The Earl's Inconvenient Wife (Regency Collection Book 1) by Ruth Ann Nordin

plate.
    Finally, when she couldn’t take it anymore, she took a deep breath, steeled her resolve, and said, “No.”
    The word, though short and to the point, seemed to echo through the room, and she sensed the servants’ surprise.  He was, after all, the master of the house and used to being obeyed.  But at the moment, she didn’t care.
    His eyes wide in disbelief, he stopped eating and looked at her.  “No?”
    “No, I will not go to Weston.”
    “You can’t say no.”
    “I just did.”
    “But you’re my wife.  You have to do what I say.”
    She shrugged, feigning a bravado she didn’t feel.  It wasn’t like her to raise a fuss.  All her life, she’d followed her parents’ instruction without a single argument.  But something about her husband seemed to bring out the worst in her, and if someone hadn’t known her before her marriage to him, they would swear she was one of the most contentious ladies alive.
    Grunting, he set down his fork and wiped his mouth with the napkin that’d been in his lap.  “It’s a pity your father didn’t take the time to inform you what your role was to be as my wife before you two conspired to trap me into this farce of a marriage.” She opened her mouth to protest that she had nothing to do with it, but he continued, “You are a countess, and I demand you act like it.”
    Her mouth formed a thin line and she crossed her arms.  “You, my lord, are no gentleman, for if you were, you would not talk to me as if I were a wayward child.”
    “When you stop acting like one, I’ll stop treating you like one.” He set one hand on the table and stared at her, daring her to respond.
    She ran through a list of possible things she might say to put him in his place, but her mind drew a blank.  Finally, out of nothing but pure frustration, she snapped, “You have food stuck between your teeth.”
    Then she threw her napkin on the ta ble and hurried out of the room before he could have the last word.  It was horribly childish.  She knew this, and yet, she ran up the stairs, nearly tripping on her skirt as she went.  When she reached her bedchamber, she collapsed on her daybed in relief.  At least for the moment, she was free of the big oaf and his condescending way of looking at her.
    Yes, she wished she had been firm and told her sister no yesterday, but she couldn’t take it all back and do it differently.  What was done was done.  And quite frankly, she was in such a sour mood that she’d encourage her sister’s extravagant spending today if they went out right now.  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm the rage simmering just beneath her surface.  It was true.  She was a married lady, and it didn’t do well to run off like a scared little rabbit in her own home.  It probably wasn’t a good idea to argue with her husband in front of the servants either.  She groaned and rubbed her temples.  If only her father hadn’t seen it fit to cry scandal at the ball.  She might be going to Hyde Park today with Lord Clement.  She was sure he would be amiable toward her, unlike Roderick who despised her.
    At some point, her anger and lack of sleep from the night before led to exhaustion and she fell asleep.  In her dream, she relived that awful night where her fate was sealed with Roderick, and when she stood by him in the small church to repeat her vows, the church melted away and she found herself inside a prison with chains dangling from the stone walls.  With a wicked grin, Roderick lurched toward her.  She tried to run, but she couldn’t move, and before she knew it, he picked her up and chained her to the wall.
    She woke with a gasp and jerked up.  She rubbed her wrists which felt cold, as if she had truly been in chains.  How realistic that dream was!
    Marion entered the room with a concerned expression on her face.  “Are you all right, my lady?”
    Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded.  “Yes, Marion.  I had a nightmare,