Chapter Four
Mia hummed softly to herself as she made her way outside and down to the flower gardens that morning. Being able to reconnect carnally with her husband last night had changed her outlook as well as her perspective, and that made her happier than she’d been in many months.
With the bright, late morning sunlight shining down, she came into the gardens with a willow basket in hand.
Nicholas had risen quite early and rode out with a group of men intent on indulging in the hunt.
While he was gone, she’d joined a group of ladies who were learning how to put together floral arrangements.
They had all been tasked with cutting at least ten blooms from the gardens.
After that, they would return to the terrace to craft their centerpieces as a group.
What was more, she missed him. That was a good sign for their relationship.
As she strolled through the gardens, she snipped blooms from various beds, concentrating on rich purples, brilliant yellows, and pristine whites. An arrangement in such hues would prove striking on a table in any room.
When she came upon a female guest casting up her accounts into one of the flower beds, she was immediately concerned. “Oh, dear, do you need assistance?” A tendril of dark hair snaked past the woman’s temple, and she quickly tucked it behind her ear. “Are you ill?”
“Not in the way you would like to think,” the other woman said, as she gave Mia a pleading glance. Discomfort reflected on her round face and in her mossy green eyes.
“Ah.” Still concerned, Mia took the woman’s arm and led her over to one of the wrought iron benches tucked away between flower beds. “Sit here and rest. Shall I fetch you some water?”
“No, please, I’m fine.” She tugged at Mia’s hand. “Sit with me a moment?” Then she glanced about. “I seem to have misplaced my flower basket.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll find it.” But she settled next to the woman on the bench. “What’s your name?”
“Oh.” The woman gave her a watery smile. “Miss Sybil Parker. Viscount Haverton’s daughter.”
“Right. I’ve heard of him.” Mia sent her glance around the garden. “If you’d like, I can locate your mother…”
“Neither of my parents attend this house party. I, um, came with a friend, because I wanted to see a certain gentleman away from London.”
“Oh.” How interesting! “Are you sure you feel quite the thing?”
“Yes.” Miss Parker found her gaze. “May I tell you a secret?”
“Of course.”
“I suspect I’m enceinte, but it’s quite the scandal. I’m not married.”
Mia’s eyebrows soared. “Do you know whose baby it is?”
“Yes. It’s why I’m here.” Tears welled in the younger woman’s eyes. “The earl’s brother, Mr. Chapman, and I have been lovers for a few months.”
“What?” A gasp escaped her. “Marcus put you into this state? Does he know?”
“No.” A sob left Miss Parker’s throat. “I’m too frightened to tell him.”
What a coil. “What will you do?” Such a thing would ruin the young woman’s reputation as well as her life.
“I don’t know.” She frowned at her hands, which were clenched in her lap.
For the space of a few heartbeats, Mia pondered the situation. “Do you love Mr. Chapman?” If she did, that might help a bit.
“Yes, which is why I let him…”
“I understand.” Mia nodded. “Does he return your feelings?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him for a couple of weeks. He’d been out of London on business.”
“I see.” Well, this would prove problematic far sooner than later. Mia patted her new friend’s hand. “Don’t fret. I’ll talk to my husband, who is Mr. Chapman’s best friend. Perhaps I can then have some insight or enough information to help you form a plan.”
“Thank you.” Gratitude shone in the girl’s watery eyes. “I suppose I should go back to the lodge and clean myself up a bit.”
“I’ll come with you. We’ll tell the group you have a megrim and need to lie down.” She helped the other woman to her feet. “I remember when I was carrying my son; the scent of flowers upset my stomach horribly.”
*
Nicholas scrubbed his neck and chest with a wet rag but turned at the sound of the door to his room opening and then quickly closing. When he caught sight of his wife in the small, square mirror on the wall over the washbasin, he grinned.
“Couldn’t wait to see me again?” Last night with her had been everything he’d hoped for, and he wanted another chance at that.
“Mmm.” When she let her gaze rove up and down his person, need shivered through his length, for he’d felt that as if she’d touched him. “Of course, but I need to tell you something I discovered earlier this morning.”
“Oh? Is it wicked in nature?” As he spoke, he continued his ablutions.
“Perhaps.” Even though they were alone, Amelia lowered her voice. “I met a young lady today in the gardens by the name of a Miss Parker.” One of her blonde eyebrows rose. “Has Marcus mentioned her in recent weeks?”
“No.” He frowned into the mirror while watching her.
“He hasn’t indicated an interest in any woman.
If he has one in his life, he certainly hasn’t told me.
” Not that such secrets meant anything. Ever since Nicholas had pursued Amelia, he and Marcus had an unspoken agreement not to talk in a derogatory manner about the women in their lives.
“Of course, I might have been neglecting our friendship a bit since Gideon was born. Things have been quite busy.”
“While this is true, it is frustrating.” Amelia rested her hands on her hips. “Do you think he’s a womanizer who beds innocents and then leaves them in scandal? Miss Parker was quite upset.”
“I rather doubt that.” When he finished at the wash basin, he draped the rag over the edge then turned to regard his wife. “Marcus doesn’t do such things.”
She snorted. “He is your best friend, and you were quite wild before you and I wed.”
Heat sneaked up the back of his neck. “Why must you point out the logic? Marcus might enjoy the company of women more than is good for him, but haven’t we all made missteps in the past?”
Amusement danced in her eyes, but she shook her head. “Nicholas, you need to speak with him because he is your best friend. The poor woman is in love with him and now she’s carrying his babe. He can’t ruin her life and leave her in scandal.”
The announcement sent a wave of shock through his insides. “His lover is here?”
“Yes, and she said she came specifically to talk with him, but she’s afraid of doing so. Perhaps she doesn’t want to lose him.”
“Ah.” He shoved the fingers of one hand through his hair. “Do you believe Miss Parker’s story?”
“Yes, of course.” Amelia nodded. “She was retching into the flower bed.”
“It could have been food that didn’t agree with her.”
“Don’t be an arse, Nicholas. She had the look of someone who is increasing.
And when she spoke of Marcus, there were decided stars in her eyes.
I hope they are able to come to an agreement.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if your best friend were to marry and start filling his nursery? Our children can grow up together.”
He couldn’t help but snort. “I think you are too much of a romantic at times, sweeting.” As he spoke, he closed the distance between them. “I promise I shall speak to him and see where the wind blows.”
“Thank you.” With a certain look in her eyes, Amelia ran her hands over his chest. Damn but he couldn’t wait to have her in his bed once more. “Can you blame me for being a romantic? Love is a powerful thing, and with the right man? It’s wonderful… even if you drive me insane at times.”
“Ah, see? There is the tart mouth I remember from when we courted.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say your courted me. Bedeviled, teased, infuriated me, routed me at every turn,” she added in a low voice that sent shivers of need through him to land in his shaft.
“Yes, but it all led us to the same place.” Chuckling, Nicholas tugged her into his arms. “We have a bit of time…” Lowering his head, he claimed her lips in a series of searing kisses he hoped would sway her toward a quick bout of carnal fun.
“Mmm.” Though she returned his embrace and the next few moments were spent with roving hands and fencing tongues, his wife finally put her palms to his chest and gave him a firm push until he released her.
“They are serving tea on the back lawn soon. No doubt you are hungry after being away this morning for the hunt.”
“Can I not have an appetite for two things?” When he reached for her, she danced away from him. Uttering a huff, he nodded. “Very well, but this session isn’t over.”
“Of course it’s not,” she agreed with a wink.
Damn, but she was more beguiling now than when he’d first pursued her.
“I promise to have a word with Marcus after dinner tonight, and I also promise to put a bug in his ear that marrying the woman is in his best interests.” He grinned as he retrieved a fresh lawn shirt from a drawer in the bureau.
“After all, it’s rather convenient having a wife, and there is no scandal in sharing sexual congress whenever one feels like it. ”
“You are incorrigible, Wycliffe.” But her grin rivaled his own. “Thank you for taking my concern in this seriously.”
He shoved his arms into the sleeves and then smoothed the garment down his torso. “Don’t you know by now that I would do anything for you? That addiction has never waned.”
“Good, because I have no intention of giving you up, so I hope you are still in this amorous mood later tonight.”
Then she exited their room and he was left with a cockstand, which served as a testament to the whole of their relationship. Not that he minded, for it had been a merry chase indeed.