The Viscount’s Wife: Weddings & Scandals by Alec Joyce

Author:Alec, Joyce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-07T16:00:00+00:00

8

Ten Days Later

“May I enquire as to how you are faring this fine day, Lady Chaucer?”

Francis grinned as Lady Chaucer flushed red as she rose to greet him. He was well aware of what was growing between them, but he often found it more than a little amusing that he could bring such a blush to her cheeks merely with the simplest of remarks.

“I am in perfect health, I thank you,” Lady Chaucer replied with a brilliant smile in his direction. “Although I hear that today, you wish me to speak to my butler?” The smile faded slightly as she resumed her seat, clearly a little agitated over the fact that Francis wished her to return to the house.

“Indeed,” Francis said gently, sitting down opposite her, glad that Miss James and Lord Wickton had agreed to give them a few minutes alone together. “Nothing has occurred this last week now, has it?”

“No,” Lady Chaucer agreed, although her blue eyes were lit with anxiety. “I have been quite safe residing with Charlotte and Wickton.”

Francis nodded. “And I have been glad that you have found such contentment here, but the situation cannot continue indefinitely.”

A cloud passed over Lady Chaucer’s face. “You think I am overstaying my welcome?”

“No! No, absolutely not!” Francis gestured wildly, irritated with himself for his lack of careful consideration over his words. “You mistake me entirely, Lady Chaucer.”

“Henrietta, please.”

Her request stopped him short, the words dying on his lips as he stared at her.

“Unless you think me most inappropriate,” Lady Chaucer continued, her eyes now darting from here to there with evident concern that he thought her improper for suggestion such a thing. “It is only that we have become very firm friends in the fortnight we have known each other and I thought…”

Francis held up one hand, stopping her stumbling words. “Forgive me, Henrietta,” he said, putting a slight emphasis on her name. “I was simply a little overcome with the suggestion, that is all. It means a great deal to me that you would allow me such considerations.”

Henrietta blushed furiously all over again, although Francis did not miss the smile that caught her lips. His mind and heart were entirely caught up with her, it seemed, for he could barely remove her from his thoughts of late, and found, much to his surprise, that he had no wish to do so, either.

But still, she was married to Lord Chaucer in society’s eyes, and unless they could determine what had occurred with the fellow’s body, then there would never be anything of substance between himself and Lady Chaucer. He could never take her as a wife, as he wished to.

The matter had to be brought up once again.

“I think, Henrietta, that we must return to the townhouse and conduct a quick search of your husband’s bedchamber,” he said, returning to the matter at hand. “If you will talk to and distract the butler, then Lord Wickton and I have every intention of searching the study and the bedchamber. My only fear is that they will be locked.

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