Lord Deverill's Heir, Catherine Coulter [the best motivational books .TXT] 📗

“Our conversation isn’t all that is proper, Ann. I don’t wish to speak of this further. Suffice it to say that I am completely positive that Arabella took the comte for her lover before we married. Positive, do you hear me? I am not a liar. I did not make this up, it is not speculation or guesswork. Is she still seeing him? I don’t know. Of course she denied it. All of it. What would you expect her to do?”

“Arabella has never lied in her life.”

“How little you know your daughter, Ann.” She slapped him as hard as she could. His head snapped back with the force of her blow. Her handprint was on his cheek. He said nothing, merely stared down at her.

“You are wrong. Completely wrong,” she said, her back stiff as a board, her chin raised.

He touched his fingers to his cheek. It stung. She was stronger than she looked. What to do about Arabella? His new home had become a battleground. Even Lady Ann, his soft-spoken, charming mother-in-law, had hit him. Was he the only one who believed Arabella guilty? God, were his affairs being discussed in the kitchen?

Suddenly, the library door burst open and Arabella rushed into the room.

She drew up short on the threshold, utter dismay flooding her face. She threw out her hands as if to ward them away from her. “Oh, I thought you were alone, my lord. But you’re not, are you. Not alone at all. Why would I think that? How are you, Mother?”

“I am quite well, Arabella. Did you enjoy your ride with Suzanne? No, don’t answer that silly question. No, dearest, do not rush away, for I was just on the point of leaving. Justin, please consider what I have said. Perhaps we can speak of it again later.” This was something unexpected, Lady Ann thought, patting her daughter’s hand as she passed her, Arabella wanting to be alone with her husband.

Suddenly Arabella grasped her mother’s hand and held it fast. The look on the earl’s face was forbidding. It struck her forcibly that Suzanne’s observation about Elsbeth and the comte might only serve to make her appear the more guilty in his eyes. If she had not been aware of the closeness between her half-sister and the comte, then most assuredly Justin would not have noticed. She wanted to strike out. Even now she read mistrust and condemnation in his eyes. She drew back, positioning herself closer to the door, behind her mother.

“It wasn’t important. I’m sorry for having disturbed you, my lord, Mother. I have nothing to say, really. Nothing of any importance. I think I shall go to my room now. Yes, that is a good place to go.”

“Wait, Arabella,” the earl said sharply as she turned to flee. Lady Ann was aware that Arabella was using her as s physical shield between her and her husband. She saw her daughter tense as the earl drew near to her.

He pulled a key from his waistcoat pocket. “If you wish to go to the earl’s bedchamber, you will need this key.” Lady Ann had held her peace long enough. Her hand still burned from the blow she had struck on her son-in-law. “My dear child, first of all, I was just leaving. You did not interrupt us. Secondly, why ever, Justin, have you locked the earl’s bedchamber?” He shrugged. “I discovered loose floorboards about the room. I did not wish any of the servants to come to harm. Thus, until I have seen to repairs, I wish to keep the room locked. Here you are, Arabella.” Arabella grabbed the key from his outstretched hand, turned, and rushed from the room.

“You have much to answer for,” Lady Ann said, looking at him straightly.

“You have messed things up royally, Justin.”

“Perhaps, but I don’t think so. Now, if you will excuse me, I really must pay my visit to Lord Talgarth. I shall consider what you have said.”

“I doubt it. You are a man, and in my experience, you accept one belief and die with it before you will consider that you were possibly wrong.

God, I hate the lot of you.” She turned, only to whirl about again, this time pointing her finger at him. “Arabella has never been afraid in her life. Yet I have seen her change since her marriage to you into a silent, withdrawn, even frightened girl. She has not tried to tell me what to do a single time since you’ve been married, and believe me, that is not like her at all. Oh yes, you wretched specimen, you have so much to answer for. Damn you.”

This time she left the room. He stared after her for many minutes.

Gentle, utterly guileless Lady Ann. She had become a tigress.

He left for Talgarth Hall and stayed there for the remainder of the day.

Elsbeth loved the sweet smell of fresh-cut hay. The smell filled the barn, making her breathe in deeply and smile. She walked quickly to the stall in the far darkened corner of the barn. It had been at least a week since she had slipped away from Evesham Abbey to meet him here. Far too long. He hadn’t spoken to her of his masculine need for her since Josette’s death. She honored him for such noble sentiments. His sensitivity to her grief after her old servant’s tragic fall made him all the more precious to her.

Yet as she spread her cloak upon the straw, smoothing the edges with loving hands, she frowned. She had sensed that during the past several days there was much on his mind. She even imagined now, even though she didn’t want to, that he had hesitated at her diffident offer to meet him here this afternoon. His slight pause before agreeing brought Suzanne Talgarth’s face to her mind. How she hated Suzanne. She knew that Suzanne wanted the comte. What woman could not? He was everything a woman could possibly want. Oh yes, Elsbeth