Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor Book 3) (20 page)

Recollecting that she’d removed her clothes when she’d returned from downstairs so not to give herself away, she shook her head wildly. “Tomorrow.”

She sat up abruptly, suddenly aware that if his parents were downstairs, they likely assumed she and Simon were… “Perhaps we should go make introductions now.”

“That’s not necessary,” Simon assured her.

Ignoring him, Rae pulled the counterpane off and scooted out of bed. “Yes, it is. I need to go meet them before they think I’m a lightskirt,” she said, frantically picking up her discarded clothing from the floor.

Simon’s large hands covered hers, stilling her. “You’ll just have to believe me when I say this, but my mother would be the last person to accuse another of being a lightskirt.”

Rae stared at him in disbelief, but he didn’t elaborate. “Please, Simon, I think my being up here was already a bad start to a relationship with your parents, but if we wait until morning, I don’t think I’ll be able to look at them.”

“Rae, I promise you, you have nothing to worry about on that score.”

“On that score?” She pulled her dress up to cover her chest. “And on another?”

Simon’s brow furrowed. “Rae, you’re worrying about nothing. They already know we’re married. If we weren’t up here enjoying one another they’d probably be more concerned.”

That wasn’t exactly what Rae had wanted to hear him say. For some reason, she might have felt a little better about his parents’ accusations had he openly confessed them to her. His not telling her made them seem that much more true—as if he were hiding it from her.

“If you insist,” she choked, dropping her clothes. Reluctantly, she crawled back up into his bed, finding it harder by the moment to want to be there with him. She blinked back the tears stinging the back of her eyes. She
must
accept this and forget about it. Her life would be miserable if she didn’t.

Simon’s hand skimmed its way up her bare arm and to her shoulder. He pushed her hair out of the way and pressed his lips to her shoulder. The act would have been her undoing only an hour ago. Now, she felt cheap and used. She gritted her teeth, another round of hot tears burning her eyes.

Seemingly oblivious to her feelings, Simon’s lips traveled across to the top of her back and to her neck.

* * *

S
imon was frustrated
.

First his parents had voiced something so asinine he couldn’t believe it was them talking, and now Rae was as responsive as an asparagus spear. Who would have known meeting his parents would have meant so much to her? He’d haul her down there this very minute if he didn't think his parents might say something that would cut her to the quick.

Tomorrow, he promised himself, giving her one final kiss before rolling onto his back and staring up at the ceiling. It was shaping up to be a long, uncomfortable night.

R
ae had hoped
by morning her heart would have healed a little.

It hadn’t.

Pasting a smile she didn’t feel on her lips, she allowed Simon to help her dress. She had to admit, after having to help her dress and undress for a fortnight, he’d become a very skilled lady's maid.

After he finished cinching and tying her, she took a seat on the chair next to his secretary and waited while he dressed.

“Is something bothering you?” he asked, jabbing his stickpin into the perfect knot on his cravat.

“No. Of course not.” She stretched her lips even further apart.

Simon didn’t look convinced. “Are you nervous?” His green eyes were soft and full of compassion.

“About meeting your mother?” She shook her head. She’d been introduced to Mrs. Appleton sometime last Season, though she doubted the older woman remembered much of their encounter. Nor did it matter. Whether the Appletons liked it or not, or liked her or not, she was Simon’s wife and that wouldn’t be changing any time soon, so there wasn’t any reason for them all not to get along.

“What about my father?” Simon asked with a crooked smile. “I’ve heard he makes certain lords quake in their boots.”

Rae shrugged. “If he doesn’t like me, it wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen.”

* * *

S
omething was definitely wrong
. What it was or why, was a complete mystery to him.

He sighed. “Rae, I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce you to my parents last night,” he said, kneeling down in front of her. He took her hands and held them in his. “Had I known it was so important to you, I would have.” Which was the absolute truth. He ran the pads of his thumbs over her knuckles. “I didn’t think the timing was very good. I wanted to give you—and them—time to rest before making a first impression on the other.”

An emotion he couldn’t identify flickered in her eyes, and she squeezed his hands. “All right.”

Feeling just a little more confidence, Simon stood and led Rae from his bedchamber down the stairs to the dining room.

Unlike what he was sure she was used to at Lord Drakely’s and Lord Townson’s, the Appleton’s dining room was a smaller room with a simple table and not an overabundant amount of chairs.

“Mother, Father,” Simon intoned from the doorway, squeezing Rae’s hand for encouragement. “I’d like you both to meet my bride, the newly minted Henrietta Appleton.” He pulled his wife closer to him. “Rae, this is my mother, Katherine and my father, Walter Appleton.”

* * *

R
ae’s mouth went dry
. She’d been so confident that she’d be able to display a confidence she didn’t feel when meeting them, but now…

“It’s nice to meet you, dear,” Mrs. Appleton said with a smile. “Bexley hasn’t quite finished breakfast, so how about if the two of us go get acquainted in the drawing room?”

Panic built in Rae’s chest. Mrs. Appleton had just met her and now she wanted to be alone with her? Would she interrogate her to see if Rae was up to her standards for marriage to her son? Would she inform Rae that Simon was using her to heal his broken heart? What would Rae say in response to her?

“We’ll all go,” Simon said smoothly.

Thankful Simon didn’t intend to leave her alone with his mother; Rae drew closer to him and allowed him to escort her down to the drawing room. He steered her toward the blue settee and helped her get settled while his parents filed in and sat down in the armed chairs across the room.

An uncomfortable tension filled the room as the four of them exchanged looks, but uttered not a word.

“How are you finding marriage, dear?” Mrs. Appleton asked a few minutes later, clearly as uncomfortable as Rae.

“Simon’s been very good to me, Mrs. Appleton.”

“You’ll have to call me, Katherine,” the older woman said, tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear. “With two Mrs. Appletons in residence, it will bring about chaos.”

Rae appreciated the older woman’s gesture for what it was. Nobody would be confused as to which Mrs. Appleton was being referred to. She just didn’t know how else to invite Rae to use her Christian name. Rae’s heart hurt a little. Mrs. Appleton…er…Katherine truly believed Simon was using Rae and likely felt like she was walking on a pond that had iced over and was waiting for it to break.

“Thank you, but I’d only feel right about calling you by your Christian name, if you’ll call me by mine.”

“Oh for heaven’s sakes, you two,” Simon burst out. “Mother, there will be no confusion as to which Mrs. Appleton anyone is referring to around here. Besides—” he flashed Rae a wolfish smile— “we will be moving to our own home where Rae will be the only Mrs. Appleton.”

“You should look on Brooks Street,” Mr. Appleton murmured. “I was over there two days ago and passed a quaint little townhouse for rent.”

“Thank you, Father, however, I’ve already purchased one. It’s on Grant Street.”

The air crackled in the room.

“You did?” his mother asked, her clear blue eyes darting back and forth between Simon and Rae.

“Yes.” A smug expression came over his face. Odd. “I signed the papers yesterday and collected the key. Rae’s things are all moved in, and I’ll have my things moved over today.”

Katherine’s hand fluttered to her chest. “I see.”

Just then, Bexley entered the room and announced that breakfast was ready.

Rae was off her bottom before the man’s sentence was complete. If leaving without eating was an option, she’d cast a vote for such. Unfortunately, she highly doubted it was.

“A girl after my own heart,” Mr. Appleton said with a chuckle. He stood and held his arm out toward her. “May I escort you to the dining room?”

Rae looked to Simon for help.

“It’ll be all right,” he murmured quietly. “He doesn’t bite…hard.”

Rae reached out to swat at Simon’s shoulder and abruptly stopped two inches short. “Thank you, Mr. Appleton,” she said to her father-in-law.

“I’m ashamed to say this, but you should have swatted him,” Mr. Appleton said. “I’m afraid I didn’t tan his little hide enough as a little boy, you might need to smack him a little to keep him in line.”

Rae nearly choked. “Excuse me,” she wheezed, covering her upper chest and lower throat with her hand.

“Did my frankness scandalize you?”

“No.”

“Pity,” he said. “I shall try harder next time.”

“And I shall have to swing harder next time,” Rae parried.

Mr. Appleton let out a howl of laughter. “A closed fist usually helps.”

Shaking her head, Rae allowed Mr. Appleton to walk her to a vacant seat on the right side of the head of the table.

Mr. Appleton sat on the end, with his wife flanking him across the table from Rae and Simon sat on Rae’s right side.

“What a fortunate man I am,” Mr. Appleton announced, grinning like a jackal. “Dining within arm’s reach of the two most beautiful ladies in London.”

“Aha, so that’s where Simon learned it,” Rae mused. She appreciated Mr. Appleton trying to include her, but he was starting to go too far.

“Where Simon gets what?” Katherine asked.

“His exaggerated charm.” Rae bit her lip, hoping she hadn’t just offended anyone.

“Young lady, you have no idea.” A broad grin split Katherine’s face. “When Walter and I first met, he tried to convince me—”

Cough! Cough! Hack! Cough! Hack!
Mr. Appleton banged his open palm over his chest. “Excuse me.” He waved his free hand in a rolling gesture. “Water,” he gasped.

Katherine picked up his water glass and pulled it toward her chest. “He tried to have me believe he invented the slide rule,” she said, then plunked his water down in front of him and shuddered. “Not that I had use for such a thing.”

Mr. Appleton attempted to chug his water while coughing and sputtering. He lifted his other hand, palm out.

“I’ll have you know—”
Cough, cough.

Taking mercy on him, Rae said, “My younger sisters have both trained Simon to kiss their hands—no matter what they’ve had them in—each time they see him.”

“They do?” Katherine asked through her giggles.

Rae nodded her confirmation, noting the way Simon’s face was ten shades of red. Instinctively, she reached over and patted his arm just above his wrist. He turned his hand over, his fingers intent on holding hers. A chill came over her. Was he playing a part around his parents? The magic was gone in that very moment and Rae pulled her hand back to her lap.

If his parents had noticed their exchange, neither said anything about it.

“That I should like to see,” Mr. Appleton said.

“Perhaps one day we will?” Katherine suggested, spearing a pear with the end of her fork.

“I would like nothing more,” Rae said, surprising herself at just how much she meant that.