Historical Romance – The Best Of The Year. Кэрол Мортимер

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ ‘I have an engagement to dine with friends.’

      ‘Then Judd will show you out,’ murmured Dominique, moving over to the bell pull. Max followed and took her hand.

      ‘Accept my felicitations, Cousin. I am...pleased...to see you so comfortable.’

      ‘Thank you.’

      ‘And I have to thank you, too, Max,’ said Gideon pleasantly. ‘You have provided me with a perfect wife. Who could ever have thought things would work out so well?’

      Without a word the earl gave another clipped bow and left the room.

      Gideon smiled.

      ‘I think we have done well, there, my sweet. Your dear cousin is not at all happy that his plans have misfired so spectacularly.’

      She said slowly, ‘We have made a fool of him, Gideon. He will not like that.’

      ‘No, but he cannot alter it, so if he has any sense he will shrug and accept the situation.’ Gideon glanced at the clock. ‘I suppose we must change for dinner. We are engaged to join some card party tonight, are we not?’

      ‘Yes, Lady Torrington’s,’ she said absently. ‘Gideon—what you said, about helping Maman...would you mind if I tried to discover something about Papa? I was afraid to mention it before...’

      He put his fingers under her chin.

      ‘My dear, you should not be afraid to ask anything of me.’

      His tone was light, but the warmth she had seen in his eyes earlier had disappeared.

      ‘Are you angry with me, Gideon, because I want to find my father?’ she challenged him. ‘I cannot stop loving him, just because you have cause to hate all Girondins.’

      His hand dropped.

      ‘Who told you that?’

      ‘Gwendoline. She—she told me about your aunt and uncle. And your brother.’

      ‘Then you know my hatred is well founded.’

      ‘But if you knew Papa—’

      ‘I have no wish to know him,’ he snapped. ‘He was part of the regime which caused the death of three people very dear to me. That I can never forgive.’

      ‘As you can never forgive me for being his daughter.’

      There, she had said it. Dominique trembled at her own temerity. The colour drained from his face and his mouth became a thin line as he held back his anger. He turned away and walked to the fireplace where he stood with his back to her, staring down into the flames.

      ‘I have tried to forget it, these past few weeks,’ he said at last. ‘But it is always there, a ghost between us.’

      She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

      ‘We have not fared so very badly, have we? We have to keep trying, Gideon. We have to make this work.’

      ‘To prove Max was wrong? I am beginning to think that game is not worth the prize.’

      ‘No, this is nothing to do with Max.’ She ran her tongue over her dry lips and swallowed. She said, forcing the words out, ‘I am carrying your child.’

      He said nothing, but she felt a shudder run through him. She removed her hand and stepped back. The silence continued, unbroken, and at last, with a sigh, she turned and left the room.

      * * *

      Dominique fled to her bedchamber. Kitty was already there, waiting to help her change for dinner. She thought about dismissing her maid and indulging in a hearty bout of tears, but instead she fought down her unhappiness and allowed herself to be helped into the blue satin she had chosen to wear to Lady Torrington’s card party.

      * * *

      Long after the door had closed Gideon remained staring down into the fire. So this was it, the last link in the chain that would bind him to his wife forever. A child. How ironic, that the heir to Rotham should have French blood in his veins, after all his family had suffered at the hands of that nation. It might be a girl, of course, but what did it matter? He would not cast off the mother of his child.

      He raised his eyes to the mirror. It was as if the ghosts of his brother and his aunt were at his shoulders. He waited, expecting to feel their disapprobation, but he felt...nothing. This baby was innocent of its history—as was his wife. He realised that he was in an impossible position: he could not turn his back on his marriage, any more than he could give up his inheritance. Nicky might not be the wife he had dreamed of, and he had never wanted to be his father’s heir, but it was so. It was too late for regrets, he must move on and make what he could of his life.

      There was a tangible lightening of the air around him, as if the shades of his brother and his aunt had disappeared.

      * * *

      Dominique was sitting at her dressing table while Kitty put the finishing touches to her hair when Gideon came in. Quietly she dismissed her maid, but remained in her seat, looking into the mirror as Gideon came to stand behind her.

      ‘What you said. A baby. Are you—quite sure?’

      She nodded. ‘As sure as I can be.’ She saw the dawning wonder and confusion on his countenance and turned to face him. He dropped on to one knee and took her hands.

      ‘Then...perhaps you should be resting—do you want me to send our apologies to Lady Torrington?’

      ‘No, no, there is no need for that.’

      ‘Then, what shall we do? What do you want to do?’

      His bewilderment dragged a shaky laugh from her.

      ‘I want us to have dinner, Gideon, and to go to Torrington House. It is early days yet, no one need know that I am increasing.’ She met his eyes. ‘I want us to go on exactly as we are, Gideon.’

      ‘Are you sure?’

      ‘Yes, I am very sure.’

      She did not have the courage to ask him not to avoid her bed and could only hope he understood her.

      ‘Then I will go and change.’

      ‘Please do.’ She smiled. ‘You will incur Cook’s wrath if his dinner is spoiled because he has to wait for you.’

      She turned back to her mirror, to pin up the last few curls.

      ‘One more thing.’ He stopped at the door. ‘Of course you must do everything you can to find your father. You do not need to involve me—I will direct Rogers, the family lawyer, to come and see you.’

      Even as she struggled to find the words to thank him, he was gone.

      * * *

      Gideon was more attentive than usual at dinner and towards the end of their evening at Torrington House, instead of СКАЧАТЬ