The Marriage Mishap. Judith Stacy

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      “I just didn’t expect to find you in here.”

      She sat back. “Is this room off-limits?”

      “No,” he said quickly. “This is your home now. As I said, you can do with it what you choose.”

      “Good, because I’d like to—”

      “Don’t tell me.” Adam held up his hand. He’d had his fill of settling servant squabbles, looking at household budgets and worrying over windowsills being dusted in the past few months. He hadn’t thought having a large house would be such a burden. “Just do whatever you want.”

      Haley shrugged. “Well, if you’re certain.”

      “I’m certain.”

      “What are these things, anyway?”

      Surprised at her interest, Adam stepped behind the desk. “Plans for some new houses.”

      She tilted her head one way, then the other. “They are?”

      Adam leaned forward and ran his finger down the lines on the paper. “See? These are walls. These represent windows and doors, bedrooms, parlors.”

      “Oh.” She looked up at him. “Aren’t they rather small?”

      Her breasts swelled the bodice of her gown, noticeable now because he was looking down on her. Adam’s breath caught. “No, they’re not small at all. They’re full and soft and—”

      “The houses are full and sort?” Haley stared down at the blueprints again.

      “The houses—oh yes, the houses.” God, what had he just said? “Actually, they are small, but that’s what McKettrick wants. He’s expanding, building a new factory and he wants to provide housing for his workers.”

      “And they want to live in these tiny little houses?”

      She looked up at him again, and Adam felt his knees weaken. He turned away quickly and grabbed a decanter from the table beneath the window. “It’s a lot of houses, all generally small. That’s what McKettrick wants.”

      “Well…I suppose.” Haley folded her hands in her lap.

      Adam poured himself a bourbon, and a little smile tugged at his lips. “Did you have a visitor today?”

      “Yes, I did. Mr. Havermeyer stopped by this afternoon.”

      Thoroughly pleased with himself, Adam sipped his drink and turned to her. “Well? What did you pick out?”

      The neat little bearded man had shown up in her parlor with a case full of jewelry. Pick whatever she wanted, he’d said. All her husband had insisted upon was that she have a gold wedding band.

      “Nothing.”

      “Nothing?” Adam frowned. “You need a wedding band, Haley. It’s hardly proper for you to be seen in public without one. And I told Havermeyer to let you have whatever else you wanted. I expected you to be pleased.”

      Haley sat back in the deep leather chair. “Had I been married to Mr. Havermeyer, I would have been very pleased to pick out a wedding band with him.”

      What was wrong with this woman? He’d sent a jeweler displaying exquisite gems and she’d not wanted anything? What kind of nonsense was she talking, anyway?

      Adam tossed down his bourbon. “Are you ready to go?”

      “Go where?”

      His jaw tightened as he gazed down at her. “To my father’s for dinner. I sent word to Bernard for you to be ready when I got home.”

      “I don’t take instructions from servants.”

      She said it so sweetly that a moment passed before the meaning sunk in. Anger coiled in his chest. “This is how I have my household set up. Bernard handles my schedule.”

      “Then perhaps Bernard will go to dinner with you tonight.” She rose sedately and crossed the room. At the door, she stopped and looked back at him. “I am prepared to go…this time.”

      Stunned, Adam stared as she sashayed from the room.

      

      They didn’t speak as they rode to his father’s house in town. Adam smoked four cigarettes, one after another, tossing the butts out the window, stealing glances at his new wife across the darkened carriage.

      He had a way with women, or so he’d always thought. He could be generous, thoughtful, kind— even charming, when necessary. Women fawned over him. Mothers, aunts and grandmothers pushed their daughters, nieces and granddaughters at him. Certainly they all thought him a handsome catch. The Lord knew, enough eligible young women had been paraded in front of him.

      Adam’s shoulders squared as he gazed at Haley in the shadows. So what was wrong with this woman? Nothing he did made any difference. The house he’d given her, the jewelry he’d offered hadn’t affected her in the least. Haley seemed totally immune.

      Adam grunted and turned away. Not only had he been unable to charm her, he couldn’t even get her to like him. And if he couldn’t get her to like him, how was he ever going to get her into bed with him?

      Adam slouched on the leather seat and lit another cigarette.

      Darkness had descended over the city when the carriage stopped outside the Harrington’s large home. Adam escorted her up the walk and spoke to the butler who greeted them.

      There was a settled look about the house, as if it had been there for years, just as it sat tonight. It was immaculate, almost as though no one lived there. It gave Haley an eerie feeling.

      Adam introduced her to his family, and they spoke politely before settling around the dining room table. Almost immediately, Adam and his father began discussing business.

      At the head of the table, Martin Harrington was a commanding sight, tall and straight despite his silver hair. Beside Adam sat his sister, Gwen, dark-haired and green-eyed, like Adam. With her mother gone, Haley wondered why Gwen wasn’t seated at the foot of the table, as the mistress of the house should be. Nearing thirty, there was a hardness about her. Probably a pretty girl once, lines and creases showed in her face. Or was it something else that had aged her? Haley pretended not to notice that Gwen was on her fourth glass of wine.

      At Haley’s right sat Kip, tomorrow’s birthday boy. Small and thin, he pushed his food around his plate. Though with his light brown hair and blue eyes he hardly resembled his older brother and sister physically, Haley found a connection; he looked as bored as the rest of them.

      Finally something in the conversation caught her ear. Haley perked up. “The McKettrick plans? Adam and I were discussing them this evening.”

      Everything in the room stopped. All eyes riveted her. Adam blanched. Kip and Gwen looked at her as if she’d just suggested they all disrobe and wallow in the rice pudding. Martin looked as though he’d been violated.

      Haley’s stomach hardened into a knot. СКАЧАТЬ