The Marriage Mishap. Judith Stacy

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       Chapter Five

      It was only a door.

      Adam rolled the glass of bourbon between his palms and contemplated the carved wood and the brass knob before him. Not only was it merely a door, it was his door. He’d designed it, he’d selected the wood and hardware, he’d overseen its installation— he’d even paid for the damn thing. He could open it if he wanted to. Right?

      Wrong.

      He sagged against the door frame of his own bedchamber, staring across the sitting room at Haley’s door. She was in there. A crack of light shone on the carpet. It had been silent in there for a few minutes now. Chrissy had gone, surely. Haley was ready for bed.

      His insides flamed; they’d been simmering all evening, even at his father’s house. The woman was driving him crazy with want. Whatever she possessed that had caused him to marry her on the spur of the moment still plagued him. And unless he started doing something about it, he’d be in no condition to be seen in public ever again.

      Adam set his glass aside and approached the door. He’d planned to give her a few more nights before he paid a call; he’d thought it the decent thing to do, given that they had skipped the courtship and gone straight to the honeymoon. And once he’d formulated a plan, he didn’t change it. But now he had to deal with extenuating circumstances, which were pressing against his fly. That made a change in plans more than acceptable.

      However, the problem of the closed door remained. Adam rubbed his hands together. He was setting a precedent here. If he knocked, he’d be obligated to knock every time. He didn’t like asking permission for anything.

      Adam opened the door slowly. “Haley?”

      She sat on the bench in front of the vanity, studying her reflection in the large oval mirror as she brushed her hair. Turning, she looked surprised, but not shocked; it pleased him.

      Adam gazed around. “All settled?”

      She turned back to the mirror and ran the brush through her hair. “Yes, I think so.”

      “Good, good.” He eased across the room and stood behind her where he could view both her back and her front reflected in the mirror. She wore a longsleeved dressing gown that covered her ankles and buttoned up to a high collar. It was white, and made her look very pure and innocent.

      Adam slid his hands in his pockets, jingling his coins. “Sorry about Aunt Izzy.”

      Haley stroked the brush through her hair and glimpsed his reflection in the mirror. He wore the same dark suit he’d worn to dinner, but his jacket was off, the sleeves of his white shirt turned back, exposing his hairy wrists; his collar stood open.

      “Don’t be silly,” she said. “I loved your aunt.”

      “She’s a crazy old bird.” He chuckled and ran his hand through his hair. “Her and her…readings.”

      “I liked her.”

      “She travels extensively, knows people from one end of the globe to the other. She’s been married three times that I know of. Martin claims more than that.”

      “So many husbands?” Haley’s gaze met his in the mirror. “How does she get rid of them all?”

      The gleam in her eye unsettled him. “Never mind.”

      A moment passed while Adam studied the vanity. An assortment of delicate porcelain bottles, decanters and jars sat there, pale blue, pink. There was a green atomizer with a feather sticking out, and a huge powder puff. A jeweled hand mirror and comb lay to one side. Mysterious woman things. It smelled good here. He liked it.

      “Who is Amelia?”

      Adam’s heart rose in his throat. His gaze dropped to the carpet, and he studied the tips of his shoes for a moment. “No one special,” he finally said, and lifted his gaze to meet Haley’s in the mirror. “She left a long time ago. Aunt Izzy is a bit out of touch.”

      Her woman’s heart swelled, and Haley knew there was more, but she let it go. “I thought I’d invite your sister for luncheon this week.”

      Startled, he looked in the mirror and met her gaze. “Gwen? You don’t have to do that.”

      “It’s the proper thing to do. That is one of the reasons I’m here, isn’t it? To insure you maintain the proper social position?”

      Yes, it was, but it sounded cold, hearing her say it. He shrugged. “No need to be proper with family.”

      “I’d like to get to know her better. I had no sisters of my own, you know. She must be only a few years younger than you.”

      He thought for a moment. “Thirty, this year.”

      “Married? Children?”

      “Gwen never married.”

      “That’s odd. Is she one of those career women?” Scandalous as it was, the idea of a job excited Haley, but she couldn’t imagine Martin Harrington allowing it.

      Adam frowned distastefully. “No, of course not.”

      Haley shrugged. “Then I wonder why she never married?”

      Adam eased closer, drawn by the delicate scent wafting up from her. “Maybe she just never drank the punch at a wedding.”

      Haley СКАЧАТЬ