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

that’s all.”
    She offered her an understanding smile.  “It ’s jitter, I’m afraid.  Once you settle into the marriage, you’ll feel better.”
    Claire doubted it but nodded to appease Marion.   Marion went over to the trunk in the corner of the room and opened it.
    “What are you doing?” Claire asked, narrowing her eyes as her maid went over to the armoire and opened it.
    “I need to pack your things for Weston, my lady,” Marion replied.
    Claire gritted her teeth.  Despite her protests, Roderick was really going to go through with this and haul her off to Weston where she’d be away from her family.  She couldn’t believe it.  Sure, he told her he was going to do it, but a part of her thought he might be bluffing.  Well, now she learned he didn’t bluff, and even if he intended to go to Weston, that didn’t mean she had to.  She stood up and debated what she was going to tell that big oaf when she saw him.
    “You’ll need a suitable dress for travel .  Which coach dress would you prefer to wear?” Marion asked, motioning to the blue, maroon, and tan dresses.
    With a groan, she picked the blue one.  While Marion helped her into it, her mind scrambling for a way she might get out of leaving for Weston.  In all seriousness, she couldn’t figure out why she needed to go there.  It wasn’t her who spent the money.  But she had a terrible time saying no to her sister, and that was proving to be a disastrous weakness on her part.
    “ Is there something you require, my lady?” Marion asked, looking expectantly at her.
    “Yes.  I require a word with my husband.  Is he hiding in the library?”
    “No.  He just left.”
    Her eyebrows furrowed.  “Where did he go?”
    She shrugged.  “It’s not my place to know, my lady, and he didn’t say.”
    She sighed.  Maybe it was just as well.  It would give her time to figure out what she would tell him when she saw him.  “All right.  I’ll go to the drawing room and send a letter to my family.”
    They might as well know her new husband was whisking her off to his country estate, making it more difficult to see them.  On her way out of the room, she caught sight of the book the butler lent her and retrieved it so she could give it to him.  He’d been kind to her in letting her borrow it, and she saw no reason to delay in returning it.  She left the room and walked down the stairs.  When she reached the bottom, she saw the butler carrying in a new decanter of wine into the library.  Curious, she followed him, wondering if her husband was in the townhouse after all.  To her surprise, the only person in the library was Lord Clement.
    The butler placed the new decanter on the table and looked in her direction.  “ May I help you, Lady Roderick?”
    Lord Clement rose to his feet as she entered the room.  Turning her attention to the butler, she held the book out to him.  “I wanted to return your book.”
    He took it.  “I hope you enjoyed it.”
    “I did, thank you.  Where is Lord Roderick?”
    “Lord Roderick isn’t here.  He’s expected to come back soon.”
    She nodded, looked at Lord Clement, and decided even if her husband wasn’t there, there was no reason why she couldn’t make Lord Clement feel welcome.  “Are you comfortable waiting in this room?  The drawing room seems like a better room to be in until Lord Roderick returns.”
    “I’ll be happy to wait in there,” Lord Clement said.
    “Would you like tea, my lady?” the butler asked.
    “Yes.” She motioned for the door.  “I’ll keep you company, Lord Clement, until my husband returns.”
    He nodded his consent, so she led the way out of the room and went into the drawing room.  She settled onto a settee and waited for Lord Clement to sit in a chair.  The butler left so she turned to him and smiled.
    “I trust you’re doing well?” she asked.
    “I manage,” he replied, setting his cane by the chair.  “I hope my friend isn’t being