Chapter Ten
Wolcott House
Hanover Square
The last thing William wished to spend his time doing was entertaining Scarborough, but when the duke paid him a visit early that afternoon, there was no chance he could decline, so he came into the drawing room with a grin plastered onto his face.
“Ah, Scarborough, what brings you out today?” Hell, he needed time alone to think about the changes that were rapid fire coming at him, and most of them had to do with Charlotte.
Having her constantly underfoot and working in his library each afternoon was beyond tempting, but they couldn’t keep on like they were with only carnal need between.
I need more from a potential bride than that. Don’t I?
“Wolcott.” Scarborough nodded at William as he dropped heavily into a brocade, winged-back chair. “Well, I thought I’d come see how you fared after the incident that landed you in an engagement.”
William made a rude gesture but grinned when his friend merely chuckled. “Obviously, my life has been upended, and you well know it. I do have one question for you, however.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Why did you not defend me to the viscount? Why did you practically abandon me and let me be caught into an engagement—a life—I don’t want?”
“A few reasons, perhaps, and I like to play with fate at times.” The duke shrugged and didn’t appear all that sorry. “First and foremost, I wanted to see what would happen between you and Miss Primrose. To that end, how is the engagement going?”
“God, you can be a prick. You know that, right?”
“I do.” And the duke grinned, quite widely in fact.
Bastard.
William glowered. It had been a handful of days since his name was attached to Charlotte’s, since they’d embarked on carnal play merely for the sake of chasing release and assuaging her curiosity.
He was coming to know her better, and what he’d discovered was exceedingly interesting.
But there were still questions and worries.
Finally, he said, “It’s fine.”
“Clearly, that’s a lie.” The duke glanced more carefully at William’s face. “There’s no other way to ask this except to be bluntly. Have you taken her to bed yet?”
Heat rose up the back of his neck. “Bed? No.” But he’d had her against the wall, on the sofa, on a rug…
Did one truly need a bed when the woman was willing?
He yearned to claim her body again, possibly in the library.
She would look all too appealing with her curves on display pressed against a bookshelf or the wooden ladder.
In fact, he hadn’t had her naked yet… Realizing the duke stared at him, he cleared his throat and continued.
“Uh, we have been working through some things, doing some talking…”
“I’ll wager you are, but I’ll also wager the two of you have enjoyed each other’s bodies.
” Scarborough laughed then accepted the glass of brandy William brought over to him from the sideboard.
“And if you have, then you’ve thoroughly ruined an innocent.
That means you have a large responsibility toward her.
” When the duke paused, he rested a mischievous glance on him.
“To that end, how is she? Will you prove captivated for years to come?”
Indignation flared in his chest. “How she is? That is none of your concern.” He shook his head. “As for your other question. I don’t honestly know.
For long moments, the duke remained silent. Then, “I have known you a long time, Wolcott. You are a man who can’t be without a woman in any capacity.”
“I will refute that.”
Scarborough ignored his interruption. “Miss Primrose came along and she’s not like the other women you’ve been with. It fascinates you.”
He blew out a breath as his mind went into freefall.
“What if she does?” What she’d done to him yesterday in the library had not only surprised him but there had also been something exchanged between them afterward.
When they’d laid together on that sofa as the time slipped away, he’d had the distinct thought that it might be lovely to have other such halcyon days, especially if he had the right to be all things to her.
Except, he didn’t, not at this time. Even though they were engaged, that meant absolutely nothing without mutual trust or even softer feelings between them.
“You will continue the engagement, then?” Scarborough narrowed his gaze when William frowned. “What are you going to do?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? He shrugged. “Enjoy the engagement period?”
“Beyond that?” When the duke didn’t get an answer, Scarborough continued. “You’ll have to marry Miss Primrose. Her father made certain of that.”
“Oh, I know. Quite poignant, that meeting.” In fact, William had to give up one of his properties in exchange for Charlotte’s hand.
Why had he done it? God only knew, but some of the sting had gone out of the ordeal every time he and Charlotte came together.
“Her father is a bully, but I hardly used the hunting box, so there’s that. ”
Scarborough sipped his brandy. “You still don’t wish to marry? I rather think Miss Primrose isn’t like the rest. She won’t play you for a fool. Neither will she hurt you.”
“I don’t know…”
“Why do you think that?”
William took a deep sip from his own brandy. The burn of the liquor in his throat kept him focused and centered. “Charlotte is distracting. I’m confused around her. Of course, I feel other things for her too, but…”
A grin spread over the duke’s face. “Ah, you’re beginning to catch feelings for her.” A laugh escaped him, and he sipped his brady again. “That is progress.”
“Do shut up. You’ve become so damned smug since you married for the second time.” Yet William wasn’t amused. “I’m at sixes and sevens as to what to do about Charlotte.”
“It’s obvious. You marry her, of course.”
Knots of anxiety tugged in his gut. “But…”
“Yes?” The duke lifted an eyebrow.
He pulled at the knot of his cravat. “I’m afraid I’ll be a terrible husband given my history.”
“We all feel that way for whatever reason. You continue forward anyway, and you trust that the two of you will meet each challenge together.”
It sounded good in theory. “What if I give her my heart and she rejects it?” Though there hadn’t been signs that Charlotte would prove so cruel. She’d been nothing but helpful, curious, and affectionate.
“That’s a trickier situation, so you’ll need to continue to charm her and hope she falls in love with you.” Once more, the duke stared at him. “Are you in love with her? Is that what’s ailing you at present?”
“I don’t know.” Is that why he was acting like a green youth? “I’ve never felt this way about a woman before, except for the time years ago when I tried to propose to a woman and she shot me down.”
Scarborough drained his glass. “Miss Primrose isn’t like that. She’s straightforward and curious. At least from what I’ve seen.”
William nodded. “She is that.”
“And she will tell you if something is wrong or if you’re being an arse.”
“Ha.” He couldn’t help but grin. “She will, and she has.” Then his gaze fell to the signet ring on his left pinky finger.
The cushion-style canary yellow diamond in the gold setting winked in the light.
The ring he’d won at an exceptionally lucky hand at farrow a couple of years before.
“Slightly off topic here, but Charlotte came across some rather interesting information in a book recently.” Quickly, he mentioned the book won at auction and who wrote it.
“It seems that Mrs. Sherrington—my former mistress—might be a murderer. Twice over, in fact.” As succinctly as he could, he told Scarborough of Charlotte’s findings and musings.
The silence following was heavy. He swore it could be cut with a knife. “That is interesting.” The duke set his glass on a small ivory-inlaid table at his elbow. “And quite disconcerting. Have you read the book?”
“Not yet, but I will. Then I’ll know more about everything Charlotte has been telling me. But if she is a murderess?”
Scarborough frowned. “Count your lucky stars you sent her packing when you did.”
“That is a given, of course, but should I hire Bow Street to look into the cases?”
The duke snorted. “If you do, all the sordid gossip about you and her will make the papers. It could destroy your budding relationship before it gets started. How would you feel about that?”
It was certainly something he hadn’t thought of. “That would prove inconvenient.” Not only would Charlotte be ripped from his life, but he would miss out on being with her in any fashion. “Should Mrs. Sherrington just go about her existence without consequence?”
“You’ve made a convincing argument.” Yet the duke didn’t seem convinced. “However, women like that will usually find their comeuppance sooner or later, or she’ll tangle with the wrong man eventually and usher in her own downfall.”
William made a sound of annoyance. “That isn’t good enough.”
“It will have to be. This isn’t your fight.”
“Perhaps.” With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes.
Damn, but the past couple of nights had proved nearly sleepless, and now it was catching up to him.
“Regardless, Charlotte has been a bright spot this week. Aside from our affinity for carnal play together, I enjoy spending time with her doing other things. She’s taken on organizing my library and categorizing my books, and it seems she’s having the best time. ”
“That is good to know.” Scarborough nodded as an expression of relief flitted over his face. “Women like Miss Primrose are worth all the jewels at Buckingham Palace. Don’t cock this up, Wolcott. She is probably the best thing to ever happen to you.”
There was that, and what was more, he suspected he was coming to rely on her more than was good for him. “She is a mix of sweetness and sin. It’s what keeps me intrigued. I’ve never had that from anyone else.”
“It is one reason I didn’t offer a protest or excuse when her father gave you that dressing down. I had hoped you and she might suit, after you both removed anger from the situation.”