The Marriage Bed by Laura Lee Guhrke

Author:Laura Lee Guhrke
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Man-Woman Relationships, Husband and Wife, Historical Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Erotica, Fiction, Love Stories
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The clash of swords and the curses of men were the prevailing sounds as John walked through the doors of Angleo's. When it came to fencing, any man worthy of being called a Corinthian honed his skill with a blade at Angleo's.

Dylan Moore was already there when he arrived. The two men practiced together almost daily, but they had not done so very much of late. John had been too preoccupied with trying to win over his wife to think about much else.

An entire week had gone by since they had seen Lady Darwin at Bell's. Since then, he had tried several times to talk to Viola, but she refused to see him. Today, her three-week reprieve was over, but when he went to fetch her, he found her trunks were not packed, she had once again refused to see him, and her damnable brother told him to leave. Unless he wanted to force the issue by legal means, he and Viola were at stalemate. He did not know what to do.

He was feeling like a boiling kettle with the lid on. After leaving Grosvenor Square this afternoon, he had sent Dylan a note asking to meet at Angleo's for sparring practice this evening, because he had finally reached his limit and knew if he didn't let off some steam, he was going to explode.

His friend looked up as he entered the practice room. Already down to his shirtsleeves and ready to start, Dylan slashed through the air with the foil in his hand. "You ask me to meet you and then you arrive late."

John didn't say it was because he was going out of his mind. He didn't say it was because he was preoccupied, frustrated, baffled, and—worst of all—helpless.

He glared at Dylan as he tore off his coat, waistcoat, and cravat and tossed them to the boy standing by the door.

The servant then left the room, and John took his favorite foil down from the hook on the wall. "You'd best watch your step this evening," he warned. "I'm in a foul mood and I intend to take it out on you." He slashed the blade through the air. "Women are the very devil."

"Matrimonial troubles?" Moore asked, looking at him with sympathy.

"You don't know the half of it."

The two men faced each other, stepped into positions en garde, crossed blades, and began. John lunged first, and the blades of the two men clanged, echoing through the room.

"Gossip is flying all over town," Moore said, parrying the thrust. "I have heard that Lord and Lady Hammond may be reconciling. Or it may be that they are not."

"Reconciling?" John pulled back, and immediately lunged twice more, forcing his opponent to retreat several steps with the use of his blade. "I am inclined to doubt it myself. It takes two to reconcile."

Once again Moore managed to parry, for the two men were equally matched, and John was soon the one retreating.

Within moments they were back to the center of the room.

Guhrke,

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