No Decent Gentleman (32 page)

Without a word to her, Adam turned to his friend and said, "Will you excuse us?"

Jamie Armstrong smiled first at Adam and then at Sabrina. He left the study, but Sabrina heard the sound of his laughter as he walked down the corridor to the foyer.

Adam caught her gaze and said in a deceptively quiet voice, "Never behave so rudely in front of a guest again. Do you understand?"

Holy hemlock, he's angry
, Sabrina thought absurdly. She'd never seen him like this and hoped she would never be treated to a repeat performance. The forbidding look on his face urged her to step back a pace or five.

"Sit down," Adam said.

Sabrina lifted her nose into the air. "I prefer to stand."

Instead of arguing, Adam surprised her by walking around the desk and lifting her into his arms. He sat down in one of the chairs positioned in front of his desk and, despite her squirming to free herself, managed to keep her prisoner there. Realizing that he had the superior strength, Sabrina demonstrated her rebellion by turning her head and refusing to look at him.

"Listen carefully, Princess," Adam said, gently but firmly turning her head to face him. "I will say this one time only."

"I'm listening," she told his chest.

"A divorce is as impossible as an annulment," Adam informed her. "Therefore, you will live with me and bear my heirs. Other than that, we will live separate lives if that is what you prefer."

Sabrina suffered the urge to scream that having separate lives was not what she preferred. She wanted a loving husband who told her the truth.

"Furthermore, the day you stoop to play the wanton will be your last day on this earth," he added.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, shifting her gaze to his.

"I mean that you will be sorry if you even consider taking a lover," Adam warned.

"Take a lover?" Sabrina cried, leaping off his lap. She rounded on him and demanded, "What kind of woman do you think I am? Consorting with London harlots has jaded your thinking!"

Sabrina glared at him. He appeared to be struggling against a smile. Was he laughing at her now?

Adam ignored her outburst. "Higgins will show you to your chamber," he told her. "Dinner is served promptly at seven. Good afternoon."

Good afternoon
? Sabrina thought. The man was incorrigible and issued orders like a prince. Well, she had news for him. He wasn't a prince to her, he was merely a marquess.

"You're not a prince," she said in a scathing voice. "You, my lord, are a toad."

And then he had the audacity to smile at her. "You have recalled the story incorrectly, Princess. The woman kissed a
frog
that turned into a prince."

"There's no bloody damned difference between a toad and a frog!" That remark brought an infuriating grin to his face. Without another word, Sabrina stormed out of the study. The only thing she felt certain about at the moment was that he would never let her live with her aunt, which was what she'd expected before she walked through the door.

When she reached the foyer, Higgins was nowhere in sight but Razi was there. She felt tired from her journey and her warring emotions.

"Razi, please escort me to my chamber," Sabrina said. "Then order the staff to prepare a bath for me. Tilly, go to the kitchen and eat. Afterward, bring me something. I want to have a bath first."

Sabrina sat in the chair in front of the hearth in her chamber while Razi directed the footmen who arrived to set up her bath. She noticed the door across the chamber right away and knew it had to be her husband's chamber. Having her live in his house wouldn't be any fun if he couldn't torment her with his presence.

"Your bath is ready, my princess," Razi said.

Sabrina looked over her shoulder. The footmen had left, leaving her alone with the little man. She hoped he wasn't going to try to assist her again.

"You may leave, Razi," Sabrina said, rising wearily from the chair.

"As you wish, my princess." The little man stood rooted to the floor.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You should have more respect for your husband," Razi scolded her. "Your husband is your master, and you have upset him deeply. Shame on you."

Sabrina arched a copper brow at him. "Am I truly your princess?"

"Yes."

"Then I order you to begone."

Without another word, Razi bowed from the waist. He crossed the chamber to the door, but paused to bow again and then left.

Sabrina bathed herself and then found her bedrobe in her dressing room. She lay down on the bed and slept, refusing to awaken even when Tilly brought her a meal.

At precisely seven o'clock, Sabrina left her bedchamber. She dressed in one of her favorite gowns, a green and gold brocade. She'd taken special pains with her appearance, having decided that she and her husband needed to make peace. Now she understood the reasons for his lies and, in time, would recover from the pain she'd felt. Perhaps Adam could think of some way to get Edgar to tip his hand. More important, she'd missed him.

Higgins met her in the foyer and escorted her to the enormous dining room. It was deserted except for servants. He helped her into her chair at the head of the table, and she looked at him in confusion. She opened her mouth to speak but he turned away and said to the servants, "Everyone out. I will serve her ladyship."

When all the servants had gone, Higgins turned to her and said, "His Lordship has already left for the evening and won't return until late."

"Thank you, Higgins." Sabrina felt humiliated and dejected. Her first night in her husband's London town house and he'd left her alone. She folded her hands in her lap and tried to put a brave face on the situation.

Higgins served her roasted chicken with potatoes, braised leeks, a variety of cheeses, and wine. Sabrina ate very little. Swallowing with that lump of raw emotion in her throat proved too much for her.

Finally, Sabrina turned to Higgins, who stood near the sideboard, and asked, "Do you have any aprons in the kitchen?"

"Why, I believe so," the man answered.

"Good." Sabrina rose from the dining room table and said, "I will need flour, butter, sugar, currants, eggs, lemons, apples, raisins, and any kind of nuts you may have in the cupboard."

"Whatever for, my lady?"

"I am going to bake cookies and pie."

Higgins looked positively shocked. "Cookies and pie?" he echoed.

"Yes, Higgins," Sabrina said, turning to leave the dining room. "Lemon cookies and humble pie."

Chapter 16

She loved her husband and wanted him back in her arms.

Sabrina knew that as surely as she knew she'd used every ounce of flour in her husband's cupboard.

Except for his constant lies, Adam St. Aubyn was all that she'd ever dreamed about in a man. Adam was handsome and wealthy and titled, but he was also romantic, kind, and honorable.
And she loved him.

How could she possibly initiate a reconciliation? Sabrina wondered, sitting on the chaise in front of the hearth in her bedchamber. She couldn't very well go down to breakfast and say to him, "By the way, I'm sorry for abandoning you. Let's begin again."

Or could she? Perhaps a bit of subtlety was required.

That was it, Sabrina decided, rising from the chaise. She would go down to breakfast and send him longing, flirtatious looks. Then she would strike up a casual conversation, and from there, intimacy would grow. She would tell him about her conversation with Vicar Dingle, and together they could hatch a scheme to trap a murderer.

With Winston in tow, Sabrina left her bedchamber and marched like a woman with a purpose down the corridor. She and the wolfhound walked down the stairs to the first floor, where the dining room was located.

When she stepped into the dining room, Sabrina felt her heart sink to her stomach but managed to maintain a placid expression. The room was deserted except for Higgins, who rushed forward to assist her into the chair.

"I'll have a pot of tea," Sabrina said. "Nothing to eat."

"My lady, you ate nothing last night," Higgins replied. "Let me serve you a hot roll with butter."

"Very well," Sabrina agreed, and then gazed down the long length of the table to her husband's empty chair. "His Lordship hasn't come downstairs yet?"

"I haven't seen him this morning," Higgins replied, without meeting her gaze. "I must tell you how appreciative the staff is of your gift of lemon cookies. Several maids were eating them for breakfast."

"Thank you, Higgins," Sabrina said with a smile. "It's nice to be appreciated."

One of her husband's footmen walked into the dining room and handed her a parchment with the Duke of Kingston's seal. She opened it and read the message. Turning to the majordomo, she asked, "Would someone deliver a message to the Duchess of Kinross after breakfast?"

"One of the footmen will do it," Higgins answered.

Sabrina glanced down the length of the table just in time to see the footman set a newspaper in front of Adam's place. "What is that?" she called.

"
The Times
, my lady."

"Give it to me, please."

The footman brought her the newspaper and then left the dining room.

Sipping her tea, Sabrina set the paper down on the table to thumb through it. She reached the third page and froze in agonized despair as she read the column. The article concerned Lady Meade's ball the previous evening. Surprising everyone, the Marquess of Stonehurst had left his bride at home and escorted the Countess of Rothbury to the gala. The writer hoped the marquess's marriage to the lovely Countess of Abingdon was not doomed to failure.

Sabrina stared through tear-blurred eyes at the account of the party. She felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach, the pain and the humiliation of her husband's defection almost too much to endure.

Hot teardrops rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto the newspaper. While she'd been suffering the humiliation of dining alone, her husband had been flaunting his mistress around town.

So much for happy reconciliations, she thought bitterly.

And then Higgins was standing beside her. "My lady, what will make you feel better?" the majordomo asked solicitously.

The man's kindness was her undoing. "Wa-wa-wal-nut creams," she sobbed.

"Walnut creams?" he echoed in obvious surprise. "I'm not sure we have any in—"

"I want to make them, not eat them," Sabrina interrupted.

"Dry your tears, my lady," Higgins said, brightening. "Tell me what you'll need."

Sabrina wiped her tears away with the napkin. "I'll need sugar, eggs, rose extract, walnut halves, and shredded coconut."

"I can manage to get those," he assured her.

"Could you gather the ingredients by this afternoon?" she asked.

"Yes, my lady."

"And will a footman deliver my message to the Duchess of Kinross?"

"Of course, my lady."

Sabrina rose from the chair and turned to leave, but stopped short when she spied her husband entering the dining room. Still dressed in evening attire, Adam barely spared her a glance as he passed her chair to take his seat at the head of the table.

"Black coffee," he ordered.

"Your exploits reached Park Lane before you did," Sabrina said in a voice filled with contempt.

Adam looked at her but said nothing.

"You could have dined with me on my first night here," she said.

"I didn't think you cared," he replied, seemingly unaffected by her words.

"You humiliated me in front of the household staff," Sabrina told him.

"I am very tired this morning," Adam said. "Would it be possible to discuss this later?"

"Drop dead twice and go to hell." Sabrina whirled away and marched toward the door.

"Higgins, what did you spill on my paper?" she heard her husband ask.

"Her Ladyship's tears," the majordomo answered, his voice filled with disapproval.

"Sabrina, stop," Adam ordered.

She paused and turned around.

"Why have you been weeping on my newspaper?" he asked.

Sabrina met his gaze unwaveringly. Without bothering to reply, she turned and walked away.

"Damn it, Sabrina. Where are you going?"

"To visit my sister," she called over her shoulder.

Fifteen minutes later, Sabrina walked into the town house in Grosvenor Square. Forbes helped her with her cloak, and Baxter informed her, "His Grace and His Royal Highness have retreated to the study. Shall I announce you?"

Sabrina shook her head. "I know the way."

"Lady Sabrina?" Forbes said.

She turned around to meet the majordomo's gaze.

"I knew it. You've been crying," Forbes said. "What did the marquess do to you?"

Sabrina reached out and touched his forearm, saying, "I appreciate your concern but I am fine."

Forbes gave her a skeptical look.

"No one ever died from injured pride," she assured him.

Reaching the study at the end of the corridor on the first floor, Sabrina paused for a moment to collect herself and organize what she wanted to say to the prince. Finally, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in." The voice belonged to Uncle Charles.

Pasting a bright smile onto her face, Sabrina opened the door and stepped inside. Both men rose from their chairs when she entered.

Sabrina curtsied to the prince before crossing the study. Uncle Charles met her halfway.

"Child, you look lovely," Uncle Charles said, kissing her hand. "Marriage to my nephew must agree with you."

"Marriage to Adam certainly has had an effect upon me," she agreed.

"I know you wish to speak privately with the prince," Uncle Charles said. He turned to Adolphus and said, "I'll be waiting in the foyer."

Smiling at the prince, Sabrina crossed the chamber to the desk and sat in one of the chairs perched in front of it.

"So good to see you again, my dear," Prince Adolphus greeted her. "Good ... good ... good. I understand from Charles that you have several things you would like to discuss with me."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Sabrina said, meeting his gaze. "I know that you are my natural father."