The Invisible Husband (4 page)

“Who are
you?”

“Luke Latham;
one of your new brothers…”

“He has
brothers?”

“Three; I’m the
youngest and your favourite.”

“Why?”

“Because the
other two couldn’t be bothered to attend your wedding; just blow
out the candle.” She obeyed and followed after the disappearing
man. There was a whole family of lunatics? It was a frightening
thought. Following the fashionable figure through another doorway,
she bumped into him and found strong young hands steadying her as
she stared mesmerized by male beauty. “I’m beautiful I know, but
you can’t fall in love with me. Adam would kill me or least he’d
want to kill me and that would be just as bad because he’d never
speak to me again and I’d miss the silly old fool.” The young man
smiled at her and waved a hand towards the magnificent room. Now
wouldn’t you rather eat in here?” Eve’s mouth fell open as her mind
tried to separate the carvings, hangings, glittering chandeliers,
painted walls and ceiling. It looked like someone had kept saying,
‘yes, I’ll have that too.’ It was a monstrous eyeful that
reinforced her theory that the family was mad. “Grandfather
extensively redecorated much of the house before marrying
grandmother. She enjoyed eating so grandfather designed a room fit
for a Queen. You’d never guess he did it without any training…” Eve
glanced around the frightening ornate room as the man calling
himself her brother pulled out a chair for her and then seated
himself next to her without ceasing his senseless ramble. He
certainly wasn’t the husky whispering demon she’d met earlier. Her
demon-husband was a more concise and sensible user of words. She
glanced at the beautiful man who’d yet to draw breath as she
inwardly cringed at her ignorance.

“How old is
Lord Latham?”

The young man’s
chatter stopped as his eyes went wide. “He’s thirty-seven…didn’t
they tell you?”

“They told me
nothing.” Her husband was seventeen years older than herself? No
wonder he hadn’t wanted to meet her; he was practically a
greybeard. That’s why he’d worn the silly cloak; her husband was
ancient as well as insane. Doubtless he’d married her to breed an
heir before he died of old age, but then she’d be free of him. The
thought made her smile before it slid away with the thought that
she’d still have to endure the marriage bed with a mad stranger.
She’d have to close her eyes and remind herself it could have been
worse. At least she wasn’t poor Princess Caroline wed by proxy to
the fat Prince Regent.

“Why did you
marry him?”

Eve eyed her
supposed brother with exasperation. “Why do you think?”

“You wanted to
be a Countess?”

“Why would
anyone sane want to marry someone they’ve never met?”

“I don’t
know…for the adventure?”

“When I
realised my parents would deliver me to the altar faint with hunger
with bruises on my legs, agreeing to their demands made for more
comfortable life.”

The man gaped
in horror as he glanced back and forth between her and the door.
“They didn’t! You’re exaggerating…aren’t you?”

“No, why?”

“Don’t tell
Adam they hurt you…I beg you!”

Eve shivered as
she felt that strange tingle down her spine and over her skin as if
someone was watching her. “Why not?”

The beautiful
man dropped his voice to a pleading whisper. “The fool’s in love
with you. He’d be wretched if he knew he’d unwittingly caused you
pain. He might even kill himself in a stupid act of honour to set
you free… Blast! I hear footsteps. Stay here, I’ll go see if he’s
in the hall…” The young man rushed over to the open doorway and
slid to a stop before peering out into the hall. “Adam?” Eve stared
at the young man leaning out of the room in confusion. The family
was definitely affected by some mental plague. How could her
husband be in love with her when they’d never met? She strained to
hear the whispered conversation taking place. Was her husband
really just outside the door or was the man named Luke talking to
himself? Anything seemed possible as she strained to overhear the
one-sided conversation. “There’s nothing to worry about…what you
mean what’s wrong? There’s nothing wrong! I didn’t say anything to
her. What do you mean she looks upset? I was sitting next to her
and she looked perfectly composed to me; you’re seeing things
again. You look splendid…she’s not in love with me.” Luke Latham
turned his head back towards her. “You’re not in love with me are
you?”

“No.”

“See…she’s not
in love with me. Now stop being a fool and come eat with your wife.
I can eat in the kitchen while you have a tête a tête…she won’t
care about your silly eye patch…she’s not going to laugh at you…no
she won’t and unless you speak to her in full daylight she’s going
to think you are some mad demon-lover. Adam? Blast!”

Eve watched the
beautiful man return to his seat with a scowl. “Will he join
us?”

“He thinks
you’ll laugh at his eye patch.”

“His eye
patch?”

“He lost an eye
in a duel; the blind eye is all white surrounded by puckered scars.
Don’t ever ask Adam to tell you ghost stories in the fire light,
he’s frightening.” The beautiful young man paused dismayed at his
own lack of tact. “But in the daylight, when he wears his patch,
he’s no more frightening than I am. He’s quite handsome if you
ignore the big ugly scars that slice across his face. It’s a pity
the barber who sewed up his wounds was drunk…”

“How old was
he?”

“Seventeen…some
local girl was ravished and he went to defend her honour. Adam
didn’t even know the girl; he was born a silly romantic knight in
shining chain mail. Mother’s been trying to marry him off to one of
her ‘sensible rich brides’ for years but he’s always insisted he’d
find his Eve and marry for love.”

“How can he be
in love with me? We’ve never met.”

“I’ve no idea…”
The beautiful man grimaced as he realised he’d made another faux
pas. “…but you’re quite…pleasant looking and you have very
tempting…charms. There must be innumerable things he admires about
you…” The red faced young man suddenly jumped out of his chair.
“I’ll go convince Adam to come in and list them!” Eve sighed with
relief as the man ran past servants carrying lidded silver dishes
and out of the room. Hopefully the young man would keep running.
Luke Latham had the social tact of a brick. Her brother-in-law
clearly didn’t think her much to look at, but what did her
demon-husband think?

It was
completely absurd to think a stranger had married her because he
was in love with her. She filled her plate from the offered dishes
as she smiled to herself. If the rest of her life was as bizarre as
her first day as a married lady she’d be too amused to be
disappointed. The familiar chill chased over her scalp and down her
spine. Eve looked around, but could see no leering demon. He’d been
watching her for months and he was watching her again. The fact
settled into her mind with a comfortable weight as she picked up
her knife and fork. Unlike his brother, Lord Latham found her
appealing and as soon as the sun set her demon-husband would
doubtless materialise. Her heart started racing at the thought of
that husky whisper crawling into her bed. She ignored her burning
cheeks; whatever happened after dark at least the food was
good.

Adam hurried
away from the dining room whispering curses on his heart. He’d made
a terrible mistake. He shouldn’t have married her, not without
courting her in person. He now possessed a treasure he couldn’t
freely reach out and handle. The thought of seeing her eyes fill
with revulsion made his hands go cold with fear. If he ventured
into the dining room he knew he’d make it half way to the table
before falling in a dead faint and cracking his head open. That
would hardly impress his bride. She’d certainly take the
opportunity to remove his eye patch and then she’d never fall in
love with him.

His heart
groaning in horror, Adam stopped and hit his head sharply against
the wall. Her lovely face looked unhappy. Why had he thought he
could win her heart after paying her parents to deliver her to the
altar like sacrificial lamb? Her father had assured his solicitor
that she was happy to marry him, but it appeared her father had
been economical with the truth. She’d clearly been forced her to
marry him. The thought made his heart flinch. Had he caused his
beloved Eve pain? He hit the wall with his head again as if the
pain in his heart wasn’t punishment enough. She probably hated
him.

She wasn’t
going to fall in love with a one eyed fool; why would she? He
carefully dabbed away the tears seeping out from under the eye
patch and then furiously wiped his good eye. If he couldn’t speak
to her face to face in daylight he’d have to annul the marriage.
He’d never win her heart acting like a coward. His chest ached at
the thought of never looking her in the eyes or sharing her
laughter. He hit his head against the wall one more time to punish
himself for thinking he could win her kisses and groaned in defeat.
He’d send his Eve home and accept his fate as a single man in a
cursed lonely garden, but first he’d allow his heart one last view
of happiness. Thankfully, his odd Grandfather had built a number of
secret passages with hidden viewing holes to watch his wife unseen.
His poor Grandmother, unaware of her husband’s voyeuristic
tendencies, had died of fright one evening in her bath after
realising the eyes in a painting of her husband were following
her.

Pressing a
hidden button, Adam squeezed sideways through a narrow gap that
appeared in the panelling into a cavity created by a false wall. To
reach the peep hole into the dining room one had to climb a secured
ladder and then swing back the painted eyes. She was alone. Staring
at sunlit features his heart dared him to return and take his place
at the table. After a few minutes her unhappy expression blossomed
into an amused smile as she appeared to appraise the room. She
wasn’t a beauty, but everything about her was pleasing. Bluish
green eyes flashed with intelligence in a pleasant face designed
for good humour. Straight golden brown hair was plaited into a
Grecian style. He couldn’t help wondering what she’d look like with
it hanging free over her tempting charms. Straining his ears to
hear her politely thank the footman for pouring her a cup of
chocolate, his innards knotted in pleasure as she questioned the
footman about Lord Latham. She appeared pleased with the man’s
answer. Eager to hear more, Adam willed his ears to hear the lovely
voice, but her next question was drowned out by the sound of his
brother calling out from below, “Adam, what are you doing in here?”
Adam flushed with horror as her smiling eyes fluttered upwards and
seemed to meet his stare. She couldn’t know he was watching her. He
waited until her eyes were on her plate before silently swinging
the painted eyes back into place and hissing his displeasure at his
brother at the bottom of the ladder. “Are you mad?”

Adam carefully
put his feet on solid ground before grabbing his brother by the
coat collar and dragging him close. “She heard you!”

“There’d be
nothing to hear if you used your backbone. What is wrong with you?
If you’re in love with the woman…go speak with her.”

“Keep your
voice down!”

Luke rolled his
eyes, “She can’t hear…”

“She heard
you!”

“She wants to
know why you married her so go tell her. I made a complete ass of
myself…” Luke Latham found his coat collar repossessed as he
suddenly stared into one angry eye.

“What did you
say?”

“I didn’t say
anything; that’s the problem. She wanted to know why you married
her and I couldn’t think of a reason that was believable. I
couldn’t lie and say her beauty transfixed you, could I? She’s not
exactly…” Luke’s next words were lost as Adam shook him in
frustration hissing curses on meddling Lathams. “You’re ruining my
new coat!”

Adam’s single
green eye gleamed with murder. “Don’t say another word to my
wife.”

“I can’t go
without taking my leave. She’ll think me…” Adam grabbed his brother
by the cravat and gave him the evil eye. “…you’re…choking me…” Adam
released his brother and turned away fearing his distress would
gleam in the faint light coming in through the secret doorway.
“…go explain yourself old man; I told her you’re in love with
her.”

Adam turned
back in horror. “You did what?”

“I told her
you’re in love with…no don’t…choke…”

“If I didn’t
know you meant well with your mindless meddling I’d…
Comment-diable! She must think me deranged…she must think me the
greatest lunatic in the Kingdom.” Adam groaned as his heart
shrieked with panic.

“Perhaps she
fancies Bedlamites…can’t…breathe…”

Swamped by
agonising disappointment and an uncomfortable desire to kill his
brother, Adam released the younger man and reluctantly glanced up
at the peep hole before dragging his brother back through the
secret door and closing it behind him. “Do I look like a happy man?
Do I look like I appreciate your meddling?”

“I’m sorry
Adam…I was only trying to help.”

“If you want to
help, leave and let me pretend this whole Gothic melodrama never
happened.”

Two beautiful
eyebrows rose in horror. “You’re not going to annul the
marriage?”

“It’s none of
your business.”

“But you love
the woman…not that it makes any sense to me, but clearly you
wouldn’t make such an ass of yourself if… Where are you going?
You’re not going to break your heart just because I told her you
love her? Adam! You can’t send her home…her parents are awful.”

“So are her
in-laws.” The hoarse words spattered his cravat. Adam had to reach
his room and lock his bedchamber door before the pain in his chest
erupted into audible sobs.