The Countess by Lynsay Sands

Author:Lynsay Sands [Sands, Lynsay]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical Romance, Humour
ISBN: 9781410439192
Google: 8rb5gBMjz3oC
Amazon: 1410439194
Barnesnoble: 1410439194
Goodreads: 8437192
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2011-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

So,” Grace said the moment Christiana finished her explanations and fel silent.

“Your marriage to Dicky-George wasn’t legal, because it was Richard Fairgrave, Earl of Radnor on the marital contract and George was just impersonating Richard when he signed the papers?”

“I think that’s probably true,” Christiana admitted.

“But you’ve now consummated that il egal marriage to Dicky-George with Dicky-Richard . . . Does that make the marriage to Dicky-Richard legal now?

Or . . .” Grace let the words trail off, but then she didn’t have to say it, Christiana knew what she was asking. Was she now legal y married to Richard or was she a fal en woman in a sham of a marriage with a dead man who hadn’t been who he claimed to be?

Real y, Christiana thought, she’d believed she had problems when Richard had come walking into the bal and she’d thought Dicky resurrected, but it just kept getting more and more complicated, the problems mounting up one atop the other. Clearing her throat, she said, “I do not think so, though Richard may let it stand. He wishes to see how wel we deal together before he decides.”

Grace snorted with disgust. “He apparently felt you dealt wel enough together last night when he consummated the marriage his brother got him into.”

“Yes, wel , that may have been my fault,” Christiana admitted, flushing hotly. “I was trying to see his strawberry and . . . er . . .”

“And fel on his pole?” Grace asked dryly.

“Grace!” Christiana cried with shock.

“Wel , listen to yourself trying to take the blame,” the maid said impatiently. “You were an untried girl ere last night, the blood on the sheets proves that. And you were inebriated as wel . And you thought him your husband while he knew otherwise,” she added grimly. “You are the innocent in this. It’s those two in the next room at fault for al that has occurred.”

“She’s right.”

Christiana swung around to see a grim-faced Richard in the connecting doorway to the master bedroom. He’d agreed to wait in the master bedroom while she explained the situation to Grace, but had apparently grown impatient. Christiana bit her lip as he now crossed the room toward them, worried that he might take Grace to task for what some would consider overstepping in even asking questions. However, Grace had been a member of her household al her life. While she was her maid, she was also like family to her. Christiana loved the older woman, and knew that love and caring was returned. It was the only reason the woman felt she could be so free with her tongue. Fortunately, Richard seemed to understand that and gave Grace a nod of respect. “You are right. I am the one who decided last night that I would let the marriage stand.” He turned to Christiana. “I had no idea you were stil a virgin at the time, but I did know the marriage probably wasn’t legal and that you were somewhat the worse for drink.

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