Mysty McPartland (3 page)

Chapter Five

An hour had passed since he left his bride alone in her bedroom and hoping she was asleep, Nathan opened the connecting door and peeked in. He grinned and stepped into the room to silently walk over to the bed. It only took a moment to rid himself of his dressing gown, and tossing it on the nearby chair, he lifted the covers and slipped on to the mattress beside his wife. He waited a few heartbeats, before he reached for her and drew her into his arms.

He settled her soft seductive curves comfortably against his body and smiled when she only mumbled in her sleep. He wished there was enough light to see what she looked like with her hair unbound. Running his fingers through it, he could feel how thick and soft it was. He also thought that by the length it would reach her hips. She would certainly look glorious naked with it swirling around her and just thinking about it livened up his flaccid flesh.

It astounded him at how quickly he begun to feel such a strong attraction towards her, and even though they spent the night conversing, he knew that there was still so much to learn about his bride. He found her quick witted and very intelligent. Something that many women were not and usually he found it intolerable that a woman was so knowledgeable, yet in his wife, it intrigued him and yes, stirred his blood.

The little witch had him half aroused all evening, he didn’t know what it was about this one woman that fascinated him so much, and also had him doing thing he’d never done before. Like this, he’d never just slept with a woman, in fact the only time he ever shared a bed with a woman was when he was making love to her and when it was over a short time later he was gone.

He’d never just sat and talked to a woman either. Was it because she was the first woman who ever refused to be intimate with him? Could it be because she despised him? And she did loath him. The fact that only a few weeks ago she caught him naked in a whore house didn’t help matters he supposed. He would have his work cut out seducing her he knew, but hopefully after tonight he made a little headway with her.

When he left her earlier she did seem a little friendlier towards him and hopefully, in the morning when she wakes up and finds him here, she’ll come to realize that she could trust him as well. He wanted to prove to her that they could share a bed and nothing intimate would happen between them. Well not yet anyway.

A deep sigh of frustration eased out of him, all his well laid out plans it seemed have gone to hell in a hand basket since marrying this woman. His well thought out vision of his marriage of convenience was a thing of the past. His intensions of occasionally bedding his wife to beget a child didn’t matter anymore. Keeping his mistress and visiting the brothels was now a ludicrous idea. He snorted softly, he still couldn’t believe his wife gave her permission for him to still sleep with another woman.

It was probably the first time in history a wife was so accommodating and that wife had to be his. He supposed any other man would have jumped at the chance. However, he sensed if he ever took another woman to bed or even kissed another woman, his wife would despise him even more.

She was the strangest woman he’d ever met and yet he couldn’t help being enthralled with her. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman intrigued him so much, she was a challenge no doubt about that fact. It was going to be interesting besting himself against her, because he knew she would be a worthy opponent.

Growing drowsy, he rubbed his chin against the top of her head and closed his eyes. He would need his rest because he knew in the morning he would be doing battle with his bride. Smiling with anticipation, he ignored his aching arousal and drifted off to sleep.

****

Awake Sheldon lay completely still, she hardly dare breathe. She could feel the naked chest under her cheek rising and falling, the rough haired massive thigh entwined with hers. She felt the hot hard body pressed tightly against her own and it didn’t take her a second to realize, to her horror, that her husband was naked and in her bed. The damn rat must have climbed in when she was asleep.

Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and her heart thumped wildly. She moved her head cautiously and glanced up at him. Her eyelids slammed shut so she wouldn’t be affected by his handsome face. The rotter looked irresistible in his sleep and too blasted tempting. She wanted to reach up smooth the hair off his brow and run her fingers over his sensual mouth to feel his shadowed jaw. Oh, this would never do she told herself sternly.

She wasn’t going to be seduced by his handsomeness. Lifting her lashes, she turned and carefully inched away from him. When she reached the edge of the bed, she slipped from beneath the covers and stood up. As quietly as she could, she gathered up clean clothes and moved behind the screen to dress. She was due at the hospital shortly and didn’t want to be late.

It was awkward, but she managed to do up most of the buttons on her day gown, and moving back into the room, she brushed her hair. When she tied it up she took another peek at her husband and was relieved to see him still sleeping soundly. Picking up her shoes and snatching up her cape, she crossed to the door. Opening it, she stepped out into the hallway and closed it lightly behind her. She took a few minutes to pull on her walking boots and lace them up before she went down stairs.

A friendly smile hovered on her lips when she met the surprised butler’s gaze when they met in the foyer. “Good morning. I wonder if it’s not an inconvenience that I could have a cup of tea and some toast?”

“Of course your ladyship. If you follow me I will show you to the breakfast room.” Not expecting to see his mistress so early in the morning, Wallace was a little taken aback, but at her polite request quickly gathered himself together.

“Thank you.” Sheldon only let her smile widen when she followed him. What a stuffy man he was she thought. She shouldn’t be surprised though, her husband was rather a stuffed shirt and definitely had fixed and immovable thoughts on certain subjects and matters. Grimacing, she knew exactly one particular item he was very adamant about.

Well he might think she would become intimate with him in a few weeks, but he was going to be in for a huge surprise. Did he really imagine that even knowing each other for such a short amount of time she would let him make love to her? The man was absolutely foolish if he did. She would never be intimate with a man unless she loved him and she positively didn’t love the duke. Reaching the breakfast room, she took a seat and waited for the butler to return with her breakfast. When she finished at the hospital and after meeting up with her friends, she would drop by to see her father. Not only did she have a few choice words to say to him, but she wanted to find out if there had been any word from Bethany.

She was furious with her sister for putting her in this position. Drumming her fingers on the table, she wondered what her sister hoped to achieve by running away from her wedding. Bethany would certainly have something up her sleeve, but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of what it could be.

Knowing her sister though, she wouldn’t remain hidden for long, especially if she wanted something. Letting out a sigh of frustration, she sat up straighter when the butler returned with her breakfast. Once he left, she quickly finished off the meal and headed for the front door. She shouldn’t have been surprised to see the butler at his post, but she had hoped to leave unnoticed. “If my husband asks where I am would you please inform him I will be returning sometime around noon?” 

“Of course my lady. Would you like me to send for the carriage? And would you like a footman or a maid to accompany you?” Wallace was confounded by this woman. She’d only married his lordship yesterday and instead of being in bed with her husband she was going out.

Sheldon tried to hide her impatience. “Oh no need for the carriage. It’s a perfect day for walking and I can assure you I don’t need anyone to accompany me.”

Wallace knew he didn’t have any other choice but to unlock the front door and let her ladyship leave. “Very good my lady.”

Her eyes rolling behind the pompous man’s back, Sheldon sailed outside and down the steps. It was going to be a trial living in such a stuffy atmosphere she thought. Well, hopefully it wouldn’t be for long. Maybe in a few days or a week the duke would come to his senses and request an annulment.

Another thing she would have to contend with, she thought huffily, she was going to have to find a way to stop the man sneaking into her bed again. Oh he certainly was a conniving scoundrel and if he had any plans to seduce her, well she most unquestionably would let it happen. Besides, she doubted he found her attractive, his only intention was to get her with child. She knew that once he did, he would lose in interest in her so fast it would make her head spin.

His reputation of being a connoisseur of beautiful women was just as well-known as his many conquests. He was also a man she knew who would never remain faithful for long. She’d seen so many unfaithful husbands and fiancés in the brothels when she visited to help the poor women working there not to have much faith in men. Well it didn’t matter to her, she doubted they would be married for long, and smiling over the thought, she continued on her way to the hospital.

Chapter Six

Still aggravated as hell over discovering himself alone in bed this morning, and finding his wife had left the house alone without informing anyone of her whereabout, Nathan was still grumbling over the situation when his butler led Phillip into the family parlor.

“I thought I would call by when I spied your wife striding down Mayfair. It was quite unexpected because I assumed you would be keeping her rather occupied.” Phillip strolled over grinning.

Nathan was not amused by his friends teasing. “The woman is infuriating and stubborn as all hell. She absolutely refused to obey me and denied me my rights as a husband.”

Phillip couldn’t help himself he cracked up laughing.

“Laugh all you want but I find nothing hilarious about the situation.” Nathan grumbled.

“I see. Most unusual. However, I’m sure it won’t take long for you to rectify the matter.” It was easy to see how irritated his friend was over the matter, so Phillip forced himself to rein in his amusement.

“Humph, I’m not so sure about that but I intend to give it my best shot. You said you saw her in Mayfair, what is the confounded woman doing there?” Nathan grew thoughtful. “Oh good God no. You don’t suppose she’s heading toward Pantheon Bath House do you?” The horror of his wife visiting such a place nearly made his heart stop. It was one of the worst renowned whore houses in London.

“Ah…I really couldn’t say. But surely she wouldn’t be so foolish?” Phillip could see his friend wasn’t so certain.

“Is your carriage outside?” Nathan growled and when his friend nodded, he strode towards the door. “Come on then. There’s only one way to make absolutely certain the foolish woman wasn’t intending to go there.” In the foyer, he ignored his hat, cane and gloves his butler held out for him. “If I find her there I’m going to swat her backside so hard she won’t be able to sit down for a blasted month. Confound it, the woman doesn’t have a lick of sense.”

He stormed out of the house and entered the carriage and impatiently waited for his friend to join him. When Phillip took a seat and the coach started moving, he hoped he would reach his foolish wife in time. The Pantheon had a sordid reputation and even he wouldn’t step into the place. His stomach churned and apprehension prickled his skin at thought of his wife going inside such a hell hole.

“I doubt we’ll find her there Nat, surely you’re just panicking for nothing.” Phillip tried to ease his friends worry and anger, he hated to think what Nathan would do if her found his wife in that disreputable brothel.

Nathan snorted. “I can assure you Phillip, my wife most definitely wouldn’t hesitate in going inside. You seem to forget that she walked in on both of us in the brothel a few weeks ago.” And it still boiled his blood, and by hell or high water he was going to put a stop to this nonsense once and for all.

“Well she’s your damn wife now and I highly recommend you forbid her to continue visiting such places and ruining a man’s pleasure and catching him naked.” The memory once more embarrassed him and Phillip detested his friend from mentioning it.

It wasn’t hard to tell that Phillip was still humiliated and he couldn’t blame his friend. “I can assure you I have every intention of putting a stop to her visiting such places. No woman is going to make a fool out of me.” And even though he was adamant, he sensed it wasn’t going to be as easy as he just stated. His wife would be bound to argue over the dictate. He couldn’t believe her father would let her do such a thing in the first place. Then again the man was a weak fool and he could imagine his wife walked over her father’s demands and wishes.

Well he certainly wasn’t spineless or stupid and in this he would have his wife obey him, she would have to find another way to help the women who didn’t want to be there without going into the whore houses herself.

****

The arrangement made at the wedding reception yesterday, Sheldon spied the group of women waiting on the footpath outside the building they intended to visit this morning. She hoped it wouldn’t take long. She wanted to see her father. When she reached the ladies, she smiled. “Well my friends, shall we go inside and see if anyone needs rescuing?”

“Yes, no sense standing out here.” Jenny replied as she moved forward and without knocking, opened the door.

Sheldon admitted she was a little nervous about going inside, the place had a terrible reputation, and a little hesitantly she followed everyone into the building. It didn’t take long for the chaos to begin, naked women screamed and undressed men shouted curses and everyone scrambled to cover themselves.

About to take a step towards one of the unfortunate women, she was grabbed roughly from behind and spun around. She ducked out of the way when the raised fist swung towards her. She breathed a sigh of relief when it missed her by mere inches.

“You’ll pay for this you interfering bitch. I paid good money to get laid and since you have scared the whore off, you can take her place.”

Trying to skip out of reach, Sheldon scrambled inside her reticule for her little pistol. Just as the man’s fingers dug into her arm, she manage to pull it free and point it at his naked flabby belly. “I would suggest most ardently that you remove your hand sir and cover yourself. I’m afraid that seeing you in your birthday suit is most revolting and I can assure you not the least bit pleasant.” She just finished speaking when she heard the almighty roar coming from behind her.

She wanted to turn and find out who was making such a loud ruckus, but until the horrid man let go of her she couldn’t afford to take her eyes of him. If she had blinked, she would have missed it. And in open mouth wonder, she watched her husband leap forward and his fist strike the jaw of the man holding her. Before she could pull out of his hold when the man fell backwards and hit the ground, she tumbled on top of him.

Shuddering in revulsion at feeling his naked flesh beneath her, she quickly scrambled off him and turned to glare up at her husband. “I had no idea you frequented such a despicable place sir.”

Nathan opened his mouth to give his wife a piece of his mind, but he snapped it shut at her insult. Reaching out, he grasped her arm and gave her a little shake. “You wife, need a good spanking and I can assure you the only reason I am here is because of you. Now we are going home and you’re going to do exactly what I tell you to do.”

“I can’t go home yet. We’re not finished here and besides, I still have to something else I must do.” Sheldon was furious over his meddling in her life and had no intentions of obeying his dictates.

“Oh you’re finished here all right and if you don’t realize it yet that man was going harm you.” Nathan was still trying to come to grips at seeing his bride in such a dangerous situation. He’d never felt such murderous rage before and it was going to a very long time before he would forget how close his wife came to being hurt or worse.

Sheldon couldn’t help herself, she rolled her eyes and held up her hand still clutching the pistol so he could see it. “He might have tried but I can guarantee you he wouldn’t have succeeded.”

A growl of impotent rage rumbled in his chest and to prove just how wrong she was, Nathan’s hand snaked out and easily twisted the gun from her grasp. “You and this little toy are no match for a man his size and one as enraged as he was. And I very much doubt wife that you would have the gumption to even pull the trigger. Now let’s get going.” When he saw her stubborn chin lift in the air and her head shake in refusal, he let out a roar. “Oh for God sakes, I’ve had enough of this damn nonsense.”

Without warning or another word, he reached for her and tossed her over his shoulder, his blood still boiling he strode out of the building. Ignoring the little fist beating on his back, he climbed into Phillips carriage, sat down and dragged his wife down on to his lap. Catching her chin between his fingers with intensity his eyes drilled into her. “As your husband, I am forbidding you from ever going into another brothel or hell hole like this one ever again. And wife, you will obey me in this.”

Humiliated at her husband’s ungentlemanly behavior, she didn’t have any intentions of complying. “You’re not really my husband and besides you won’t be for long. And if you remember our discussion yesterday, I told you I will not obey you.”

Chest heaving with outrage, Nathan fired the words back at her. “You are the most infuriating, stubborn woman I have ever had the displeasure in meeting. Let me advice you wife. We’re staying married until the day one of us dies. And I can promise you that I don’t plan on doing that for many years and I also forbid you to do it. I will also remind you that not only are you putting yourself in danger but me as well. Now we are married those men you walk in on and finding them in such compromising situation will be most eager to call me out to protect their reputations.”

Unable to help herself, Sheldon found his command not to die amusing but when he warned what could happen, she gave him a look of dismay. “Surely they wouldn’t do something so foolish? They have no reason to blame you.”

Finally, Nathan could see he was getting through that stubborn head of hers. “Of course they’ll blame me. You’re my wife after all. Surely you realize catching those men in those places and in such indecent circumstances they would be afraid you would mention to their wives or fiancés.”

“Oh but it’s not my business what those scoundrels do. And I most assuredly would never mention it to anyone. However, I do feel sorry for their poor unfortunate women. No woman would like to know that her husband was cheating on her, even if she deserves to know the fact.” She would hate to learn that the man she loved would behave so despicably.

“They don’t know you won’t mention it and that makes them dangerous. Now do you understand why I forbid you to visit those places?” Nathan was growing impatient and wanted her agreement. He could see that at least she was thinking it over and hopefully, she would realize he was right, if not he wasn’t going to stop browbeating her until she did agree.

Sheldon remained thoughtful for a few minutes before she answered her husband, she could see his point of view and he did make a very valid argument. She wouldn’t tell him she’d already had a few of those men she caught doing wrong threaten her, she shivered just remembering. Her shoulders drooping, she knew she didn’t have any other choice but to admit that he was right even though she loathed to acknowledge it. She couldn’t put him in danger, it wouldn’t be fair. “Fine, I agree. But I’m still going to find some way to help those poor ill-fated women.”

Her agreement so surprised him that Nathan hugged her. “I’m sure once you have time to think about it, you’ll come up with something and as long as it doesn’t put you in danger I’ll approve it.” He chuckled when she gave him a glare of irritation.