The Invisible Husband (15 page)

“No my
Lord.”

Adam stared
down the long table. His Eve might have been sitting at the other
end smiling at him if he’d swallowed his pride. His longing to be
thought beautiful by his wife was foolish and unrealistic. He
couldn’t stand to look at himself in the mirror, why did he expect
his wife to adore his mutilated face? In his mind he could see her
tearing through his paper barricade; his eye flitting between her
gossamer nightdress and her angry expression. His heart had
screamed for him to pick her up and carry her back to bed, but he’d
ignored it because he was hurt and angry. Her apology hadn’t made
any difference because what he wanted was to hear her say she
thought him the most beautiful man in the world. The self knowledge
made him cringe; when had he become a vain pompous fool? For
nothing more than a silly wish to be admired he’d ruined his life.
She’d looked like one of those intaglio figures in German porcelain
that appeared when lit up from behind. Adam sank forward and
covered his face with his hands as he groaned in horror. “She hates
me. I hate myself!”

“A more
constructive thought might be to imagine winning her forgiveness my
Lord.”

“How am I going
to do that? You heard what I said…she hates me. I can’t bear it…”
He moaned out loud as his heart cursed him to hell.

“If I were you
my Lord, I’d dress up in an old suit of armour, kneel before her
and declare yourself the enemy of Lord Latham. Offer to impale the
heartless swine for daring to injure the woman you love. Women like
that sort of thing.”

“She’d tell me
to fall on my sword.”

“No she
wouldn’t, because you’re speaking as Latham’s enemy. She’d have to
tell you to run him through.”

“And how would
that improve the likelihood of my survival?”

“You go into
the next room and stab something cursing Lord Latham…and then
return declaring you’ve defeated her enemy and request a kiss for
your pains. If she offers a kiss you know you’ve been
forgiven…unless she slaps you.”

“I’m more
likely to lose my good eye. It wouldn’t work; I’d feel like a
ninny. Besides I can’t fit into any of my armour, it’s all too
blasted small.”

“You don’t have
to wear armour, just wear something Lord Latham wouldn’t wear. It
worked for me.”

“For you?
When?”

“It won me the
heart and hand of a wealthy young widow after I fell foul of my
intemperate tongue and accused her of bedding the vicar.”

“A footman
can’t be married.”

“I’m not…” The
footman’s polite mask slipped into one of dejection. “…she wanted
more children. I couldn’t give her any. She had the marriage
annulled by claiming I was impotent. I lost everything; my wife, my
bed, my house, my business, my self respect…I’m sure Lady Latham
wouldn’t be so cruel.”

“I certainly
hope not! I’m sorry your wife was so awful.”

“She died in
childbirth after marrying a penniless knight. I’m sure she enjoyed
being addressed as my Lady for nine months, but I suspect she’d
rather have stayed married to me and lived to be an old Mrs Davis.
Is there anything else I can do for you my Lord?”

“No…I think my
spirits are depressed enough for now thank you.”

Davis ignored
the sarcastic tone and bowed regally before stepping back into his
place a few steps behind the chair leaving Adam contemplating a
vision of being rejected by the woman he loved and then being
defamed as impotent to all and sundry. It was a nightmare he never
wanted to live. Empathy for his servant was forgotten as he focused
on winning his wife’s forgiveness. She wanted a letter; he’d write
her a love letter.

Opening her
eyes, Eve heard her heart tapping the inside of her skull with a
hammer.

She lay there
staring up at the pink and white striped lined canopy hoping death
would overtake her before having to face her angry husband. She
couldn’t remember what she’d said, but it had left her heart
reeling in fury. A tear spilled out of her left eye. She turned on
her side to wipe it on her wet pillow and was distracted by an odd
dark shape against the white. Blinking away her tears she stared at
the folded piece of paper weighed down with… It was too dark to see
properly. She snatched up the object and letter and ran to the
shuttered window. Flinging them open, the gloomy winter light
shimmered off a red enamelled apple locket, its single green leaf
picked out with various shades of emeralds. Snapping it open she
found a glass covered compartment containing a lock of black hair.
Clutching his gift, she unfolded the letter.

My Heart,

I feel so
ashamed. I wish I could use my aching head as an excuse for my
thoughtless words, but you’re right; I’m a vain pompous idiot. It’s
not a comfortable description, but perhaps if I’d forced myself to
look into a few more mirrors over the years I’d be more acquainted
with reality. I never cared what I looked like, until I had my face
carved up. Whenever Mother found me upset after being snubbed by
another girl who’d seen me without my eye patch she’d tell me that
one day I’d fall in love and my beloved would think me beautiful. I
should have known better than to believe her; she also used to tell
me I’d be Prime Minister and I hate politics.

My own Eve,
please forgive my thoughtless stupidity. Forgive me for not having
the courage to court you. I was terrified my heart wouldn’t be
given a chance. The creature in my chest hates me for hurting you.
While I was being a monster, it was screaming at me to pull you
into my arms and weep into your hair. If you were to put your head
on my chest, I’m sure you could hear it cursing me.

I await your
judgement. I’ve left a discreet footman outside your door. Whatever
you desire, he shall inform me of your decision and I will honour
it. It may be difficult to believe, but I love you more than my
pride or vanity. I offer these worthless items in exchange for your
heart.

Adam

Her heart broke
into song as Eve rushed to the door and yanked it open, “Davis?”
The footman leaning against the wall with folded arms jumped to
attention. She started and stared at the beautiful profile strained
with misery. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Approximately
three hours my Lady.”

“For goodness
sake, come sit down…”

The face turned
towards her revealing the thin black ribbon circling his head was
indeed an eye patch. Staring up into a single green eye Eve felt
strangely light-headed, as her mouth fell open in amazement. The
jagged scars pointing toward the black patch weren’t enough on
their own to obliterate the man’s beauty. With the dead eye covered
she could see his face; this beautiful man had lost his heart to
her? “My Lady…you look pale, let me help you back to bed.” Her
heart jumped up and shouted, ‘Oh yes, help us into bed…and take off
those silly clothes; let’s play Adam and Eve…Adam…Adam…Adam…’

“Oh shut
up!”

“My Lady?” The
beautiful face went taut with distress.

“No not
you…it’s my…never mind!” Her face felt as red as his latest gift.
She grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him inside and firmly
closed the door, but she was finding it difficult to catch her
breath. Running past him, she dredged her shawl from her bedclothes
and wrapped it around her shoulders as if the man wasn’t her
husband; as if he hadn’t already seen her practically naked. She
cleared her throat as she turned back to face him and blushed
again; she was alone in her chamber with a beautiful man who wanted
to worship her with kisses. She silently cursed her cheeks as they
flushed again as she remembered the feel of those sculptured lips
on her skin. She unconsciously licked her own lips as her knees
trembled.

She was trying
to wade through a sudden mental fog when he said, “What shall I
tell his Lordship?”

Had the man
lost his mind? “His Lordship?”

Her husband was
still standing at attention as if he were a footman. “Lord Latham,
what do you wish me to tell him? Do you desire an…ann…an
annul…”

“No!”

The sharp
little word caused the man’s shoulders to visibly relax. His single
eye widened in delight and his lips struggled to smother a smile.
“Shall I tell him you accept his apology for being a vain pompous
bore my Lady?”

“Tell him I’m
sorry for hurting his feelings and shouting at him like a fishwife.
He must be gravely disappointed in his Countess.”

The man regally
bowed silently accepting her apology. “Forgive my impertinence, but
I rather suspect he feels quite the opposite. Is there anything
else I might do for you my Lady?”

Eve’s eyes
gleamed with mischief as her admiring eyes escaped from his lower
limbs encase in tight silk back to his face. “Inform His Lordship
that it’s a good thing he didn’t send you with his love letters to
woo me; I’d have fallen in love with his footman. I daresay he
hasn’t noticed your beautiful legs.” The man looked at his legs and
then blinked at her in shock. “How is Lord Latham? He looked rather
unhealthy at table.”

“I believe he’s
improving by the minute my Lady.”

“Good!” She
stepped closer as his arms fled behind his back. She stood on her
tip toes and leaned towards him as she whispered, “Can I count on
you to be discreet?”

“As discreet as
death my Lady.”

“Make it clear
to my husband I have no wish for an annulment and ask him if I may
come to him…”

The green eye
widened with disbelief. “Shall I tell him you wish to…talk?”

“No, I wish him
to…” Eve flushed bright red again as she cleared her throat and
stared at his beautiful shoulders swayed on her tiptoes. “I’d like
him to…” Why was it so hard to say a three letter word? Sighing,
she cleared her throat again as her heart started humming a tune
that made her want to dance.

“Show you the
gardens?”

“No…”

“Order
luncheon?”

“No…”

“Read you
Genesis chapters three and four?”

“No…I wish him
to…to bed me.” There she’d said it. She stared at his cravat
feeling faint as her face threatened to burst into flames. He
wasn’t saying anything. Eve twisted her shawl with nervous fingers
as her heart continued to hum a waltz. “He doesn’t have to if…if he
doesn’t wish.”

“My Lady…” The
gentle words drew her eyes back to his face like a magnate where
the bright green eye looked hazy as if he’d just downed another six
bottles of wine. “When shall I tell His Lordship to expect
you?”

The hoarse
whisper caused Eve’s cheeks to burn hotter as her eyes bashfully
fell to his waistcoat giving her heart an opportunity to admire his
chest. “In fifteen minutes?”

“Very good my
Lady…” He bowed and turned towards the door to the hall.

“Wait! Would
you show me how to unlock my secret door to his room? I tried to
visit him this morning, but he’d already gone to breakfast. The
chamber maid was cleaning his excesses; it was very
embarrassing.”

He bowed and
silently led her to the hidden door to his room. She watched his
face while he fingered a part of the carved door post. “You must
look at my hand my Lady!” Her eyes jerked away from his face to his
beautiful fingers and absently noted the mechanism. “I’ll inform
his lordship…my Lady.” He bowed again and slipped into the secret
passage and closed the door. Eve moaned as her heart stopped
humming and started wailing in deprivation at his departure.
“You’ll see him in ten minutes. I need to brush my teeth and comb
my hair and perform my ablutions. We’re not going to roll into his
bed smelling like a laundry maid.” Her heart fell into a sulk until
she noticed the time; in a few short minutes she’d be in his arms.
Her heart started humming the waltz with anticipation making Eve
smile as she combed her hair and made herself presentable. Looking
in her dressing table mirror it seemed almost sacrilege to believe
that a man as beautiful as her husband could be hideous or in love
with her. As the clock chimed a quarter to the hour she threw down
her comb and pulled her pink silk dressing gown over bare skin.
Shivering with nerves she buttoned it closed and walked to the
secret door with a stomach full of butterflies.

Adam’s green
silk dressing gown swished against his skin as he paced his room.
Every few minutes he’d stop and look at the clock and then lean
over to examine his reflection in his dressing mirror to make sure
his eye patch was in place. She appeared to like his face when his
blind eye was covered. She admitted to liking his legs; his eye
rolled back towards the clock as his body begged her to hurry. His
heart led the choir, calling for her in an eternal rhythmic chant.
As the clock chimed a quarter to the hour he jumped as his secret
door slid open and she stepped barefoot into his room.

“I don’t know
how to close it.” She stared bashfully at his naked feet as he
crossed the room and reached over her to press the button to ensure
their privacy. “You have black hair on your toes.”

The wonder in
her voice made Adam shake with silent laughter as he reached out
and took a handful of golden brown hair and brought it to his lips
before letting it run through his fingers back to its owner. “And
you have the most glorious hair on your head. The first time I saw
you my heart said, ‘touch it…touch it…touch it!”

She glanced at
his face making his chest ache with pleasure. “I’m really
nervous.”

His dream of
making love to his Eve in the light was suddenly not as important
as her comfort. “Shall I close the shutters? It’ll make the room
nearly pitch black. Shall I be your demon-lover?”

He watched her
cheeks flush and her eyes stare at his neck. “No.”

The small word
made his heart moan with pleasure. “Shall we talk?”