he snapped. “I don’t find any of this amusing.”
“You used to find much of life amusing.”
“I am not the same man I used to be.”
She snorted in disbelief.
“I shall make a deal with you, Violet,” he said evenly. “I won’t throw your affairs in your face if you don’t throw my affairs in mine. We’ll leave the past in the past.”
“I don’t know. Throwing your indiscretions in your face sounds rather enjoyable to me.” She sipped her whiskey and considered him. Apparently, she was not going to make this easy.
“What I’m proposing is a truce.”
“I was unaware we were engaged in battle.”
His gaze met hers directly. “We have been engaged in a game of warfare since the night I kissed you on a darkened terrace.”
“Nonsense.” She scoffed. “We haven’t even seen each other.”
“Am I wrong?”
“I suppose it has been something of a battle albeit a silent one.”
He sipped his drink. “Perhaps we could be, well, friends again.”
“Unwilling partners perhaps but friends?” She tossed back the rest of her whiskey in a manner any man would be proud of. “I don’t think I can be your friend.”
“Nonetheless, you are my wife.”
“Six years ago, you didn’t want a wife.”
Six years ago I was an idiot. “And yet I have one who now apparently has to act like a wife.” He drew a deep breath. “As I intend to act like a husband.”
Her brow arched upward. “Do you?”
“It’s what Uncle Richard wanted.” He paused. “We were friends once, Violet, you and I.”
“Once was a very long time ago, James.” She set her glass down on a nearby table and headed for the door. “Lady Higginbotham and her friends will be here for dinner at half-past seven. Don’t be late. And do dress appropriately.”
“That sounded very much like a wife to me,” he called after her.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, my dear James, that’s just the beginning.”
“EXCELLENT DINNER, LORD ELLSWORTH,” Lady Blodgett said with a pleasant smile. “Do give my compliments to your cook.”
“Mrs. Clarke will be pleased to hear you enjoyed it.” James smiled.
Lady Blodgett and Mrs. Fitzhew-Wellmore were the friends of Mrs. Higginbotham’s she’d said were going to help her oversee the conditions of the will. All three ladies were of advanced years although one could see they must have been quite lovely in their younger days. Marcus and Mrs. Ryland completed their company. Marcus had noted privately earlier in the evening how he and James were horribly outnumbered and they should be on their toes. If this was indeed a game there were three distinct factions as evidenced by the seating at the table. James sat at the head at the table, Violet opposite at the far end. Mrs. Ryland sat next to Violet and beside Marcus who was on James’s right. The three older ladies sat on the other side.
Mrs. Higginbotham proclaimed before they were seated that there would be no discussion of Uncle Richard’s will until after dinner. Both James and Marcus spent the better part of the meal doing their best to charm the females at the table. Which did seem to work well with the exception of Violet—who even while she directed the conversation around the table was cool and aloof at least toward James—and Mrs. Ryland, whose distaste for James was only barely concealed. Although she did not appear entirely immune to Marcus’s charms even if it did seem the widow was trying to resist the engaging solicitor. Apparently, she was reluctant to throw her lot in with the enemy.
All in all the meal was pleasant enough if one ignored the superficial nature of the conversation and the currents eddying just below the surface.
“So.” Mrs. Higginbotham looked around the table. “Shall we begin?”
“Perhaps we should retire to the parlor,” Violet said in her best lady of the house manner. Her mother would be proud. James stifled a laugh.
“Oh, I think here at the table where we are all on equal footing is preferable,” Mrs. Higginbotham said and looked at James. “Unless you object?”
“Not at all, Mrs. Higginbotham.” He smiled at the older lady. No doubt the next three years would be fraught with problems regarding her interpretation of Uncle Richard’s stipulations. It was not too soon to try to get her in his corner.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. “Excellent.”
Violet signaled Andrews, who nodded and left the room, returning almost at once with decanters of brandy, port and sherry. Andrews obviously anticipated the company staying at the table and James wondered if Violet and Uncle Richard had done so during her visits.
Once the table was cleared and they all had glasses of brandy or port, the older ladies insisting they preferred the more traditional lady’s offering of sherry, Mrs. Higginbotham began. “I gather the two of you have agreed to abide by the terms of the will.”
James met Violet’s gaze and they nodded.
“Excellent.” Mrs. Higginbotham looked at Marcus. “Shall we take Richard’s stipulations one at a time?”
Marcus nodded. “Whatever you prefer.”
“Very well.” Mrs. Higginbotham thought for a moment. “First, is the requirement that you live together for the next two years, eleven months, one week and three days or rather two days now with no more than fourteen days spent apart in any given year.” Mrs. Higginbotham’s gaze circled the table.
“That seems fairly straightforward to me. Are there any questions?”
“Is there any requirement as to where we reside? Are we confined to England?” Violet asked.
“As long as the two of you are living together, under the same roof, not at all.” Mrs. Higginbotham paused. “Although it would be most difficult for Lady Blodgett, Mrs. Fitzhew-Wellmore and myself to oversee the terms of the will if you chose to live abroad. In Rome for example.”
“In which case, Effie, Poppy and I would feel it necessary to reside with you.” Lady Blodgett smiled in an agreeable manner that in no way negated her threat.
“I for one have always wanted to live abroad.” Excitement rang in Mrs. Fitzhew-Wellmore’s voice.
“I don’t intend to live anywhere but England.” James’s tone was more than a little pompous. Where on earth had that come from? He’d never been even remotely pompous before. “And I don’t consider it confinement.”
Violet’s jaw tightened but her tone was
