Once Bitten, Twice Shy: An addictive historical Regency romance full of scandal and gossip (Regency Romance Collection Book 2) by Christina Courtenay
Author:Christina Courtenay [Courtenay, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Choc Lit Historical Romance: A Joffe Books Company
Published: 2024-02-26T00:00:00+00:00
Chapter Ten
Wyckeham Hall turned out to be an enormous building made of golden sandstone that shone in the sun as they approached. Ianthe gasped in delight.
âYou didnât tell me how beautiful your house is, my lord,â she exclaimed.
Wyckeham smiled. âItâs your house too now, my dear, and did I not tell you to call me Jason?â
âOh, yes, of course. Itâs just that itâs all so new.â Ianthe still had trouble believing he was her husband and that everything he owned was now at her disposal.
âWeâre nearly there now. Are you ready to meet the staff? No doubt theyâre lined up and waiting to greet you. I sent word to say we were coming.â
âI look forward to meeting them.â
âThere is one person, however, who doesnât know â Caroline, my stepmother, Robertâs mother.â
âOh, how so?â
âWell, I have to confess I thought it best not to inform her in case she decided to cause a scene at our wedding. Sheâs rather prone to those, unfortunately, so I didnât invite her.â
âBut why would she want to do that? I donât understand. Surely, she ought to be happy for you?â
âWell you see, sheâs been living here ever since she married my father and is used to ruling the roost, but as my wife it will be up to you to run the household now. I rather fear her nose will be put out of joint, especially as sheâll now be The Dowager Marchioness since you have supplanted her, so to speak.â
âOh, but I wouldnât want to tread on anyoneâs toes. If she is used to dealing with matters, perhaps itâs best to leave it at that? I donât mind.â
âBut I do. I want her out of my house and Iâd been meaning to ask her to move to the Dower House in any case, I just hadnât got round to it yet.â
âIâm sure sheâll understand once you explain. After all, offering her a house of her own is very generous of you.â
He smiled. âSomehow, I doubt sheâll see it that way, but I hope youâre right.â
Ianthe soon found she wasnât, however. Only moments after they set foot inside the enormous hall, a woman came hurrying down the stairs. In a loud voice that echoed round the marble that was everywhere, she began to berate Wyckeham without bothering to greet him first. Ianthe stared at her, amazed by such blatant rudeness.
âSo youâve finally deigned to come back, have you?â the woman said. âYouâve been away an age and never so much as a tiny letter to let me know how things are progressing. Where is Robert? Have you found him a wife yet? I do hope itâs someone suitable and not some impecunious miss with only her pretty face to recommend her. Iââ
âCaroline,â Wyckeham interrupted her flow as she came to a halt next to him, âmay I introduce my wife, Ianthe.â
âYour what?â The Dowager Lady Wyckehamâs face went white with shock, then a dusky pink with some emotion that Ianthe could only assume was anger since the woman was scowling mightily.
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