A Most Unsuitable Earl (Regency Collection Book 3) Page 13

  “It’s good you did,” his mother said. “It assures me he’s doing his duty to get an heir. His father would be relieved. Maybe he’s watching from Heaven and is rejoicing that the title will pass on to his grandson.”

  “There’s no need to exaggerate the matter, Mother,” he admonished, though mention of an heir didn’t irk him as much as it usually would. Even if she was obsessed with him producing one, he could at least rest in knowing that now there was a possibility. And truth be told, he wouldn’t mind many more tries at getting that heir. Forcing his mind back to his mother, he added, “Besides, Catherine might have all girls. You can’t take it for granted she’ll have a boy.” He glanced at his wife. “Whichever one you have is fine with me. I don’t hold so tenaciously to the title as most gentlemen do.”

  Leaning closer to him in interest, she asked, “Why is that?”

  “I suppose it’s because I’ve seen enough gentlemen who assume a title gives them the right to treat others with disdain. I didn’t feel sorry for half the gentlemen who lost their money to me in those gambling hells.”

  His mother drew in a sharp breath. “Ethan!”

  “It’s the truth. You’d be horrified to know some of the things I learned.” These were things he’d never tell her, though he could tell by Catherine’s raised eyebrows that her curiosity was at war with her sensibilities. “Suffice it to say that some gentlemen aren’t what they seem.”

  Catherine bit her lower lip and glanced at his mother. He knew it was on the tip of her tongue to press him for a story or two but didn’t dare reveal her desire to hear such gossip while his mother was nearby. Maybe he could convince her to show him some of her drawings in exchange for some tales. He wouldn’t tell her the worst of it, of course. She was a lady, and even if she had some strong passions, he still needed to protect her from some of the harsher realities of life.

  “I won’t torment you with details,” Ethan assured his mother who looked relieved.

  Catherine seemed disappointed but didn’t protest.

  “Catherine, is there anything you wish to do today in the unlikely event your father won’t be stopping by?” he asked.

  “I wouldn’t mind seeing a circus,” she replied with a hopeful expression that made her look completely adorable. “My father never let me go there. I’m not sure why.”

  Who knew she’d taken an interest in the circus? He couldn’t even begin to guess why the duke didn’t let her go to one. However, he had no qualms about taking her there. “We’ll go. Even if the Duke of Terror shows up, we’ll tell him to come back at a more convenient time.”

  His mother shot him a stern look. “You mustn’t refer to him that way anymore. What if you slip and call him that when he’s around?”

  “He would love nothing more than to send me to an early grave,” Ethan told her. “If I do slip, it shouldn’t surprise him.”

  Though Catherine giggled, she argued, “My father isn’t as terrible as you make him out to be. Now, you said you’d take me to the circus?”

  Her eyes grew wide in the most charming fashion, and he honestly didn’t think he could deny her anything when she looked at him that way. In some ways, she seemed so innocent. No one would believe she was capable of such passion. He ventured that she also had a tendency to be fiercely loyal to those she loved. And he also ventured that he was a very fortunate gentleman to have married her.

  His mind turning back to her inquiry, he nodded. “Yes. We’ll go to the circus.”

  She clasped her hands together. “Splendid! I’ll get dressed in appropriate clothes.”

  As she stood, he touched her arm to stop her. “There’s no need. We won’t be going for a couple of hours.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, she sighed. “I’ll go restless if I wait.”

  “I’ll tell you what. I’ll change clothes as well, and we can take a stroll before the circus starts.”

  His mother smiled in a way that indicated she was pleased with his response, but he chose to ignore it. He didn’t need his mother getting sentimental in front of the servants. “What will you be doing today, Mother?” he asked before he finished his milk.

  “I’ll pay someone a visit,” she replied. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. He debated whether or not he should ask her who she intended to visit but decided against it. She was a grown lady. He hadn’t made it a habit of keeping track of her whereabouts in the past, and he saw no reason to start now. As they rose from the table, he told her, “I hope you have a good day.”

  “I will.” With a twinkle in her eye, she added in a low voice, “I’m happy that you will be doing something suitable for a change.”

  Resisting the urge to groan, he followed Catherine to the hallway, for once glad that someone knew he wasn’t the rake he had pretended to be. He used to think that someone finding out his secret would be the worst thing that could happen to him. But in a way, it proved to be the exact opposite. Catherine knew his secret but would never tell anyone, which made him feel at ease. More than that, however, was knowing he didn’t have to put on a pretense with her. He could be the gentleman he truly was when she was around, and that felt more liberating than losing his title would have been. With her, he could be himself. And with him, he sensed that she could put aside the show of being a proper young lady and explore more of her true self as well.

  It was ironic when he thought about it. Here he was, far more reserved than he let others believe while she was far more passionate than others would have thought her to be. They were an odd pair, really. But even as odd as they were, he suspected they would also be a happy one.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “What a delightful day it’s been!” Catherine exclaimed as the carriage pulled up to the townhouse.

  Ethan grinned. “I thought you’d enjoy the circus.”

  “I did. I enjoyed it immensely! Thank you for taking me.”

  “I’ll take you anywhere your heart desires. Just tell me where you want to go, and we’ll go there.”

  She kissed his cheek. “That’s very kind of you.”

  The footman opened the door, and they left the carriage. He waited until they were alone in the entryway before he decided it was time to ask about her drawing pad.

  “Will you be getting changed for dinner?” he asked, glancing at the stairs leading to her bedchamber.

  “I was thinking of it,” she replied and headed for the staircase.

  Good. That made things easier for him. “I should get dressed for dinner as well.” He ran to catch up to her and joined her as she walked up the steps. “Is there anything you need help with?”

  “My lady’s maid helps me when I change clothes.”

  “Wouldn’t it be more fun if I helped you instead?”

  She paused and studied him. “Well, it would, but there’s a difference between taking clothes off and putting them on, especially when you’re dealing with corsets and gowns.”

  “Oh, I was thinking I’d help you out of your dress, not put the next one on.”

  Her lips curled up into a wicked grin. “Dare we in the middle of the day?”

  He shrugged. “Why not? Is there a law that says we can’t spend time in bed before dinner?”

  “No, at least not that I know of.”

  “So?”

  They reached the top of the steps and she turned to face him. “Considering how much I enjoyed last night, I’d be foolish to say no.”

  He followed her down the hall, and when he realized she was heading for his bedchamber, he called out, “I was thinking we could go to your room.”

  “I thought after your reaction to seeing my room last night, it’d be best to go to yours. I don’t want there to be any problems with,” she motioned to his crotch, “it.”

  Understanding her meaning, he laughed. “I was able to perform last night. Twice, in fact.”

  “That’s true, but I wanted to make sure you could perform again given that it
’s daylight and the curtains are parted so you can see every overtly feminine thing in the room.”

  He put his arm around her waist and pulled her toward him. “I think you’ll manage to make sure I don’t have any problems.”

  He bowed his head and kissed her. When the kiss ended, she looked up at him with an innocent expression that seemed to border on seduction.

  “If you’re sure…” she whispered, her hand tracing his erection.

  He let out a playful growl and led her to her bedchamber.

  She giggled. “There might be a part in you that’s a rake after all,” she said in a low voice.

  “Only with you.”

  Glad she opened the door to her bedchamber, he followed her into her room and scanned the area. Well, at least the peach bedding didn’t make him shiver this time. He was getting used to it.

  Hoping he sounded barely interested, he ventured, “Why don’t you showcase any of your drawings?”

  “Why would I do that?” she asked as she shut the door and turned to him.

  “Because you’d like to see what you created?”

  “Even if it’s not that good?”

  “It’s your bedchamber. Who cares if you’re any good or not?”

  “I care,” she replied as she went over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  Though she kissed his neck in a way that further aroused him, he pressed forward. “What can I do to persuade you to let me see your drawings? Should I tell you some secrets I learned about a couple of gentlemen that my mother didn’t want me to say during breakfast?”

  She shook her head. “I was tempted to hear more, but I think I better not. There are some things I think I’m better off not knowing.”

  Drat! That was the only thing he had to bargain with.

  “You really want to see my drawings?” she asked.

  He studied her expression to see if she was trying to bait him, but she seemed sincere. “Yes, I would. I’d like to see if you have a talent for it.” And he wanted to see what she’d be so shy about.

  “All right. I’ll show you, but you must close your eyes so you won’t find my hiding place.”

  His wife really had him intrigued. Who knew she had such a mischievous side to her? “Why? What else are you hiding from me?”

  “A lady can’t reveal all her secrets.” She winked at him before adding, “Now, turn away from me and close your eyes. Then I’ll get it.”

  He obeyed, and he heard her moving around the room. He was tempted to glance over his shoulder and see where she’d made her hiding place but decided, just this once, he’d be good and not peek.

  “You can look now,” she said as she came around him so she was standing in front of him.

  Opening his eyes, he saw the drawing pad she held out to him. “Are you sure about this?” he asked as he took it. “You seemed hesitant yesterday.”

  “I know. It was silly, but I didn’t think you’d like my flowers.”

  He turned his attention to the drawing pad. She appeared much too eager for him to look at it, didn’t she? Was it possible that it was simple nerves that made her hesitate so? He glanced at her and thought of how bold she’d been in the short time he’d been married to her. For some reason, she didn’t strike him as the type of lady who would mind showing anyone pictures of flowers. He flipped through the drawing pad and saw two drawings. One with a group of flowers together and another with a single flower.

  “These are good,” he commented, flipping through the rest of the pad to see if there was another drawing—perhaps something less innocent—hidden somewhere.

  “You really think so?” she asked, circling around him so she could see the drawings.

  “Yes. Exquisite work, in fact. Some would say these flower look lifelike. Did you show these to Lady Roderick and Mrs. Morris?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  And she was hesitant to show these to him? That was even stranger. “What did they say when they saw them?”

  “The same thing you did.”

  “So why didn’t you want me to see them?”

  With a giggle that had a slight unease to it, she shrugged. “You’re a gentleman. I didn’t think flowers would interest you.”

  He took another good look at her drawings. There were only two. While she managed to capture every detail with surprising clarity, he thought she could’ve drawn more in the time she’d been at Hyde Park. Well, there was no way to prove if there had been something else in this pad, maybe something she’d removed to save herself some embarrassment.

  “You have nothing to worry about,” he said as he closed it and handed it to her. “Your drawings are wonderful. Why don’t you showcase them in the drawing room?”

  “There are already paintings gracing the walls.” She set the pad on the settee by the window then returned to him. “I believe we came here to do something more interesting than look at flowers.”

  At least there was that. Even if seeing the drawing pad was a disappointment, he could enjoy the rest of his time before dinner. With a grin, he took her in his arms and carried her to the bed where he proceeded to make love to her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  A month later, Ethan and Catherine were at Hyde Park. The sun warmed the cool spring air, making it a pleasant day. The scent of flowers floated on the breeze. The birds sung their sweet melodies. It was an ideal day to be at the park. A perfect day, really. But still, he felt foolish sitting still while Catherine drew his profile. She kept glancing from him to her drawing pad while he looked straight ahead at the few ladies who had gathered to gossip. One lady let out a shrill laugh and the other nodded emphatically. Good heavens but few things were as boring as watching ladies who had nothing better to do than talk about other people.

  He shifted uncomfortably on the bench. “How much longer will it be until you’re done?”

  “Not long,” Catherine assured him and reached out to nudge his chin slightly toward her. “I want to make sure I do this right.”

  “Is there a wrong way to draw someone?”

  “No, not really, but I could make a mistake and have to start all over again.”

  He grimaced. He was growing restless as it was. He didn’t think he had it in him to sit still for another forty minutes. “Why would you have to start over?”

  “Because I want to make sure I do a good job. You’re a handsome gentleman, a real pleasure to draw. I want to make sure I get everything right.”

  He smiled. “You think I’m handsome?”

  “You have the kind of face that should be drawn.”

  Detecting the humor in her voice, he frowned. “Are you humoring me?”

  “Of course not. I really do like the way you look. That’s why I asked to draw you. When you’re not around, I’ll still be able to see you.” After a moment of silence, she added, “I just think it’s amusing you seem surprised that I think you’re attractive.”

  “I didn’t think ladies concerned themselves with how gentlemen look.”

  “Oh? And what did you think ladies concerned themselves with?”

  He shrugged. “A gentleman’s money, title, reputation…”

  “Yes, those are important, but it certainly helps if a lady can glance at her husband and admire his beauty.”

  He rather liked that sentiment. Directing his gaze toward her, he whispered, “I admire your beauty, too.”

  Her face turned a most becoming shade of pink and her lips curled up into a pleased smile. Lowering her eyes, she resumed her drawing.

  Taking that as his cue, he looked back to the ladies who finally decided they’d had enough of gossiping and bid each other farewell before going their separate ways.

  A few minutes passed then Catherine showed him her drawing. “I’m done.”

  His eyes grew wide when he saw himself through her eyes. He was certain she had embellished a bit on his good points to make up for the flaws. In her drawing, his complexion was smoother, his hair perfectly in place, and his j
aw a bit stronger. “This is how you see me?”

  “I drew what I saw.”

  It was very sweet of her, and it was flattering to know that when she looked at him, this was what she saw.

  “I suppose we’ve been here long enough,” she said as she rose from the bench.

  Closing the drawing pad, he handed it to her. “We could take a walk before returning home if you like.”

  “That’d be nice.”

  He offered her his arm, and she accepted it. They proceeded to enjoy a brief stroll, most of it spent in a comfortable silence, before they went home.

  As they entered their townhouse, the butler handed Ethan a message. The message was addressed from Mr. Horlock, Agatha’s alias.

  Catherine glanced at the letter. “Mr. Horlock? Where have I heard that name before?”

  He quickly tucked the letter into his pocket. “You met him briefly at Hyde Park that day when you drew those flowers.”

  “Oh! Yes, I remember him. He was such an odd gentleman.”

  “Because he’s extremely shy.” Motioning to the drawing pad she held, he added, “You did a wonderful job of drawing my profile.”

  She glanced at her pad and blushed in a way that amused him. She was simply adorable when she blushed. Turning her gaze back to him, she said, “I like drawing you.”

  “Well, you flattered my mother by drawing her.”

  “That’s because I made her look a little younger, as she requested, though she’s a fine looking lady regardless of her age.”

  “Compliments like that will get you anything you want,” a lady said.

  Ethan and Catherine turned around in time to see his mother walking down the hallway in their direction. Ethan crossed his arms. “Ah, Mother. You surely make it a habit of popping up when I least expect it. I thought you were visiting a friend.”

  “I’m done with the visit,” she replied and gave Catherine a hug. “But I received a request from your father. He wants to see you, and I thought it’d do well to invite him.”

  Ethan grimaced. “He comes by every day.”