An Unlikely Countess by Beverley Jo

Author:Beverley, Jo
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: PENGUIN group
Published: 2010-12-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Cate turned to see Prudence marching back down to the farm, her posture declaring that she was still in a tiff over something. He left Perry and the groom to bring down the horses and set off after her.

“Let me carry all that.”

“I’m no delicate lady. Spare your leg.”

“A few bits of clothing won’t strain me.”

She glared, but then dumped it all in his arms and marched on.

“Prudence, Perry won’t make anything of your appearance.”

She turned on him. “My appearance! My appearance! I apologize for embarrassing you, husband.”

“I’m not embarrassed by you.” It came out between his teeth. Both his wounds were pestering him and he had no patience for megrims at the moment.

“No? Then you’ll have told him all about White Rose Yard, I assume, and my penniless state.”

“There’s no need for anyone to know about White Rose Yard.”

She smiled in a very humorless way. “Quite. I won’t tell anyone,” she said, continuing on her way. “After all, I promised to obey you, and I will keep my vows.”

What the devil was that supposed to mean?

He tried again. “What’s amiss?”

She turned an artificially wide-eyed look on him. “What could possibly be amiss, such a placid time I’ve had of it?”

“Don’t blame your recent adventures on me, ma’ am!”

He saw the flash of hurt before she turned forward and walked faster.

“Prudence!”

But then he realized this must be one of those times when a wise husband held his tongue. Perhaps she was even starting her courses. That was said to turn reasonable women into termagants, and would certainly add to the distress of the day for her. It would improve his, though. No risk of a Draydale cuckoo in the nest. No need to put off consummation once her bleeding was over.

He followed her in silence, rather inclined to whistle.

The mire had subsided to mud, but as soon as he entered the kitchen, she snapped, “Take off your boots. You won’t want to tramp mud on Peg’s floor.”

She’d discarded her ruined shoes and stood in her dirty stockings, her hair straggling again, with muddy streaks on her face. Was she going to be so ill-humored every month? To add to his problems, with his wound he couldn’t get his boots off unaided.

“Go and change. You’ll feel more the thing.” It came out more curtly than he intended.

She grabbed her clothes and stalked away.

He slumped against the doorjamb, watching his wife give her gifts to Mistress Stonehouse. The farmer’s wife was in heaven over the shift and pot of soap. She insisted on instantly washing her hands with it, and then her child’s hands.

“There, Jackity, don’t that smell pretty? All flowery it is.”

Prudence was watching and even smiling. But then she looked at him and annoyance lowered her brows before she turned and went into the other room.

Devil take the woman.

The others were arriving at the door. Perry, for some reason, was carrying a stick of some sort.

“Take your boots off,” Cate growled at Perry; then he turned to Mistress Stonehouse. “As you see, ma’am, a friend has arrived, and a groom.

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