Page 85 of The Viscount and the Vixen
She began scrubbing his shoulders, his neck. “Can’t we wait until next year?”
Most women adored London and the Season. He didn’t understand her reluctance. “What’s wrong with this year?”
“I don’t know all the etiquette. I need to learn it.”
“I’m certain you know enough to get by.” His friends’ visit had shown him that.
“You have far more faith in me than I have in myself.”
He did have an inordinate amount of confidence in her ability to handle herself among the upper crust. “I want to show you off,” he admitted.
Leaning up, he kissed the corner of her mouth. “Now remove your clothes and join me in the tub.”
Chapter20
A month later, as the coach rolled into London, Portia fought to keep her apprehension hidden. Long, slow, deep breaths had been the order of the journey. As well as a mantra commanding herself to relax. It was highly unlikely that she would cross paths with Montie, that he would discover she’d returned. And if he did, it was possible that he wouldn’t care after all these months. He’d no doubt forgotten all about her, moved on to someone else.
He’d never been one to do without and he liked nothing more than a woman’s company. In order not to forgo pleasure, he’d have replaced Portia quickly enough. She was rather certain of that fact, as she no longer had any delusions regarding what she’d meant to him: nothing particularly special. In truth, Locksley made her feel more treasured than Montie ever had.
“Where did you live?”
At the unexpected question disturbing the quiet, she jerked her attention to her husband, who sat across from her. They’d spoken very little during the journey, which had suited her, as she’d used her time to mentally prepare for what awaited her here in the city. “Pardon?”
“When you were in London where did you live?”
“I never said I lived in London.”
“But you traveled from London.”
She’d forgotten how guarded she’d been with him when they first met, weighing every word, fearful she’d give too much away. It felt wrong now to revert to old habits. “Yes. But I didn’t live in London proper. I resided in a house on the outskirts. The lease ran out just before I moved to Havisham.”
“Would you like us to drive by it?”
“I have no desire to revisit old memories.” To risk being spotted by anyone who might know or recognize her.
“Did you keep nothing from the residence?”
“Not a thing.” Nothing had been hers to keep. “It’s all in the past, Locksley, which is where I prefer for it to remain. Naught is to be gained hashing over the situation or my silliness in taking a husband who would not see to my welfare in case of his death.”
He sighed, glanced out the window. “After all this time, Portia, it seems you should call me Locke.”
“It would imply an intimacy we do not share.”
His gaze came to bear on her. “I put a child in your belly. A couple doesn’t get much more intimate than that.”
She folded her hands over that belly, which was rounding. The new physician who had moved to the village speculated, based on her size, that twins were a possibility. “We might be physically intimate but we are not emotionally so. I think we can both agree to that.”
Calling him Locke would make her feel closer to him, and she was striving to protect her heart.
“People will find it odd,” he said.
“When have you ever cared what people think?”
He grinned. “Is that something you read in your gossip sheets?”
She smiled at him. “I’m fairly certain I did. Will we see many people?”
“I suspect so. Once word gets round that we’re in town, we’re certain to receive all manner of invitations. People will be anxious to meet my wife.”
