Still, her reaction to his impromptu kiss had shown him how much he cared for her.
He had seen her panic, seen the fluttering of her hands, the rapid beating of the pulse in her neck, the way her breathing hitched and her eyes had almost rolled backwards into their sockets to shut out the truth that came rushing at her.
And he had acted without thought, only wishing to put her at ease.
And so, he had kissed her…and she had kissed him back.
Had it only been out of a desperate need to hold on to something and not be abandoned to the panic that had seized her? Or had it been more? Had her teasing comments afterwards indicated an attachment on her part?
In that moment, Madeline’s eyelids began to flutter and then flew open. Staring up at him, she remained stock-still for the barest of seconds before a blood-curdling scream escaped her lips and she shot bolt upright. “What are you doing here?” she demanded, panting under her breath, as she clutched the blanket to her chest. “Get out!”
Drawing in a deep breath, Derek abandoned all tender feelings that had begun to bloom in his heart. “You’re late,” he snapped. “Breakfast is already over.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” she retorted with equal measure, pulling the blanket up under her chin as though suddenly modest. “This room is far from adequate. The bedclothes are terribly scratchy. It’s cold and…” She glanced around, her arm moving in a sweeping motion over her surroundings. “The general lack of comfort is shocking.”
Not having expected anything less, Derek grinned, then slowly leaned forward, watching her intently, and rested his hands on the mattress, his face only inches from hers. “Complain all you want,” he said, his voice almost a whisper, “but know that it will not change anything.” She swallowed, and her breathing came more rapidly. “This house is all we have, and if you wish to see it shine again, then you need to get out of bed, get dressed and get to work.”
Once again, her eyes widened in shock. “Do you truly expect me to do menial work? You cannot be serious!”
In that moment, Derek could not keep the devilish grin off his face nor could he keep himself from grabbing a fistful of her blanket and yanking it away.
In answer, his wife screeched and scrambled off the bed. “How dare you?”
“Why are you here?” Derek demanded, stepping closer, watching her retreat. “Why did you come? To be quite honest, I did not expect to ever see you here.”
Her eyes flitted around the room before she forced them up and met his. Retreating until her back was against the closed door, she seemed uncertain for a moment, but then raised her chin and stood her ground. “You invited me, remember? In your letter.”
“That I did,” Derek agreed, barely aware of the fact that his gaze had begun to travel over his wife’s body, taking in the soft blush of her cheeks as well as the loosened knot in the front of her nightgown. If he were to…
Shaking his head inwardly, Derek swallowed. He truly ought to maintain a certain distance from his wife! Despite their spiteful words, there was something between them, luring them closer, drawing them in.
“Then why are you surprised?” she demanded, her deepening blush evidence that she was aware of his roaming gaze.
“Because last we spoke?”
“On our wedding night?” she interrupted, open accusation in her green eyes.
“?you made it unmistakably clear,” he continued, ignoring her interruption, “that you did not care for my company but preferred that of another man.” His voice grew harsher as he stepped toward her, boxing her in between his body and the door, an unspoken question hanging between them.
With unwavering eyes, she held his gaze, her jaw tense as she inhaled. “I will not answer,” she whispered then, her voice determined, “if you do not ask.”
Derek swallowed, unable to tell if she was merely teasing him or sought to see him suffer. Whatever the reason, for the first time in his life, Derek found himself to be a coward for he could not ask because he did not dare know the truth, afraid of what it might do to him, afraid he would not be strong enough to bear it.
Instead, he stepped back, and a touch of regret came to her dark green eyes. “I do not care what you do,” he hissed, cursing himself for he knew it to be a lie. “However, if you wish to remain here, you need to do your part for we have no servants here to do it for us.” He noticed her body trembling?if from the cold or his harsh words he could not say?and he wished he could simply pull her into his arms. “Our own hands’ work is all we have,” he continued, reaching for the door handle. “It is a hard way to live, but a proud one.”
Strangely calm, his wife held his gaze, then stepped to the side and allowed him to open the door. All the while she watched him with those deep green eyes as though seeing something that had eluded her before.
Slightly unnerved by her scrutiny, Derek took his leave and headed back downstairs. Then he rolled up his sleeves, reached for his tools and rushed outside to meet his tenants.
If only he knew what to do about his wife. If only he knew why she had come. He would never have expected her to, not unless she had nowhere else to go.
Derek frowned. Did she?
***
Leaning against the closed door, Madeline slowly drew one breath after another into her lungs as she willed her trembling nerves to calm. Everything her husband said and did was so at odds that she did not know what to think.
Had he not seemed jealous just then? And yet, he had snapped at her, saying that he did not care.
Oh, but the look in his eyes…
The memory sent another shiver down her spine, and Madeline could not help but smile at the delicious feeling it awakened. She ought to have kissed him as he had kissed her the day before. Would he have kissed her back? Madeline wondered. Or would he have pushed her away?
When Anne finally came and helped her dress, Madeline was no closer to an answer. Her husband steadfastly remained an enigma that she could not seem to solve. However, at the same time, he infuriated her. How dare he demand that she work? After all, she was a lady, a member of the ton. Work? That was preposterous!
Still, something in the way her husband had looked at her told her that he was indeed serious and would not allow her to refuse his demand. What ought she to do? She could not very well work with her lady’s maid here to see her. That would be beyond shameful! There would have to be another way.
Instructing her lady’s maid to see to her travelling dress from the day before?it still bore her husband’s dirty hand prints from when he had seized her?Madeline headed downstairs. Although she still felt reluctant to enter the kitchen, her growing hunger overpowered her sense for decorum. Fortunately, the kitchen was almost deserted, except for Bessy.
Greeting her new mother-in-law, Madeline stepped forward, her eyes gliding over the work bench where remnants of their earlier breakfast remained.
“Ye must be hungry,” Bessy observed, a kind smile on her wrinkled face. “Come and sit, dear. I’ll fetch ye something.”
Sinking into one of the chairs, Madeline sighed when the aroma of fresh bread and delicious preserves reached her.
“We don’t have much,” Bessy stated, placing a plate as well as a steaming cup in front of Madeline, “but I do believe that we’re among the fortunate ones.”
Eating her fill, Madeline could feel her mother-in-law’s eyes on her. Not unlike her son, she had a knack for watching those around her with a rather unsettling intimacy as though she could look straight into Madeline’s soul. It was unnerving to say the least!
“Your coachman is gettin’ ready to leave within the hour,” Bessy said unexpectedly, her sharp eyes fixed on Madeline. “He’s out back hitchin’ up the horses.”
Madeline nodded, taking a sip from her tea. Oh, how she wished she could go along! And yet…
“Maybe ye ought to send your lady’s maid back with him.”