbed into bed, but it was a long time before sleep pulled him under.

Despite the pattering of rain against the window that awoke him the next morning, Anslowe couldn’t bring himself to be put out with another day of stormy weather. He rose with a sense of purpose. He’d spent nearly an hour last night planning and strategizing how best to court his wife. And there were a few things that required his immediate attention.

Once he’d sent off a brief missive, he called for his valet and quickly dressed, anxious to get a start on the day. As he stepped from his bedroom into the small sitting room he caught Bridget as she let herself out of Emmeline’s room.

“Bridget, a word with you, if I may.” He kept his voice low and motioned for her to step away from the door.

“Certainly, my lord.”

“I know it is Lady Anslowe’s birthday this week. Would you happen to know which day?”

“It’s on Saturday, my lord.”

He nodded. “Very good. One more thing. I sent down to the bakery in town for some pastries and they should be arriving any minute. Would you run downstairs to collect the delivery and set it on a tray?”

Her eyes grew round. “Oh yes!”

“Thank you.” He pulled out the folded paper he’d composed just a few minutes earlier. “See that this is placed on the tray, alongside the pastries.”

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