Page 41 of Their Brazen Countess
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course not, silly. It has simply been many years since I’ve been with a man. I was bound to be a little sore today, and the cost was well worth the price of admission.”
Both men seemed content with her response, though Linc grinned mischievously. “Well, Arthur, I suppose we should make a better effort next time.”
Before Arthur could respond a knock on the door sounded, and Harriet returned with their tea. Jo dismissed her and handled the pouring duties herself.
Arthur sipped his tea. “I hope we didn’t interrupt anything important with our unexpected visit.”
“Not at all. I was just in the nursery with Matthew, but Miss Stevens, his nurse, just put him down for his morning nap.” She took a sip of her own tea and then picked up a small sandwich.
“We would still love to meet your son. I’m sorry we missed him today.” Linc’s eyes glowed with a warmth and sincerity that eased her previous worries about intruding into their lives.
“Of course. We shall be in Hyde Park tomorrow afternoon around two o’clock near the Round Pond. Matthew adores feeding the ducks.”
“We shall be happy to join you.” Arthur spoke with an easy confidence she couldn’t remember him having when they’d first met years ago. Nonetheless, it was a development she appreciated very much.
Then there was a ruckus at the door of the salon. She’d set her tea down, standing to see what was going on, when the door swung open and Bernard, her brother-in-law, strode into the room—much to the dismay of Bell.
“What the bloody hell is going on in here?” Bernard demanded to know.
Shocked to her core, Jo stood there, her mouth agape as the man halted in the middle of the room.
“Who the bloody hell is this?” he roared.
Finally regaining her composure, she stepped around the settee to face her brother-in-law as Linc and Arthur both rose. “Bernard. I’m afraid I wasn’t expecting you today.” She waved her arm toward Arthur and Linc. “I’m entertaining guests.”
The man was puffed up like a peacock as he once more made blustering demands. “I can see that you are entertaining gentlemen. I’d like to know who the bloody hell they are?”
Jo clenched her teeth. “This is the Earl of Dunmere, and Baron Lincolnshire. My lords, may I present Lord Bernard Downs, my brother-in-law. Now if you don’t mind, Bernard, we were having tea. Perhaps you could come back at a later time.”
Bernard sneered at the two men behind her. “The bloody hell I shall—I can see the vultures circling already. You two need to leave immediately.”
Jo gasped in utter shock at such rudeness. “Bernard, I absolutely demand you cease this at once. This is my home. These are my guests. You are the one intruding.”
Bernard took a step toward her, his face a mask of fury. “Listen here, Lady Whitestone. This is my family home—my brother’s home—and as the patriarch of the family, it is my duty to see that all is well and as it should be. A lady entertaining gentlemen callers alone is absolutely unacceptable. Should this get out, it would be a stain on my family’s reputation and name.”
Arthur cleared his throat and stepped up behind her. “Now see here, Lord Downs. I don’t particularly care for the way you’re speaking to Lady Whitestone. She has done nothing wrong. We are simply old friends who have come for a visit.”
The man sneered, “It is unseemly.”
Jo huffed, then turned to Arthur and Linc. “My lords, perhaps we could reconvene this visit on another day? I apologize for cutting our tea short.” She tried to offer them both a reassuring smile.
She assumed she’d failed, since neither man moved.
Arthur looked at her worriedly, clearly hesitant to leave her alone with her overbearingly pompous brother-in-law, but she knew there was no way she could resolve the situation with both of them still there.
“It would seem there is some family issue that needs to be addressed. Again, my apologies for this untimely interruption.”
Arthur nodded and stepped forward, taking her hand and bending over it to kiss her knuckles. “My lady. If you’re sure you will be well?” he hesitated.
She smiled and nodded. “All will be well. I shall speak to you both soon.”
Linc followed suit, holding her gaze for a moment before he bent and kissed her hand. Then the two made their way to the door of the salon as they glared at Bernard.
Once they were gone, Jo whirled on the man, resisting the urge to slap him across the face for his disrespectful and rude remarks, but she knew that would lead to no good. “Now, Bernard, if you would like to discuss the issue you seem to have, calmly, I shall of course oblige you out of respect for my departed husband.”
Bernard curled his upper lip with disdain. “You were nothing but a broodmare for my brother, and I refuse to allow you to bring dishonor to our family name and reputation. I insist you cease entertaining gentlemen callers in my brother’s home unchaperoned.”
She huffed a laugh. “Unchaperoned? I’m no green girl. I’ve buried two husbands and borne a child. I shall not be dictated to like I am some young chit out of the schoolroom.”
