sick to death of seeing the guilt in his eyes when he looks at me. Make him forget, and you will help us both.’
‘But why do you bother, Tim? I am sure he would not blame you if you could not forgive him.’
Tim smiled. ‘I know how much of the blame lies with my wife. Clare angled after him for years before she finally trapped him. It was a wonder he held out as long as he did.’
‘But she was not the only one at fault,’ Penny said.
‘True enough. And try as I might, I cannot help but forgive him. I’m sure you have noticed by now that he is a most likeable fellow, especially when you wish to be angry with him. Very persuasive. Has he told you what happened, to get him sent down when we were at school together?’
‘No.’ She tried to hide her curiosity.
‘It was all my doing.’ Tim shook his head. ‘I was a heavy drinker in those days. And one night, while deep in my cups, we got to brawling with each other in a public house, like common ruffians. That was over a woman as well, for it is the only reason we ever argue. Missed curfew. And gave him the worst of it. Blacked his eye and nearly broke that handsome face of his. It was all around the school that I assaulted Bellston’s heir. Added to my lack of academic attention, I deserved a one-way ticket home. But somehow, Adam managed to convince the deans that it was all his fault. Took the whole blame. Issued the apologies, paid the bills, put some ice on his black eyes and allowed himself to be sent home in disgrace to face his father. Told me, if I loved science so much, I had best get about proving it, for with no title and no money, I would need an education to secure my future. But since he was to be duke, he could be as big a fool as he liked and no harm would come of it.’
Tim smiled and shook his head. ‘Couldn’t well be angry with him after that. You will see what he is like, if you haven’t already. When he tries, let him charm you. You will not regret it, I promise you.’
There was a rather loud sound of someone clearing his throat in the hallway, and then the door opened and her husband walked into the room.
Adam glanced at them, as though not noticing anything unusual, and said, ‘I was looking for a book, for the trip tomorrow.’ He looked at her. ‘Perhaps you could recommend something?’ And to his friend, ‘Or you, Tim. For I assume that is why you are secluded with my wife. So that you may talk books, without boring the rest of us.’ There was a touch of menace in her husband’s voice that she had never heard before.
‘Of course,’ Tim answered innocently. ‘For what other reason would one choose to be alone with such a lovely woman? Not making you jealous, am I?’
‘Do I have reason to be?’
‘I think I might have reason to be jealous of you. But that is between you and your wife. Good luck, old friend, as if you need any more. And goodnight.’ Tim let go of her hand, and rose to leave.
Adam watched him with suspicion. ‘Close the door behind you, please.’
He waited until his friend had gone down the hall and was out of earshot. And then he said without warning, ‘I will not let you cuckold me in my own home.’
‘Would you prefer that I do it elsewhere?’ She had almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it before she realised he was serious.
He did not raise his voice, but she could tell that his temper was barely contained. ‘You know what I meant. I would prefer not to have to kill a man over you. Especially not that one.’
‘Kill Tim? Adam, listen to yourself. Have you gone mad?’
She could hardly recognise the man before her, for his eyes were dark and his face more grim than she had ever seen it. ‘Do not be flip with me. If you do not set that young puppy straight, I will be forced to deal with him on the field of honour, the next time I wander in on the two of you.’
‘For holding my hand? That is rich, after what he has suffered from you.’
‘Which is another reason I do not wish to hurt him. He has not, as yet, done anything I cannot overlook. But I suspect it is only a matter of time before I will have reason to act. I beg you to stop it, to prevent me from having to do so.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘As if it would matter to you. From what I gather, in talking to your friends, the nobles of your acquaintance have the morals of cats in an alley. Not one wife amongst them is faithful, and all the husbands have mistresses.’
‘That is different,’ he answered.
‘I fail to see how. It is not as if we married for love, unless that is a mandatory precursor to the level of infidelity I have seen. Ours was a purely financial arrangement, and I thought we were of an understanding on the subject of sexual attachments. I told you it did not matter to me.’
‘And do you remember my saying, in response to you, that what you did would not matter to me? Because I did not. I was under the impression that while you intended for me to find a mistress to deal with my personal needs, you meant to stay home alone with a good book.’
‘So the situation is agreeable, so long as it benefits you and not me?’ she said.
‘I fail to see how it does, since I have not yet taken advantage of the liberties you seem so eager to allow me.’
She grew even more confused. ‘You have no mistress?’
‘Not at this time.’
‘Nor any other …’
‘No.’
‘Since we married, you have not—’
‘I said, no,’ he snapped.
‘I do not understand.’
‘Nor do I,’ he responded. ‘But that doesn’t mean I wish for you to take a lover after less than a month of marriage. You cannot expect me to sit idly by and do nothing about it.’
Her argument ran out of fuel, and her anger cooled. But his argument became no clearer. And so she said, ‘Your friends do not seem overly bothered by their wives’ conduct.’
‘My friends all have several children. Any inheritances or titles have been assured. Their wives have performed the duties, which you have expressed no interest in. They have earned latitude.’
‘And is that the only problem? You think that I encourage Timothy too soon?’
‘People will say that turnabout is fair play, and I am getting a taste of what I deserve. And they will question the legitimacy of my heir, should there be one, even if I do not.’
She smiled at the nonsense of it. ‘But I have no intention of getting myself with child.’
He shook his head. ‘You are wise in many things, but there is much you do not know. Let me try to explain. First, you understand that you do not get yourself with child, it is a collaborative effort.’
‘I do not plan to collaborate.’
He sighed. ‘If you have feelings for Timothy, or any one else, for that matter, these feelings could lead you to a place where collaboration is inevitable.’
‘I
