A Momentary Marriage(27)

“Mm. It’s easy to be happy here.”

“I’m not so sure your sister is happy.” She thought it better not to mention Claude’s attitude.

“Patricia?” He cut his eyes toward her. “Why? What did she say to you?”

“She was in the hall crying this morning. Your mother was trying to console her.”

He cursed softly. “No doubt I’ll have them in my study this afternoon, wailing and tearing their hair.”

“Why?”

“I tossed Salstone out.”

“What?” Laura stared. “Are you serious?”

He shrugged. “Well, not literally, though that was a near thing. But I told him to leave, yes.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s a bloody fool. Worse, he insists on exposing that fact to everyone.”

“James . . .” When he didn’t look at her, she slid forward, turning so that he would have to look in her face. “Was it something to do with me?”

“I don’t know why you should assume that.”

“Because I am not a bloody fool, that’s why. Besides, Patricia told me it was all my fault.”

His mouth tightened. “I’ll talk to her.”

“No. I didn’t tell you so you would fight my battles for me. I just want to know what happened.”

“Leave it. It’s nothing you need worry about.”

She stood up, planting herself squarely in front of him and folding her arms. “Do you really expect me to be satisfied with that?”

“No.” James heaved a sigh. “I am certain you won’t be satisfied until you’ve dragged it all out and turned it over twice.” He rose to face her. “He was rude. Insulting.”

“You mean because of his jabs at me last night at dinner? I took care of him well enough, didn’t I?”

“Of course you will win any contest of wits with Salstone. That’s not the point. You are my wife, and if he cannot speak of you with respect, he isn’t welcome in my house,” James said with finality, turning and starting back up the path to the house.

“Wait.” Laura caught up with him. “It rather lacks respect, don’t you think, to go charging off in the middle of a discussion without so much as a pardon me or good-bye.”

He half turned, giving her a slight bow. “Pardon me. Good-bye.” He strode away.

“James!” She trotted after him. Blast it, the man was supposed to be sick. Why did he walk so fast? “Will you stop? Just because I agreed to your proposal doesn’t mean I’m going to keep silent—”

“I am well aware of that.”

“Or let you direct my life. Or treat me as something less than your wife.”

“For God’s sake.” His long legs ate up the ground, and they passed through the wisteria arbor into the lower garden. Glancing up at the terrace, where Tessa and Patricia were now sitting, James cursed again and whipped around to face Laura. “Why can’t you leave it alone? I am trying to be courteous.”

“Then be rude, as you usually are, and tell me.”

“He insulted you!” James’s eyes flashed. “Don’t you understand? I warned him. I told him what would happen if he behaved that way toward you. Then he had the gall to make a remark that I am not going to repeat to you even if you plague me all day.” The words spilled forth, his voice low and fierce and almost breathless.

Suddenly his face turned ashen, and he swayed.





chapter 10


“James!” Laura stepped in, wrapping her arms around him and bracing to take his weight as he sagged against her. She clung to him, her body flush against his. “No. You cannot faint on me now. I won’t be able to hold you up.”

Her head was turned, her ear flat against his chest, and she could hear the rapid pounding of his heart, feel his chest rising and falling as he sucked in air. He rested his head against hers, his arms curving around her. His words came out in short, sharp pants, gusting against her ear. “I. Won’t. Faint.”

For a moment he wavered, then gradually she felt him straighten, taking more of his own weight. He leaned his forehead against her head in a pose she imagined looked loverlike. “I beg your pardon. I was . . . dizzy for a moment.”

“You wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t been racing away to keep from answering me.”

She felt him shake a little in silent laughter. “Laura . . . Laura . . . trust you to get the last jab in.”

Raising his head, he gazed down into her face for a long moment. “Thank you. Why did you do that?”

“Did you think I would let you fall without trying to help?”