The Marriage Experiment by Laura Trentham

Author:Laura Trentham [Trentham, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laura Huskins

Chapter 15

Dawson couldn’t sleep. He had dozed off in the carriage trying to keep himself from marveling at the beauty of his new wife sitting across from him. Of course he had awoken from an erotic dream where he had done more than touch her and bring her to climax. It was a wonder she hadn’t noticed the hard cock straining at his breeches. It had taken a conversation about sheep to bring his ardor under control.

He had checked on her earlier and found her asleep atop the forest green coverlet, her dark hair damply curling around her like some fairy-tale princess cursed by an evil witch. Her bare leg peeked from the folds of the dressing gown she had commandeered from his wardrobe on their wedding night.

While he would admit to looking his fill, he had merely covered her with a blanket from the foot of the bed and retreated to the study to assess its state.

Its state was a mess. He worked at sorting the papers and ledgers into piles under a brace of candles until his eyes grew tired. Mrs. Hannigan had brought him a tray with a simple dinner of meat pasties.

“Your lady is still soundly sleeping, but I left a tray in case she wakes later feeling peckish.” While Mrs. Hannigan’s tone was as even as ever, her face reflected the unusually long hours she was working because of their arrival. “Is there anything else I can get you, my lord?”

“No, thank you. You go on to your cottage and take Mr. Hannigan with you. We will require nothing more this evening.”

“We would be happy to relocate to the manor if that would be more convenient for you, my lord.”

“I wouldn’t hear of it. Neither Adriana nor I require doting upon. I will be busy with the lambing soon and getting the estate’s accounts in order, and Adriana will want to explore and work in the gardens. She is a lepidopterist.” He couldn’t keep the pride from his voice.

“A what, my lord?” Mrs. Hannigan, on the other hand, sounded as if he’d informed her Adriana had leprosy.

“A lepidopterist studies butterflies and moths. Adriana is particularly interested in moths.”

“The bugs that eat wool?”

He hadn’t considered the possible detrimental aspects of moths on their wool stocks. “Yes. Perhaps she can help determine deterrents.”

Mrs. Hannigan hesitated in the doorway. “She is very unusual, isn’t she?”

Dawson wasn’t sure if Mrs. Hannigan was paying a compliment or offering criticism. “My wife is wickedly smart and talented. It seems to me as if that is less unusual among the fairer sex than society would lead us to believe.”

Mrs. Hannigan merely blinked before inclining her head and retreating. Tomorrow he might apologize for his brusque tone, but he would not countenance anyone insulting Adriana for her intelligence or interests.

He continued to organize the study until one of the candles guttered. It was late, but he remained restless. Blowing out the remaining candles, he wandered through the dark house to the drawing room to pour himself a small glass of brandy from the sideboard.

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