Wager for a Wife by Karen Tuft

Author:Karen Tuft [Tuft, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LDS, clean, romance, secrets, Marriage, young married couple, young woman, reserved husband, devoted husband, The Earl’s Betrothal, Louisa, William, The Gentleman’s Deception, regency novel
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2018-11-30T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 10

William awoke the following morning feeling a bit unsure. Today, he was going to have to speak openly about his past with Louisa.

On their way to the supper box, where Louisa’s parents, brother, the duke and dutchess, and Lady Elizabeth had, indeed, been awaiting their return—some more anxiously than others, he’d noted when he’d glanced at Louisa’s parents—he had promised her again that he would call upon her the following afternoon. They had agreed that they would spend the time in the garden of Ashworth House, weather permitting, and she could ask him any question she wished about him.

William would answer her questions as candidly as possible. He wasn’t sure, however, that their individual definitions of candid were in total accord, and he wouldn’t know until the matter was put to the test.

He had nearly completed his morning toilet when there was a knock at the door. He wiped the lather from his face and went to investigate.

“Lord Farleigh,” the rusty voice of Mrs. Gideon called after knocking again. “There’s a man here to see you. Says his name is Wilcox and he was sent here by a Mr. Heslop. He’s got a letter for you and refuses to leave until he’s delivered it personally to you.”

What could Heslop possibly want that would require personal delivery of this sort? “Thank you, Mrs. Gideon,” William said after unlocking and opening the door to thank her face-to-face. “Tell him I’ll join him presently.”

He pulled a shirt on over his head and tucked it into his pantaloons and then tugged on his boots, buttoning his waistcoat on his way down the stairs to the sitting room just off the main entrance. He doubted Wilcox, who was one of Heslop’s clerks, would care whether he was properly dressed or not.

Wilcox jumped to his feet the moment William entered the room. “Good morning, your lordship,” the man said, bowing deferentially to William before producing a sealed letter and handing it to him. “Apologies for the early hour, but it couldn’t be helped, I’m afraid. The matter is urgent, and Mr. Heslop was most insistent that you receive this and respond to it as soon as possible.”

William broke the seal on the missive and read it. He read it again, his head beginning to throb. He rubbed his forehead and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I should have suspected something like this,” he muttered to himself. “I assume you arrived in a hackney, Mr. Wilcox?”

“Yes, your lordship. It’s waiting outside.”

“I need but a few minutes to make myself more presentable, and then I shall be accompanying you back to Mr. Heslop’s office.”

“Mr. Heslop said to expect that would be the case.”

William returned to his room, taking the stairs two at a time. He tied his neckcloth into the quickest, most basic knot he could and grabbed his coat and hat. Thank goodness he’d finished shaving before Wilcox arrived.

Wilcox gave the driver directions and urged him to make haste. When they arrived at the solicitor’s office, Wilcox paid the driver while William rushed inside.

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