Married to the Marquess Read Online Free PDF
Author: Rebecca Connolly
I’m here, and as it was I who invited them, I cannot very well abandon them. Unless you wish me to un- invite them, which I suppose I could do, although I doubt the new countess would appreciate the slight as the men might, knowing you as they do.”
“I do not have time for this,” Katherine said as she threw her hands up and went to the door of the room. “If you would care to notice, I have a funeral to arrange.” She could have cursed herself for the way her voice broke on the word funeral.
Instantly, Derek’s expression turned somber, and though she would never admit it, Katherine was grateful. Her husband might have been a cad, a louse, irritating beyond all reason, and suspected of actually causing the pox, but he did have some sense of decorum, however infrequently he chose to employ it. And someone, probably his mother, had trained him in manners. With other people, at least.
He waited a moment, and then he came over and bowed slightly before her. “I apologize, Kate. My sincere condolences on the loss of your mother.”
She snorted once. “Sincere? You did not even like Mother.”
“No, nor did she like me. But I am genuinely sorry that you have suffered a loss. I even forced myself into mourning.” He showed her his sleeve, where a black band was indeed tied.
Knowing she could not argue that, and feeling strangely touched by a simple mourning band, she nodded. “Thank you.”
He nodded as well, then shrugged slightly. “I came because, like it or not, we are married, and my wife has lost someone close to her. I am here to be the dutiful husband and support her.”
Kate blinked in confusion. She did not know that he had a serious expression that was not mocking.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” she admitted bluntly, which was highly unlike her.
Something that was almost a smile tweaked at the corner of his mouth, but it was gone so fast, she thought she must have imagined it. “What can I do for you?”
His request very nearly stole her breath away. No one had asked her that in so long she could not have said when. The burning in her eyes intensified and she wanted nothing more than to get out of his sight. “Leave me alone?” she whispered, looking up at him.
He nodded once and took a step back. “If that’s what you wish. I assume you want to remain here until the services are completed?”
She nodded quickly. “Father needs me. He…” She trailed off and did not finish. He did not need to know the details.
“Of course. If I can be of any service to him, please send for me. And I mean it, Kate. I’m here to be of use. Use me.”
She swallowed, more than a touch unnerved by his sincerity. It had to be a ruse. He wanted her to use him? “As what?” she asked with a small snort, attempting to return to the safety of bickering. “A stable shovel? Or perhaps a pin cushion?”
Now he grinned. “Ah, there’s my wife. I almost forgot with whom I was speaking. If you will kindly remove your fangs from my person, I will go back to our house, which comfort I left to come and see you.”
Not seeing any need to reply, Katherine inclined her head and gestured for him to lead the way out.
“Services will be held when?” Derek asked as he took his hat from the butler.
“Day after tomorrow. At eleven.”
He nodded. “I will come here at ten.”
“You do not have to, Whitlock.”
He leveled a rather impressive glare at her. “I did not come all this way to not attend the funeral services of the mother of my wife, no matter how heinous her taste in hats was in life.”
Katherine opened her mouth in outrage, but Derek only tapped his own hat and showed himself out.
“Goodbye, Kate. See you in two days!” he called as he departed, then began whistling cheerfully.
She watched him go with narrowed eyes, her hands still balled. “Katherine,” she muttered at his retreating back. “My name is Katherine.”
With a small noise of irritation, she whirled and went to find
“I do not have time for this,” Katherine said as she threw her hands up and went to the door of the room. “If you would care to notice, I have a funeral to arrange.” She could have cursed herself for the way her voice broke on the word funeral.
Instantly, Derek’s expression turned somber, and though she would never admit it, Katherine was grateful. Her husband might have been a cad, a louse, irritating beyond all reason, and suspected of actually causing the pox, but he did have some sense of decorum, however infrequently he chose to employ it. And someone, probably his mother, had trained him in manners. With other people, at least.
He waited a moment, and then he came over and bowed slightly before her. “I apologize, Kate. My sincere condolences on the loss of your mother.”
She snorted once. “Sincere? You did not even like Mother.”
“No, nor did she like me. But I am genuinely sorry that you have suffered a loss. I even forced myself into mourning.” He showed her his sleeve, where a black band was indeed tied.
Knowing she could not argue that, and feeling strangely touched by a simple mourning band, she nodded. “Thank you.”
He nodded as well, then shrugged slightly. “I came because, like it or not, we are married, and my wife has lost someone close to her. I am here to be the dutiful husband and support her.”
Kate blinked in confusion. She did not know that he had a serious expression that was not mocking.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” she admitted bluntly, which was highly unlike her.
Something that was almost a smile tweaked at the corner of his mouth, but it was gone so fast, she thought she must have imagined it. “What can I do for you?”
His request very nearly stole her breath away. No one had asked her that in so long she could not have said when. The burning in her eyes intensified and she wanted nothing more than to get out of his sight. “Leave me alone?” she whispered, looking up at him.
He nodded once and took a step back. “If that’s what you wish. I assume you want to remain here until the services are completed?”
She nodded quickly. “Father needs me. He…” She trailed off and did not finish. He did not need to know the details.
“Of course. If I can be of any service to him, please send for me. And I mean it, Kate. I’m here to be of use. Use me.”
She swallowed, more than a touch unnerved by his sincerity. It had to be a ruse. He wanted her to use him? “As what?” she asked with a small snort, attempting to return to the safety of bickering. “A stable shovel? Or perhaps a pin cushion?”
Now he grinned. “Ah, there’s my wife. I almost forgot with whom I was speaking. If you will kindly remove your fangs from my person, I will go back to our house, which comfort I left to come and see you.”
Not seeing any need to reply, Katherine inclined her head and gestured for him to lead the way out.
“Services will be held when?” Derek asked as he took his hat from the butler.
“Day after tomorrow. At eleven.”
He nodded. “I will come here at ten.”
“You do not have to, Whitlock.”
He leveled a rather impressive glare at her. “I did not come all this way to not attend the funeral services of the mother of my wife, no matter how heinous her taste in hats was in life.”
Katherine opened her mouth in outrage, but Derek only tapped his own hat and showed himself out.
“Goodbye, Kate. See you in two days!” he called as he departed, then began whistling cheerfully.
She watched him go with narrowed eyes, her hands still balled. “Katherine,” she muttered at his retreating back. “My name is Katherine.”
With a small noise of irritation, she whirled and went to find