Page 46

He rung the call bell on the wall and waited till he heard the familiar knock on his door.

“Enter,” he called out.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“I need a cold bath.”

“You would have more luck swimming in the lake,” Tobias chided.

Percival raised an eyebrow at the man’s tone and noted the disapproval in his eyes. “What is it, Tobias?” he asked with a glare.

“What do you mean, Your Grace?”

“Do not play coy.” He frowned. “It doesn’t suit you.”

“I heard her crying.”

Percival frowned darkly. “And I should be concerned about that because…?”

“I heard other sounds before that,” Tobias stated. “I thought things were getting better between the two of you.”

“I remember that it was you who suggested I marry her to build my reputation. I don’t think making her happy was one of the things you mentioned.”

“You’re being a child.”

That was the second time someone had called him a child. He didn’t think he liked that very much.

“I’m only stating facts.”

“Why don’t you want to be happy?”

“I am perfectly happy,” Percival insisted. “I have everything I could possibly need. A beautiful wife with a dowry sufficient to repair my estate.”

Tobias shook his head. “I do hope you do not ruin everything good in your life before you decide to change.”

“Why are you suddenly giving me this lecture?” Percival asked the man who had been in his life since the day he was born. “You know me, not her. You have always been on my side.”

“That was when I thought you still had a conscience,” Tobias scoffed.

“This is not the first time I leave a woman after bedding her. You know that as well as I do.”

“Indeed, I do, but you’ve never hurt innocents.” He could feel the butler’s disapproval. “It was why I respected you.”

“I am sorry to disappoint you, then. But Louisa is my wife, and I will do with her as I see fit.”

“Then I believe it is time I sought employment elsewhere.”

“Tobias.”

“If you cannot make her happy, then I suggest you let her go without ruining her.”

The sound of the door slamming shut stunned him, and he frowned in anger.

Why couldn’t they see that was exactly what he was trying to do?

Chapter Fourteen

Louisa woke up the next morning feeling a toxic mix of anger and frustration swirling in her chest, where elation had been in the moments she was cocooned in her husband’s warm embrace until he had jolted her cruelly back to reality.