Lady Henrietta's Dilemma: Regency Suspense Romance Book 2 (Lords of Sussex)
Read Lady Henrietta's Dilemma: Regency Suspense Romance Book 2 (Lords of Sussex) Online
Authors: Katy Walters
Praise for Lords of Sussex Series
~Junek
an
enjoyable book, especially now the cold nights are drawing in loved it and so will you ladies buy now
~ Jim Strachan
Loved this book, a great read, beautiful love story, can't wait to read the next one in the series.
~
Clanger
It just grabbed me from the opening chapter, and was engrossed until the end. Charismatic character …
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Lady Phillipa’s Peril
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Copyright 201
3 Katy Walters
Oakwood House Publishing
License Notes: This
ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead is entirely co-incidental.
Dedication:
To Sam with love.
Table of Contents
Rising from her chair, Lady Henrietta sighed, not again, surely he would accept the situation? He’d signed the marriage contract, yet now at the last minute he was reneging on his agreement. With trembling fingers, she took a kerchief out of her reticule clutching it in her hand. ‘Please my lord, all I ask is that you give me a little time before we….’
‘
Come now. You are not serious. We are to marry tomorrow. Deuce, what bride refuses her husband?’ Lord Vaughan Bruges, the Marquis de Courres, looked down in astonishment at his fiancée.
‘
Please, I beg you my lord.’ she murmured, looking up at him, her lips tremulous.
‘
Don’t be so foolish. I thought it was just girlish nerves.’
‘I am
sorry my lord.’
‘So, you are still cold?’ he asked; his brows furrowed.
‘You promised you would
wait.’
‘You
mean to deny me any passion on our wedding night?’ He looked at her silhouetted against the leaded light windows, the sun’s rays bleaching her flaxen hair almost white. With her alabaster skin and pale ivory dress, she was a sculpture in ice.
‘
I told you of my fear my lord, I did warn you.’ A faint flush tinged the white skin, as she turned away.
‘
I was humouring you; I thought by now you would have overcome it? Are you devoid of any desire?’ He crossed his arms; his gaze stony and unrelenting.
Henrietta
lowered her eyes, as he towered above her, his broad shoulders, filling out a navy frock coat contrasting with a silk vest of pale blue. Dressed a la mode, he wore his cravat high, decorated with a sapphire stickpin. ‘When you offered, I said I had this fear. However, you insisted it mattered not. You promised to wait.’ she said softly.
‘Am I to believe after all your protestations of love, it is a marriage of convenience?’ He paced the Aubusson rug, his eyes narrowing, as he watched her.
‘Never think that my Lord, I could not marry without love. I just have this….’ Words failed her, as her heart rippled faster than the keys of a spinet. Would he revoke his proposal?
‘
Perhaps you use fear as an excuse. I did not realize you are such a frosty mortal. Indeed, you gave me no reason to believe such with your kisses.’
‘Sir
, I only ever behaved in a ladylike manner. We always had a chaperone with us.’
‘Yes, but
what about the time we were alone in the library? You did not push away when I held you close.’
‘Please bear with me.
I cannot—’
Seeing the flush deepen on the alabaster
skin; he held up his hand. ‘Even though you deny me thus, I will honour the marriage arrangements; I will not sink to ruin you. However, be aware, after the wedding, I have business abroad,’ he said. Even in a lie, he kept his face rigidly composed. ‘I shall travel to Brussels alone.’ He resumed pacing; his hands clasped behind his back. Such a cold fish, but he had to marry her; without her huge dowry, he faced a bleak future.
Henrietta wrung her hands. ‘That is unfair; do you not love me? It appears you want me soley for the marriage bed; surely, there is more to an alliance than that? Please my lord, I implore you, take me with you.’ Henrietta felt the blood race to her head; if only she could explain her fear. However, the very thought of it caused her to shiver.
S
he walked across to him. ‘We planned to meet Lady Isabella and Lord Fitzroy out there. They are expecting us,’ she said, taking hold of his arm.
His muscles stiffened beneath her touch. ‘I have private business to attend to.’
‘This is the first I have heard of it.’
‘Tis war, not something I am at liberty to disclose.’
‘But my lord,
you led me to believe—’
‘
Demme, tis impossible; you ask too much.’ He strode to the window, looking out over the vast expanse of lawn. ‘Besides, I choose not to meet my day of reckoning from cold sheets.’ T’was ice ran through her veins, and there was no way he would take her with him.
‘I do love you Vaughan, believe
me; I do. I have promised heirs have I not?’
‘Hmm –
and what year would that be?’
Her mind raced for an excuse, anything to stem his anger
. ‘Tis your fault, you gave me that wretched book.’
‘
The book? Is all this over a volume of etchings?’ His lips twisted into a smirk. ‘Egad Henrietta, you professed you had no knowledge of a man’s anatomy, or of the marriage bed. Come now, I thought it would help prepare you.’
‘
It horrified me; it was not for a lady’s eyes.’
‘
Such fustian nonsense, it is a course of instruction madam, nothing more.’ Vaughan said, in exasperation, his long fingers raking the short hair.
Henrietta
flinched; she had to find an even better reason. ‘You should never have come to my room when I stayed at Isabella’s – never.’ she said, her heart tripping with apprehension. ‘You should not have tried to anticipate our vows. I was happy Vaughan, and you destroyed it all with your intentions, and that book.’
Her voice trailed away
, as she fought to retain her composure. She must not break, must not reveal her real terror.
She jumped, as
Vaughan bellowed. ‘All I did was kiss you, and lie beside you. I knew not you had no idea of lovemaking.’
‘
How could I my lord?’
‘Come, come,’ he expostulated, ‘
the book is quite innocent. The positions only show—’
‘
It was awful Vaughan.’
‘
What the deuce am I to do?’ he thundered, his face reddening.
‘Is it too much to ask to delay the consummation?’
His words rang like the
cracked bell of a church. ‘If that is your wish, but I travel to Brussels alone. After the nuptials, you may stay at Denning Castle. You will have all the time you need to reflect.’
Spurned,
Henrietta felt her heart breaking; still she could not tell him the truth. Holding her face in her hands, she sought to hide the tears streaming down her cheeks.
‘
Demme – can’t abide a lachrymose woman.’ Vaughan spluttered, God zounds; she irritated him, but he had to think of the dowry.
‘I suppose you will take your mistress with you,’ she cried. ‘You promised me you wo
uld be rid of her. But you haven’t have you?’
‘
I signed the marriage contracts. I’m deuced if I will continue this discussion. You fillies are all the same; your friend Isabella accused Lord Fitzroy of the same.’
‘
All you have to say is yes or no.’
‘Enough madam
, tis not seemly for you to discuss such a matter.’
‘
Seemly? Have you or have you not given up your mistress?’ Henrietta cried, surprised at her asperity.
‘
Do not beleaguer me with your jealousy. I suggest you reflect on your duties as a wife in my absence.’ he said gruffly. Giving a peremptory bow, he turned on his heel with the words, ‘I shall see you at the altar tomorrow.’
Weeping,
Henrietta collapsed on the settee. He could not leave her behind; surely, he wouldn’t be so callous? Even now, Isabella expected her in Brussels. What could she do? How could she overcome her fear? Hearing a knock on the door, she tried to wipe the tears from her face. Had he changed his mind?