The Earl's Scandalous Wife (2 page)

After a moment, Christopher stepped to the side.

“Feel free to see yourself out,” Perry said as he limped out of the drawing room.

“At this rate, I’ll never leave London,” his cousin muttered.

Though Perry had no idea what he meant, he figured he was better off not knowing.  Instead, he climbed the stairs, aware that Christopher left the townhouse.  There was no denying how quiet it was now that his cousin was married.  Sometimes, especially at times like this, he enjoyed the silence.  He didn’t need to be reminded that every attempt he made at finding a wife had failed, and it irritated him to no end that Christopher felt the need to keep bringing it up.

It wasn’t like Christopher was personally involved in seeing to it that he married.  Christopher had his own life to live, and now that Perry was no longer his guardian, Christopher didn’t need him around.  One day Christopher would inherit his title.  Why he couldn’t be content with that, Perry didn’t know.

But there were times when Perry would be lying if he didn’t admit that what he wanted most was to have a wife—someone who would be his other half, someone who would complete him.

Chapter Two

Paula listened carefully to the two gentlemen talking on the street below her bedchamber window.  Since she spent most of her time in her room, she made it a habit of opening the window and listening as people passed by.

Sometimes she could make out parts of their conversation, and in th
is instance, one of the gentlemen had a loud enough voice that it was easy to hear what he was saying, something she was grateful for on this particular day.  There was a ball that night at Toplyn Hall.

Her brother never told her where he was going, but
after lunch, he had asked his valet to have his best outfit ready for the evening.  She bet he was going to the ball.  And she further guessed he was going in hopes of finding a wealthy lady.  God help the lady who married him.

Well, that wasn’t her problem.  Her problem was getting out of the horrible marriage to the Duke of
Leavenshire, and in order to do that, she needed to find another gentleman to marry.  As it was, she wasn’t going to find anyone unless she got out of the townhouse.  Up to now, her brother had insisted on keeping her home.  Probably because he worried she’d run away.  But she wasn’t stupid.  There was nowhere she could go without the protection of a gentleman who would stand between her and her brother.  It was a gentleman’s world and ladies had to abide by their rules.  And she could abide by their rules…as long as she found a loophole.

She closed her window and
slipped out of her bedchamber.  This time of day her brother would either be in the drawing room or in his bedchamber.  Hopefully, it’d be the drawing room.  She wouldn’t get a chance to talk to him otherwise.

By the time she reached the drawing room, she
heard two distinct male voices.  Before the gentlemen saw her, she pressed her back to the wall in the corridor, glancing around to make sure none of the servants were in sight.  Good.  No one saw her.  She turned her ear to the closed door.

“You don’t need to convince me that this will be a suitable match,” the Duke of
Leavenshire said.  “I already told you her past is of no consequence to me.”

“I’m just glad her activities didn’t result in a bastard,” her brother replied over the sound of the decanter being placed on a tray.  “Had the gentleman she’d been dallying with been a loudmouth, her reputation
would have been ruined.”

“A gentleman is expected to engage in such pursuits with a lady.”

“Yes, but that lady should not have been my sister.”

Paula rolled her eyes at her brother’s bitter tone.  Such sentiment never bothered him when he found other gentlemen’s sisters to take to bed.

“I have no use for a timid virgin,” the duke said.  “Having to ease her into the whole process of getting with child…  It’s better just to get it over with.”

“I couldn’t agree more.  Who needs the hassle?  There’s nothing worse than a lady who insists on getting pleasure from the act.
  Their bodies are such a mystery.  It’s too much work if you ask me.”

The two gentlemen laughed and she
rolled her eyes.

“The funds will be in your
possession after the banns are read,” the duke said.

“I believe there is nothing else to
work out.  She’ll be your wife by the end of next month.  She’s looking forward to it.”

“I don’t care if she’s looking forward to it
or not.  I just want to get a legitimate son.”

“I’m sure you’ll have no trouble getting one.”

That might be true, but Paula wasn’t going to be the one who gave him an heir.  It’d have to be someone else.  When she heard footsteps approach the door, she hurried to another room and slipped into it.  Her brother walked the duke to the front door, and if she judged right by the obnoxious boom in the duke’s voice, the gentleman was almost drunk.  She shivered.  There was no way she could bear to be in the same bed with him, let alone marry him.

After he left, she waited for a couple minutes after her brother returned to the drawing room before she slipped out of her haven.  She took a deep breath and strengthened her resolve.  It wasn’t a question of “if” she had to do this
.  It was a question of “how”.

Releasing her breath, she clasped her hands behind her back and strode into the room
, feigning the confidence she didn’t feel.

He glanced up from the
letter he was writing.  “Your timing is horrible, Paula.  You just missed your betrothed.”

No doubt he expected her to grimace.  Well, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.  She sat in front of his desk and folded her hands in her lap.  “I’ve been in London since April but have not been to one ball.” Yes, that was a good way to begin.

“I couldn’t exactly trust you around all those gentlemen now, could I?” he asked with a slight smirk.

“It was just one gentleman, Stewart.”

“Yes, and I am forever grateful you didn’t bring a child into the world because of it.”

Ignoring his remark, she said, “I haven’t had a Season, nor have I left the townhouse without you by my side.  I want one evening at a ball
to enjoy myself before I’m locked away forever in the Duke of Leavenshire’s estate to be nothing more than a brood mare.” The last part she hadn’t intended, but the words slipped out and with them so did the disgust in her voice.

“This is a fate you brought upon yourself.  No one told you to let Lord Holloway—”

“I don’t want to hear it,” she snapped.  “I’ve paid for my sin three times over.  You think a child would have been the worst thing that could have happened to me?” The following years of loneliness and nights of endless crying had been much worse, but he wouldn’t understand that.  “All I want is one evening at a ball.  I’ve never been to one.”

“You always did have an adventurous spirit.” He leaned back in his chair and studied her for several moments.  Finally, he nodded.  “All right.  Since you’re willing to marry the duke, I’ll grant you your request.”

“Then I’ll get ready for the ball.”

“Wait,” he protested as she stood up.  “You mean tonight’s ball?”

“Tonight is as good a time as any.”

“But how did you know there’s a ball tonight?  I never told you.”

“Because two gentlemen were talking beneath my window.  Just because you keep me here like a trapped animal, it doesn’t mean I don’t pay attention to what others say as they pass by this townhouse.”

He looked as if he was going to throw out some clever retort but then changed his mind.  “Very well.  Get ready for tonight’s ball.  But that’s the only one I’ll let you attend.  After t
his, you are to be the dutiful and quiet wife to the duke.  Understood?”

“I understand,” she forced out in a pleasant tone.

“Good.  We leave in three hours.  Don’t keep me waiting.”

“I won’t.”

Relieved, she left the room.

***

Christopher groaned and leaned his head against the seat of the carriage.  “You can’t be serious.”

Agatha
crossed her arms.  “I am serious.  We aren’t going to our estate until you find your cousin a wife.”

“I’ve been looking for a suitable lady and
there’s no one.  No one!” He threw up his hands in despair.  Why couldn’t she let the matter go?  At least for this year.  “We should try again next year.  There’s bound to be a better selection of ladies to choose from then.”

“You haven’t been diligent in your search.”

“I haven’t been diligent?  I’ve been asking everyone if there’s a lady who’d be willing to marry Lord Clement, but they all say no.”

“You can’t ask only
three people and expect to find her.”

“It wasn’t three.  It was f
ive.” When he saw her eyes grow wide, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.  “I’m teasing.  I asked more than five.  It was ten.  Maybe even twelve.”

“This isn’t amusing,
Christopher,” she admonished as he kissed her neck.  “We won’t be leaving London until Perry has a wife.”

“And she has to be young, attractive, kind, and overlook his boring tendencies?”

“Of course.”

“You are difficult to please.  Do you know how hard such a lady is to find, especially one who doesn’t mind being bored?”

She sighed.  “Perry isn’t boring.  I don’t want to hear anything else about him being boring.  Now, I want you to help me seek out a suitable lady for him tonight.  Ask every gentleman there if he has a sister or daughter who is looking for a husband.” She adjusted her gloves.  “You know how much I hate going to balls.”

“Which is why we should have stayed home.” He kissed her
and wiggled his eyebrows.  “We could have a lot more fun there.”

“We’ll have fun later.  Right now, we need to work
.” After a moment, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while if you find him a wife tonight.”

“All right.” What he wouldn’t do for his wife.  “I promise you that before the night is over, Perry will secure a betrothal that the lady
in question won’t be able to get out of.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I’ll find a way to make it happen.” He tapped her nose in a playful fashion.  “I secured a marriage to you, and I’ll do it again for my cousin.  Tonight, I get him a wife and tomorrow we head out to our country estate where we’ll get to enjoy each other without the distractions of other people.”

The carriage came to a stop and he glanced out the window
where Lord Roderick was hosting the ball.  He guessed Lord Roderick felt the need to host it because his wife insisted on it.  He couldn’t blame Claire.  If he was her, he’d do everything he could to avoid being alone with him, too.  What the poor lady went through when she was with him.

The footman opened the carriage door and he waited for Agatha to get out before leaving it.
  Somewhere at this ball, Perry’s future wife was waiting.  The trick was finding her.  And he would make sure he found her before the night was over.

***

Paula examined the gentlemen at the ball.  Tonight.  This would be the night she’d find someone to marry. But she wanted someone who’d make a good husband, something that was hard to determine just by dancing with them.  She scanned the room and found her brother who was preoccupied with a lady he was doing his best to win over.  If the lady was smart, she’d run away from him as fast as her slippered feet could carry her.

Paula strolled around the
ballroom.  There had to be someone—anyone—who’d be a decent husband.  Just one.

“Are you looking for someone?”

She turned her attention to the gentleman who approached her.  He was young.  Perhaps he wasn’t married yet.  She cleared her throat and offered what she hoped was an attractive smile.  “No one in particular.”

He glanced around the room.  “Shouldn’t you have a chaperone?”

“Oh, I do.  She’s over there.” Granted, “she” was really a “he” and “he” was her brother, but she felt no need to direct the gentleman’s attention to her brother.

“Well, let me take this opportunity to introduce myself.  I’m Mister Robinson,” he said with a bow.

She smiled and curtsied.  “Miss Leighton.” She noted the spark of interest in his eyes and hoped this would be the one who’d save her from marrying the Duke of Leavenshire.

The music got ready to begin so he
extended his hand and asked if she’d join him on the ballroom floor.  She agreed and they began the dance.

“
I don’t recognize you,” he said.  “Is this your first Season?”

“Yes, but I haven’t been to many balls,” she replied.
  Actually, she hadn’t been to any but there was no need to tell him that.

“Ah, that explains why I don’t recognize you. 
I go to as many balls as I can.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.  I love dancing and talking to people.  Though tonight, I’m on a mission of sorts.”