intended was left unspoken. They finished their meal in cold politeness. Melissa wished she could apologize, but she felt unable to find words to appease the rigidly correct figure sitting opposite. As soon as the meal was over, Melissa excused herself, complaining of a headache, and fled to her room.
She changed into a silken night-gown, part of the trousseau she had chosen with Lady Carlestone, and slipped between the warmed sheets. She dismissed her maid and it was only when she was on the verge of sleep that she realized with a jolt that she was now a married lady. Her husband might expect more from her on their first night than merely her company at dinner! A cold chill ran through her: that she loved him was beyond doubt, but she felt she would die rather than betray herself to that cold stranger she had left in the dining-room.
Lady Aldringham fervently wished that her remark had remained unspoken, for she had begun to feel quite at ease with the earl, but her wretched tongue had betrayed her. A clock somewhere in the house chimed the hour. Eleven o’clock. Perhaps he would stay below and drink himself to sleep, she thought desperately.
A footstep in the passage made her hold her breath, and the next moment the earl, dressed in an elegant brocade dressing-gown entered the room, a branched candlestick in one hand.
‘Well, wife? How is the headache?’ She flinched under his harsh tone.
‘It is gone sir, thank you.’
Aldringham put down the candlestick with great care, and Melissa guessed that he had been drinking heavily. The glitter in his eyes as he approached her confirmed her suspicion, and she shrank back against the pillows.
‘Aldringham - I - I am very sorry for what I said this evening. My wretched tongue! Sometimes I say things before I have really thought - will you forgive me?’
Despite the brandy that fogged his brain, the wistful note in Melissa’s voice was not lost on the earl. He sat on the edge of the bed and held out his hand to her.
‘Of course, my dear. It is forgotten. Come, Melissa, we can deal better than this. Are you so very frightened of me that you must hide away in this great bed?’ His tone was coaxing. Melissa sat up slowly, putting out one trembling hand. He grasped it firmly and smiled at her.
‘There. I am not such an ogre, am I?’ he quizzed her gently.
She shook her head. ‘Oh no, Aldringham! I never thought—’
Gently he pulled her towards him and kissed her. Melissa, frightened and upset by his sudden change of mood, could not prevent herself from recoiling as she felt his hand on her breast. The action was slight, but it did not go unnoticed. The earl released her abruptly. ‘Do you find me so unbearable then?’ he snarled. Melissa shook her head, trying to deny it, but unhappiness constricted her throat and she could not speak above a whisper. With an oath, Aldringham flung himself over to the table and picked up the candles.
‘You change too quickly - my lord, I was not ready!’
Anger blazed in his face. He swore furiously. ‘Ready? You are mine now madam! I shall take you when I wish, and I’ll be damned if I shall wait until you are ready ! He looked at her stricken face and felt a flicker of remorse, but pushed it aside quickly. She had wounded his pride. Never had he known a woman so ungrateful for all he had showered upon her. ‘Thank God not all women are so nice in their requirements!’ he flung at her. ‘There are many who would be pleased to take your place, my Lady Aldringham!’
‘Then why did you not wed one of them?’ she retorted. ‘You compelled me to marry you, and now you throw my good luck in my face!’
The truth of her words struck home, and a dull flush crept into his cheek, but his temper would not now be easily quelled. He said, rigidly calm, “You are my wife, lady, and as such you will do your duty, but ‘fore God you will crawl to me, begging forgiveness before I so much as look at you again!’
‘Then you are
She changed into a silken night-gown, part of the trousseau she had chosen with Lady Carlestone, and slipped between the warmed sheets. She dismissed her maid and it was only when she was on the verge of sleep that she realized with a jolt that she was now a married lady. Her husband might expect more from her on their first night than merely her company at dinner! A cold chill ran through her: that she loved him was beyond doubt, but she felt she would die rather than betray herself to that cold stranger she had left in the dining-room.
Lady Aldringham fervently wished that her remark had remained unspoken, for she had begun to feel quite at ease with the earl, but her wretched tongue had betrayed her. A clock somewhere in the house chimed the hour. Eleven o’clock. Perhaps he would stay below and drink himself to sleep, she thought desperately.
A footstep in the passage made her hold her breath, and the next moment the earl, dressed in an elegant brocade dressing-gown entered the room, a branched candlestick in one hand.
‘Well, wife? How is the headache?’ She flinched under his harsh tone.
‘It is gone sir, thank you.’
Aldringham put down the candlestick with great care, and Melissa guessed that he had been drinking heavily. The glitter in his eyes as he approached her confirmed her suspicion, and she shrank back against the pillows.
‘Aldringham - I - I am very sorry for what I said this evening. My wretched tongue! Sometimes I say things before I have really thought - will you forgive me?’
Despite the brandy that fogged his brain, the wistful note in Melissa’s voice was not lost on the earl. He sat on the edge of the bed and held out his hand to her.
‘Of course, my dear. It is forgotten. Come, Melissa, we can deal better than this. Are you so very frightened of me that you must hide away in this great bed?’ His tone was coaxing. Melissa sat up slowly, putting out one trembling hand. He grasped it firmly and smiled at her.
‘There. I am not such an ogre, am I?’ he quizzed her gently.
She shook her head. ‘Oh no, Aldringham! I never thought—’
Gently he pulled her towards him and kissed her. Melissa, frightened and upset by his sudden change of mood, could not prevent herself from recoiling as she felt his hand on her breast. The action was slight, but it did not go unnoticed. The earl released her abruptly. ‘Do you find me so unbearable then?’ he snarled. Melissa shook her head, trying to deny it, but unhappiness constricted her throat and she could not speak above a whisper. With an oath, Aldringham flung himself over to the table and picked up the candles.
‘You change too quickly - my lord, I was not ready!’
Anger blazed in his face. He swore furiously. ‘Ready? You are mine now madam! I shall take you when I wish, and I’ll be damned if I shall wait until you are ready ! He looked at her stricken face and felt a flicker of remorse, but pushed it aside quickly. She had wounded his pride. Never had he known a woman so ungrateful for all he had showered upon her. ‘Thank God not all women are so nice in their requirements!’ he flung at her. ‘There are many who would be pleased to take your place, my Lady Aldringham!’
‘Then why did you not wed one of them?’ she retorted. ‘You compelled me to marry you, and now you throw my good luck in my face!’
The truth of her words struck home, and a dull flush crept into his cheek, but his temper would not now be easily quelled. He said, rigidly calm, “You are my wife, lady, and as such you will do your duty, but ‘fore God you will crawl to me, begging forgiveness before I so much as look at you again!’
‘Then you are
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