Page 15 of The Matchmaker Meets her Duke
“Your Grace, Lord Riverton is here to see… oh!” Ashton ducked around the butler and helped himself to a sausage.
“Morning Emmett, Your Grace. How are you this morning?”
Agatha’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “My goodness, did Edna not teach you any manners? I expect not, given her own.” Ashton ignored the remark and winked at Emmett. Emmett’s cheek twitched but he repressed his smile before he could get into trouble with his grandmother.
“You are being quite rude, you know,” said Emmett as he took another bite of sausage. Ashton finished his sausage and waggled his eyebrows as Agatha stood with a humph.
“Young man, you are not welcome at this table. Any grandson of Edna Brexley has no place under my roof.”
“Luckily for Ashton, it is my roof, Grandmother, and he is my welcome guest.”
Agatha crossed her arms. “I won’t stand for it. If you had any respect for me, you wouldn’t allow him to vex me so.”
Emmett tossed his paper down and stood. “Ashton, would you be so kind as to join me in the study?”
“The study? I want him gone!” said Agatha in a strained voice. This time the smile broke through, and Emmett hid it as he escorted Ashton away from his grandmother. Agatha squawked and continued her complaints until they were out of earshot.
Emmett’s study had several shelves of books and a wide oak desk with a multitude of drawers for holding his letters and correspondence. Thick red curtains lined the deep bay window and showed a view of the stand of trees that lined the eastern side of the Manor. He took a seat at the desk and motioned for Ashton to take the plush chair opposite him.
“So, how is marriage treating you?” asked Ashton.
ChapterNine
Pandora was not a sneaky person. Sneaking through hallways and eavesdropping on conversations was against her character. But when she saw Emmett and Lord Riverton go into his study, she couldn’t help but linger near the door.
It wasn’t eavesdropping, per se. She was simply admiring the view of the forest from the window. The fact that she could hear her husband’s conversation was inconsequential.Besides, we are married. What secrets could he keep from me?
“… marriage treating you?” said Lord Riverton.
Emmett sighed and Pandora took a step closer to hear his answer. “Not well. She has forbidden me from her bed.”
Lord Riverton broke into peals of laughter, so hard that it was a long moment before he was able to answer. “Surely not. You, the man who bedded three ladies in a single night?”
Pandora covered her gasp with both hands. Now there was a piece of gossip. It was good for Emmett that he was no longer her target. But Lord Riverton on the other hand–
“… brothel with me tonight. That will loosen you up. We can go to that one in the West End you liked, with the red head. Assuming she hasn’t been snatched up as someone’s mistress, she had talent.”
“That she did,” replied Emmett with a laugh.
Pandora clenched her fists. A brothel? She knew she was marrying a rake, but this was unacceptable! She had half a mind to barge in there and tell him so. But instead, she closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. A rake. She knew she married a rake. This shouldn’t be a surprise. But to hear it discussed so casually… was this what the rest of her life looked like? A husband at the brothel while she was home with his children?
She turned back to the window. “What are you doing?” said a voice from behind her. Pandora spun around with a small shriek to see Rose standing before her, arms crossed and face red with anger.
“Spying on my brother, are you? Is this how you think a Lady should behave?”
“Lady Rose, you startled me! And it’s nothing of the sort!” said Pandora, hands clasped to her chest as her heart pounded.
“What is going on here?” Pandora’s heart lurched again as Emmett flung open his study door.
Rose pointed an accusing finger at Pandora. “She was listening at your door, like some common thief!”
Emmett turned disbelieving eyes to Pandora. “Is that true?”
Pandora froze, her mind working furiously. “No, of course not.” She licked her lips. “I… came to see you, but paused when I heard that you had company.”
“Oh?” Emmett raised a skeptical eyebrow. “And what did you want to see me for? I got the impression you weren’t very pleased with me.”
Pandora bit her lower lip, and for a brief moment, Emmett’s eyes flicked down to follow the motion. “About that. I had time to think last night, and–” God above, what could she say? She had to convince him she wasn’t spying. What if– She took a deep breath and laid a hand on Emmett’s chest. “I want to get to know you better. I believe we should spend more time together, as man and wife.”
