His eyes narrowed. "I'm not talking about women. Men will come calling today. Expect to receive nosegays."
Her eyes widened. "You can't be serious! They all know I'm a married woman."
"That has never stood in the way of the flirtations carried on by men in the ton."
"What can I do to discourage flirtations?"
"Nothing. But I must warn you. Many of those men who clamored to dance with you last night are not honorable men. If they call on you, you must be civil to them. But never, ever allow yourself to be alone with any of them. Ever."
She was stunned. "I'm not quite certain I understand what you're saying, understand your warning. Are you saying that peers of the realm with lovely wives and families would try to steal another man's wife?"
"Not steal."
Her brows lowered. "Do you mean they would find it acceptable to, say, drive around Hyde Park with a woman other than their own wife?"
He cleared his throat. "Nothing so public. In fact, some of these men boast about . . . bedding married women."
She could feel the heat climbing into her cheeks. Her mouth went dry. Her eyes locked with his. Even though he was her husband, she was embarrassed to speak on such a personal topic in front of him. She wanted to say, "There's only one man I would ever bed, and that is my husband." But, she was too shy. Finally she said, "Surely you know I am not that kind of woman."
He nodded solemnly. "It's just that many people, especially ones who have never lived in glittering Society, are often so humbled in the presence of nobility they consent to things they never would have done with a mere mister."
Her embarrassment turned to anger. She put hands to hips and glared at him. "I may be unsophisticated, sir, but I am neither stupid nor immoral." She leapt from her chair and stormed from the chamber.
Cursing under his breath, he rushed after her, kicking his chair to the floor as he did so. He was faster than she. When she was half way up the stairs he came abreast of her and gripped her arm. "Forgive me."
She spun around to face him, her eyes still flashing with fury.
He let go of her arm. "I never thought you were anything but principled. You've done nothing wrong. It is my mind which has latched onto this vile subject." He drew a deep breath. "I . . . I was angered by Drummond's attentions to you. I was so proud of your beauty . . . until I realized other men would wish to claim you." He shrugged and offered a wan smile. "I have found that I don't fancy sharing you."
If she weren't certain he was in love with Maria, she would have thought Adam was jealous. At the notion, her anger vanished. She touched his arm. "I pledged myself to but one man before God, the priest, and your family. One man only. Always and forever."
His black eyes were inscrutable as he peered down at her. A muscle in his angular face twitched. He swallowed. Then he did something curious. He lifted her hand and placed a kiss upon it.
Her heart exploded. It wasn't the kiss on her lips that she had prayed for, but it was wonderful nevertheless.
"I wish I didn't have to go to the bank today, but since we'll be traveling to Yorkshire tomorrow I have to dispatch some duties before we leave."
A soft smile on her face, she nodded. "If any of those dreadful peers should call upon me, I shall regale them with praises of my husband."
He smiled and offered his arm. "Please join me for breakfast."
* * *
To her astonishment, Lord Drummond did call on her not long after Adam departed for The City. And her husband had been right. Lord Drummond presented her with a nosegay of violets encased in lovely white lace.
Entertaining morning callers was another new experience for which she was ill prepared. What did one do? "Please sit down, my lord." She waved toward a slender-legged French chair near the silken sofa where she sat. She had no notion of how to begin a conversation with this man. She did not admire him in the least since she had learned he was blatantly unfaithful to his wife. She held the bouquet in her hand. When Studewood entered the chamber she would ask him to see that it was placed in water. "The flowers are lovely. How thoughtful of you." Her voice lacked sincerity. All she could think of was Adam's warning not to allow herself to be alone with this man. Would this be considered being alone? The house was, after all, filled with servants.
She felt tainted just by sitting in the same chamber as him. What a pity that Therese had been dispatched on an errand for her. Otherwise, Therese could have sat in this chamber to lend propriety.