Page 88 of The Danger of Desire
“Not much,” he grumbled as he began to pick at the food. God, he was behaving like a churlish schoolboy, complaining about everything and nothing. He forced himself not to sound so surly. “I spoke to Rathmoor, who used to move in certain unsavory circles, and he’d never seen a lord with a tattoo of any kind. Unfortunately, Fulkham wasn’t there last night, since he had some matters to attend to for the cabinet, but I hope to talk to him tonight.”
“That sounds like an excellent plan.” She sipped her coffee. “I take it that neither of these gentlemen are married, which is why they can spend all night at St. George’s?”
The barely detectable strain in her voice told him she wasn’t as sanguine about this arrangement as she appeared. That stabbed guilt through him. She really was trying hard. And he was being unreasonable in his expectations.
The least he could do was acknowledge it. “Actually, I spoke to Rathmoor early in the evening, after I left you sleeping. But yes, he’s married, and no doubt returned home at a reasonable hour. Fulkham, on the other hand, is not married. Clarissa has been working on finding him a wife, poor man.”
“She’s very good at that,” Delia said. “She and my aunt ought to band together to start a matchmaking club. They could hold us up as an example of their success.”
He didn’t know what to say to that. So he changed the subject. “I thought I would place an advertisement for a lady’s maid in the paper this morning, and then we could go pay calls. That’s generally expected of newly married couples.”
“Probably. But you’re a marquess, so I’m sure you can make your own rules on that score.”
“You’d be surprised.” He settled back to stare at her. “Perhaps I could take you shopping after that. You dolikeshopping, right?” He dared not take anything for granted with Delia. His wife could be an odd bird.
“It depends on what we’re shopping for.” She uttered a long-suffering sigh. “Though I suppose I should acquire more fashionable clothes.Thatwould definitely be expected of a newly married marchioness.”
Her dejection made him laugh. “Most women would jump at the chance to spend their new husbands into debt plumping up their wardrobes.”
“Most women have female friends to help them choose clothes. My friends and relations are all still at the house party.”
“Ah. So would you rather wait until they return to town to go shopping?”
She brightened. “Oh,couldwe? I would much prefer it.” Her face fell. “Unless you’re embarrassed to be seen about town with me dressed so shabbily.”
“First of all, you aren’t dressed shabbily. Secondly, I’d never be embarrassed to be seen about town with you for any reason.”
A smile blazed across her face. “Why, Lord Knightford, I do believe you gave me a compliment.”
“Of course I did.” He cast her a mock frown. “I’m not completely devoid of husbandly virtues.”
She patted his hand. “I know.”
He caught her hand and held it as something oddly like affection swirled in his chest. “I tell you what. After I introduce youofficiallyto the staff and give you the grand tour of the town house, we’ll pay our calls and go riding in Hyde Park to be seen as a proper married couple.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Then tonight we can go to the veryimproperVauxhall Gardens to dine and view the new exhibit.”
“The Grand Moving Hydropyric Panorama?” Her eyes lit up. “Oh yes, I’ve longed to see that ever since it opened! But Aunt Agatha thought Vauxhall too scandalous a place for a young unmarried woman.”
“And so it is.” He bent forward to whisper, “Fortunately, you’re married now.”
“How nice of you to notice.”
He ignored her arch tone. “Besides, it’s no more scandalous than a gaming hell in Covent Garden. Although the partsweplan to see of it may skirt the edges of propriety.”
She clapped a hand to her breast dramatically. “Why, Lord Knightford, don’t tell me you intend to show me the dark walks and try to assail my honor.”
“Try, my dear? I should hope I have a better chance of success than that.”
“You are very presumptuous, sir.” She rose to cast him a saucy smile. “Not to mention cocky.”
As she turned away, he rose to catch her about the waist and pull her back against the bulge in his trousers. “Cocky is exactly what I am,” he whispered in her ear. “And I’d like nothing more than to start the day with a bit more cockiness.”
So much for showing her that hewasn’tthe most randy fellow in all of England. He sighed. “Unfortunately, I really should introduce you to my staff before we do anything else.”
She surprised him by rubbing up against him. “I’ve already met your ‘staff,’ remember?” she teased. “But, yes, I do think you should introduce me to the rest of the servants.”
A laugh sputtered out of him. “Very amusing.”
“Besides,” quipped the little minx as she darted off ahead of him, “you should leavesomethingfor us to do tonight at the dark walks.”
