Read The Lady's Disgrace Online

Authors: Callie Hutton

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Historical, #General, #Historical Romance, #Blind Baron, #Barbary pirates, #Scandalous, #callie hutton, #Regency, #ton, #entangled, #marriage mart

The Lady's Disgrace (6 page)

BOOK: The Lady's Disgrace
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“Of course, I am sure Mr. Fox will want you to decorate your bed chamber whatever way you wish, my lady.”

Mrs. O’Neill had been speaking while Abigail pondered her husband’s preferences regarding where she would lay her head each night. “Yes, well . . . I will speak with him about that.”

As they continued the tour, Abigail listened with half an ear, caught up with thoughts of the future of her marriage. Soon she and Joseph would have to speak seriously on some issues. What exactly did he want from this marriage?

Because of her dowry and his trust fund, he now had all the money necessary to build the school, hire a teacher, and buy supplies.

Lack of cooperation by the parents was one of the pitfalls of schools for the lower classes. Most schools run by churches charged a penny a day for each student. When a parent didn’t have the penny, the child couldn’t get a lesson that day. By Joseph funding the school on his own, that obstacle to education had been removed.

What would be her place in their life? She would love to teach. She grew excited at the idea of instructing the children how to read and to write with a clear hand. It would be important for the boys to learn how to add and subtract, and the girls how to sew a neat seam. Since most of the parents in the parish worked hard each day to keep food on the table, there wasn’t time to see to a child’s education. That would be her place.

Their tour came to an end at the same time Abigail decided to seek out Joseph so they could make some plans. Her life had taken an abrupt turn by marrying a rector. Days filled with helping people live a better life would replace visits to the
modiste,
musicales, balls, and parties.

She couldn’t wait to start her new life.

Chapter Six

Joseph stood at the front of the assembly room and rapped on the table with a gavel. “My friends, may I have your attention, please? If you would take your seats, we can start.”

Abigail sat at the head table, feeling a tad uncomfortable as murmurs crested over the group like an ocean wave. Apparently someone—most likely Lady Durham—had passed the word that their rector had married. As men tend to do, Joseph seemed oblivious to the whispers and glances cast at her. But she wasn’t.

Slowly, those who had been standing at the back of the room took their seats and after one more rap of the gavel, the room grew silent.

“Before we begin our meeting, I would like to take this opportunity to present my wife, Lady Abigail Fox.” He held up his hand as questions rose from the crowd. “I will be happy to have you greet Lady Abigail when we are finished. I am sure you will all welcome her and make her feel at home here at St. Gertrude’s.”

Abigail’s gaze roamed the room while Joseph spoke to his parishioners about the new school, and how beneficial it would be to their children. The women seemed much more interested in the rector’s wife than the school. Most smiled shyly at her, a few of the younger ones with a bit of regret. Joseph had apparently been on several women’s list of potential husbands.

Most of the members of Joseph’s parish were hard working farmers and tradespeople. Before she and Joseph had taken their places at the head of the room, she’d been introduced to Baron Moreledge and his wife. The baron was very friendly, but the baroness took it upon herself to inform Abigail that there weren’t too many people in Abbysby End who were of
their station
.

Abigail had chuckled to herself since it apparently hadn’t occurred to the baroness that Joseph was not of
their station,
either. But aside from that remark, she seemed friendly enough, and offered to have Abigail to tea one afternoon so she could spend time with other women of the parish.

After Joseph’s talk, a few of the parishioners had questions, mostly about how many hours a day the children would need to be away from home. It also appeared the tradespeople and shopkeepers saw more of a benefit to the school than the farmers did. No surprise there.

“That is all I have to say about the school right now. If there are no further questions, then we can enjoy the punch and biscuits the ladies have prepared for us.” Joseph turned to Abigail. “Perhaps it would be best if you joined the other ladies for refreshments.”

She nodded and headed to the table where the women had gathered.

“Mrs. Fox,” one of the women greeted her, “so nice of you to join us.”

“Wilma, it is not Mrs. Fox, but Lady Abigail. Didn’t you listen when Mr. Fox introduced her?” A rotund woman did a slight curtsey to Abigail as she cast a disparaging glance at the hapless matron.

“That is quite all right. And who may you be?” Abigail asked the first woman.

“My lady, I am Mrs. Richard Steeves. My husband is a solicitor. I’m sorry to greet you incorrectly.” She blushed and wrung her hands.

“Please, do not distress yourself.” Abigail turned an inquisitive eye to the other woman.

“My lady, I am Widow Barnes. I do sewing for the village. Mr. Fox has graciously allowed me to do some tailoring for him, but I am sure your ladyship has a wonderful
modiste
in London.”

Abigail smiled warmly at the widow. “Indeed I do, but I doubt if I will have time to travel to London if I need any new frocks. I’m sure you will do nicely to accommodate me.”

Widow Barnes swallowed several times, appearing to almost cry with pleasure. “That is most kind of you, my lady.”

“Lady Abigail, so nice to see you again.” Lady Durham stepped to Abigail’s side and embraced her as if they were long-lost friends.

A bit surprised at the warm welcome, she murmured, “And you too, Lady Durham.”

Lady Durham faced the women in their circle. “I was honored to be introduced to Lady Abigail this morning.” She beamed at Abigail, seeming to have recovered from the shock she’d received at their breakfast table. “I am sure she will be a wonderful addition to our little group.”

“Lady Abigail, you must join us for tea one day next week,” Mrs. Steeves said. “We take turns hosting our gathering of ladies. We sew baby clothes for the poor.”

“Indeed,” Lady Durham said. “I will be happy to stop by to escort you in my carriage.”

Several women came and went to their little group, all very pleasant and welcoming. It was nice to be so quickly accepted by Joseph’s people. She’d been invited to several teas, and offers to have her and Joseph to dinner.

“My dear, I think it is time we departed.” Joseph walked up behind her and squeezed her elbow. “Ladies, if you will excuse us.”

“Certainly, Mr. Fox,” Widow Barnes said. “I imagine you are both still fatigued from your trip from London.”

“Yes, and Lady Abigail sustained an injury the day we arrived, and she should not be overtiring herself.”

“Oh, my lady, I hope you are all right.” Lady Durham was the epitome of solicitude.

“I am fine. It was a minor mishap.” She turned to Joseph. “I
am
tired, perhaps it is best if we take our leave.”

After a quick good-bye they withdrew, leaving Abigail with a warm feeling from the women she’d met. Life here could be very pleasant.


“Would you care for a sherry before bed?” Joseph asked from the sideboard where he splashed some brandy into his glass.

“Yes. Perhaps I will.”

He poured the drink and after handing it to Abigail, settled in the chair across from her.

“I received the final sketches from the contractor. They had apparently been delivered while we were at the meeting this evening.”

“Wonderful. I am anxious to see them. Did he include the suggested changes I made so there is a quiet space for the children to read? I envision some type of a small library.”

“Yes. I am very pleased with the results. And I must thank you once again for your very insightful ideas.”

A comfortable silence followed as they both sipped their drinks.

“Mrs. O’Neill was kind enough to give me a tour of the house today.”

“Ah. I hope you found everything to your liking?”

“Yes.” Her slight hesitation and then charming flush left him thinking she wanted to discuss something different. A more important topic. Hopefully she was ready to be his wife in truth, since he’d been thinking of nothing else all day.

Whatever was supposed to be occupying his thoughts had not been enough to keep his mind from drifting toward Abigail and her luscious body. He’d been embarrassed when several times the contractor had to repeat himself to get a proper answer.

The next appointment for the day had been a young couple casting each other shy and loving glances. The interview to arrange for their banns to be announced only reinforced his decision to stop this game Abigail was playing. He didn’t know how much longer he was willing to put up with it nor did he understand where her reluctance came from.

The meeting tonight had not engaged his attention fully, either. He’d watched her as she spoke with the ladies of the parish, all the time planning how he could get her away from the group and headed home. To bed.

The word
bed
caught his attention.

“During my time with Mrs. O’Neill today, it came to my attention that the bedchamber you brought me to yesterday was yours.”

He nodded.

Finally, a conversation I can concentrate on.

“Right. Well, I guess what I want to know is. . .” She stopped, licked her lips and started again. “I mean, is it your intention. . .”

“Out with it, Abigail. Or should I save you this unnecessary embarrassment, and tell you that yes, I do intend for my wife to sleep in my bed?”

She sniffed. “Yes. That is precisely what I wanted to know.”

“Now you have your answer.” He raised his hand as she opened her mouth to speak. “Please don’t tell me about separate sleeping quarters being
de rigueur
for the
ton
. I am aware that your parents shared a bed—no need for you to know how I came about that information—as does your brother and his wife. Therefore, this is not a foreign concept.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Just for your information, I was not about to dispute that, or mention what is done among the members of the
ton.”
Then a small smile teased her lips. “How
do
you know the sleeping arrangements for my family members?”

“You forget that I practically lived at your house in my youth. It was well known that your parents did not sleep apart.”

“And Drake?”

He grinned. “That was a guess.”

“A good one, however.”

Joseph placed his glass next to him and leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees. “I always expected to marry. When I first finished theology school, I was busy with my parish, getting to know the villagers and helping out where I could. The rector before me was aged, and apparently did very little in the way of ministering to his people.

“They were starved for comfort and spirituality. I like to think I helped in that way.” He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “But I’ve known for a while now that the time was right for me to take a wife. You must understand, Abigail that I never would have looked toward you, or anyone in your station.”

“Joseph—”

“Let me finish, please.” He waited for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “When I say I would not have looked at you, I mean that despite our life-long friendship, I doubted your brother would have approved of me. Well, certainly as a friend, but not as a suitor for one of his sisters.” He winced and ran his fingers through his hair. “I have a feeling I’m making a muddle of this.”

“No, you’re not. I understand what you’re trying to say. However, you must realize that despite my ruined reputation, I still would not have consented to this marriage unless I felt we would do well together. And I am looking forward to being a rector’s wife.”

“A rector’s wife or my wife? And in all ways?” His body hummed with longing. Sitting there, her back stiff, with her hands crossed delicately in her lap, should not have made his blood boil, but boil it did.

She placed her glass on the table alongside her and eased herself from the chair. “I think I would like to retire now.”

Before she was able to move two steps, he reached out and grabbed her hand, tugging her forward until she landed on his lap. “Not yet.” He encircled her waist, trapping her. “There are matters we need to discuss.”

“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “In that case, I wanted to talk about my role in the school.”

He pulled her closer and nuzzled her neck, the essence of flowers, and her own unique scent, heating his blood. “
I
want to talk about your role as my wife.”

“Yes, that too…” Her voice drifted off as he placed tiny kisses along her jawline. She moved her head, giving him better access to the silky skin of her neck. God, how he wanted her. She shifted slightly on his lap, eliciting a groan from deep within his chest. He spread his fingers on her back, moving her closer, his other hand sliding up from her waist until it covered her breast.

Joseph kneaded the soft mound, squeezing, shaping. His thumb flicked over her nipple, satisfaction rushing through him when it pebbled, and she released a breathy sigh. Her quickened breath and flushed face told him his ministrations were working.

He moved his hand to cup the back of her head, easing her lips to his. His mouth demanded a response, and she gave it to him, parting her lips when he slid his tongue along their plumpness. Lips that were made for kissing. Which he did, while also nibbling, sucking, and licking until she made small mewling sounds.

His body caught fire as he swept into her mouth, touching all the sensitive parts, tasting her nectar. Unaware of what she was doing to him, she continued to shift in his lap, her restlessness causing him to go from readiness to pure agony.


Abigail eased her hands up Joseph’s chest until she grasped his shoulders. Several times over the years she’d received a quick kiss in a darkened garden. Once she’d even been the recipient of a more-than-simple buss from one of London’s most notorious rakes before her brother had discovered them and blackened the man’s eye. But nothing had prepared her for her body’s response to Joseph’s kiss.

Every reasonable thought fled, and if she needed to put two words together to form a coherent sentence to save her life, she’d be dead. And the feelings!

A few more minutes, and her clothes would go up in flames. Joseph’s hand on her breast, at first surprising, soon had her itching to remove her gown without appearing wanton. Her body ached to have his skin touching hers. The problem was solved when her bodice dropped to her waist. While she’d been a bit distracted, he’d unbuttoned her gown, and was now pushing down her chemise, exposing her to his hungry eyes.

The cool evening air puckered her nipples. Joseph drew back, his fingers gliding oh-so-softly over her breasts. She closed her eyes against the need in his eyes−a frightening thing.

“Abigail, you are so beautiful. I always thought…but never realized.” His whispered words glided over her, making her feel beautiful, indeed. His hands covered her ribs, then slowly moved up, caressing both breasts. She arched her back, wanting more, desperately needing something else that she could not identify.

Unsatisfied at not being an active participant, she slid her fingers into his jacket and shoved it off his shoulders. Then she undid his cravat and quickly unbuttoned his lawn shirt, pushing the placket apart, smoothing her hands over the crisp hairs on his chest.

“Sweetheart, we should go upstairs,” he mumbled right before he took her breast in his mouth, and she nearly slid to the floor. He teased her nipple with his tongue, and then suckled hard, a jolt of pleasure shooting from his mouth to her woman’s core.

He drew back and pulled her bodice up, not bothering to fasten the buttons.

“What…what are you doing?” Was that her voice? It was thick, raspy. And why in heaven’s name had he stopped doing whatever it was he was doing that felt so wonderful?

BOOK: The Lady's Disgrace
6.36Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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