A Momentary Marriage(69)

Laura, picking up her hand, said casually, “I suppose you must miss London, Patricia.” It made her feel a trifle guilty to probe an obviously sore subject for James’s sister, but she could not pass up the opportunity to dig for information.

“Oh, yes,” Patricia replied in the most heartfelt voice Laura had ever heard from her. Then she seemed to come to herself and glared. “I’m sure you know that.”

Laura ignored her last words. “I haven’t been to London often myself. What about you, Adelaide? Do you and Claude go there frequently?”

“No. I’m afraid Claude isn’t fond of the city. Oh, look! I took that trick.” Adelaide giggled and scooped up the cards. Laura was pondering how to phrase a more specific inquiry when Adelaide went on, “Actually, I don’t believe we’ve been in London for a year now. Since last Season.”

Laura glanced at James. If Claude had not been at the London house recently, that would exonerate him, wouldn’t it? After all, that was where James had first fallen ill.

“You didn’t come with him last time he was there?” Patricia asked. “We saw Claude, oh, it must have been two or three months ago.”

“Oh! Of course. How silly of me. Claude did go to the city on some sort of business. How could I have forgotten? I suppose it was because I wasn’t with him. Poor Robby had a terrible cough. I couldn’t leave him.” Adelaide sighed at the memory and shook her head. “You cannot imagine, Patricia, how hard it is for a mother to see her child suffering.”

Pain bloomed in Patricia’s eyes, and, not for the first time, Laura wondered if Adelaide was really as sweet as she appeared. Were her words artless or a barb about Patricia’s childlessness? Whichever it was, it didn’t make Laura like Adelaide any better.

Laura turned back to her hand, dropping her investigations for the moment. But later that evening, as she and James climbed the stairs to their rooms, James said, “Well, now we know that Claude had the opportunity to set up mercury in the town house as well as here.”

“But several of the others were in London, too. Obviously Patricia and Salstone were there.”

“Still championing Archie for the villain, I see.” James smiled. “Yes, it could have been any of them. But it’s another nail in the coffin for Claude. Or, actually, for me, I suppose.”

“James . . .” They reached Laura’s door, and she turned to him.

“Don’t worry, I’m not condemning Claude yet.”

Laura blushed. She hadn’t been thinking of Claude when she’d said James’s name. It had been merely a desire to stop him, to make him linger here with her, perhaps even come inside her room. But, of course, that was a hopeless endeavor.

So she smiled stiffly and said, “Well, then . . . good night.”

He stood looking down at her, a heat in his gaze that made her hope for an instant that he was about to kiss her. But he stepped back, giving her a sharp nod. “Good night, Laura. Sleep well.”

Little likelihood of that, Laura thought sourly as she went inside her chamber. It was ridiculous. She had spent her entire life sleeping alone, but now her room seemed empty without him there. She could not escape the constant humming memory of his kiss—the way his arms had gone around her, his body lean and hard against hers, his lips wonderfully soft.

How could James remain so indifferent? She had felt the passion in him; she could not be mistaken. But deep down she knew the answer to her question. James might desire her, but she was not the wife he wanted. Now that he was getting better, he realized what a mistake he had made in marrying Laura.

She could never hope to match the paragon of cool self-sufficiency that he had wanted for a wife. When he had first described his ideal wife to her, she had been amused. Now she found it difficult to laugh about it.

Other men might settle for something less, might let passion overcome their intentions. But not James. He would suppress whatever spark he might feel until it was utterly smothered. Laura supposed it was fortunate that she was no longer in his company as often. It would be easier for her to regain her equilibrium without him around.

The only problem was that being apart from James was the last thing she wanted.



Laura was sitting in the garden the following afternoon when she looked up and saw Abigail walking toward her. She jumped to her feet, smiling. “Abigail! How nice to see you.”

Smiling, Abby took her hand in greeting. “When Graeme said he was coming to call on James, Mirabelle and I decided to join him. We’ve been in the drawing room visiting with Aunt Tessa and the others.”

“Is that why you fled to the garden?”