Page 159 of Snowbound Surrender

“Oh?”

“Your husband is the most wonderful man I know,” she said with a wistful sigh, and then giggled at Scarlett’s raised eyebrows. “Oh, I know I shouldn’t say such things. Jeremy is a nice enough man to be sure, but when we were younger, I had always hoped that Hunter would see me as more than the friend of his little sister. I took a long time for me to grow into a woman, you see. It wasn’t until after I was married to Jeremy that I convinced myself it was time that I show Hunter just howwomanlyI could be, if you know what I am saying. You don’t mind me telling you these things, I hope? It’s just that from your own disregard for your husband and your preference to spend most of your time apart, I am under the assumption that yours was more of an … arrangement. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

Lady Raymond leaned back, the smile still on her face, her eyes crinkling in the corners as though they were young girls sharing secrets. Only that wasn’t the case at all. This woman was speaking of Scarlett’s husband as though he were nothing more than a toy to be shared, to be preferred by one woman over another. How dare she? Anger grew in Scarlett’s belly, burning so hot that when she tried to speak it came out as a sputter.

“I— Lady Raymond, I think— that is not?—”

“Oh, I’ve shocked you. I’m so sorry. I know that I should be better. Jeremy is always telling me that I need to watch my words. I do, but it’s just the two of us now and we understand one another, I believe.”

“We donotunderstand one another,” Scarlett hissed. “You are speaking of myhusband, Lady Raymond, and I will not be part of this conversation one moment longer. You have insultedme and my marriage, and I will not have it. Please keep your distance from the two of us.”

“Scarlett?” Lavinia came wandering over to the two of them, a look of concern on her face. “Is anything the matter?”

“Nothing to be concerned of, Nia,” she said, not wanting to embroil Hunter’s sister in a conflict that involved her friend. Scarlett stood and sat down at the pianoforte instead. She wasn’t proficient, but she would do anything to get away from Lady Raymond and her vile words. “Nothing at all.”

CHAPTER 19

Scarlett was unusuallyquiet on the sleigh ride home. Hunter only wished he could ask her whatever was the matter, but with her mother sitting next to them, he knew he couldn’t trust that she would be completely open and honest, and so instead he closed his eyes and leaned his head back, taking a moment to rest on the short ride home, tired from his lack of sleep the night before. The thought made him smile, and he looked forward to the night to come.

Well, hopefully, he thought, opening an eye to look at his wife, who was gazing out at the passing landscape. Her freckled nose was slightly wrinkled, her brow furrowed, and he wondered what it was she was thinking about.

When they returned to the house, he didn’t give her a moment alone to begin brooding over whatever was bothering her. He hadn’t known her long, but he had come to realize that Scarlett had a tendency to work things over in her mind until she made them into something much more than they were, which could only lead to all sorts of misconceptions.

He followed Scarlett’s silvery gown through Stone Hall. The light of the moon filtering in through the windows and shined off the fabric, and she looked as though she was an elfin princessamong the boughs and holly lining the room. She was nearly to the stairs when he reached out and caught her against him.

“Hunter?” she asked, looking up at him in surprise. “Is something the matter?”

“You’re being careless,” he said, looking down at her. “You walked right under the mistletoe and didn’t even notice.”

He didn’t give her a moment to think, but brought his head down, his lips coming to hers, kissing her softly, gently, showing her that his feelings toward her were more than just passion — that he loved her and wanted her to be with him, to show him the same expression back.

While she had never said as much to him, he could feel the returning pressure of her lips, and it gave him hope — hope that she would remain with him, would no longer turn him away.

Hunter broke the kiss, and placed a hand at her back, leading her through the corridor to her bedchamber. He didn’t leave her there, however — he followed her in, and when she turned and noticed that he wasn’t leaving, she sat down on the edge of the bed while he stoked the fire in the grate. Apparently, the servants hadn’t yet returned to their duties, for the room had a chill to it. He noted Scarlett pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders, and he wanted to go to her, to warm her in ways that would be much more entertaining, but first, he needed this moment to have a frank conversation.

“Scarlett,” he said, sitting down in the chair next to the fire, “would you like to tell me what is bothering you?”

She looked from one side to the other, until she finally met his gaze with a sigh. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Lady Raymond.”

“Madeline?” he asked. He wasn’t entirely surprised. Madeline had been slightly overeager in her attentions toward him, but he had known her his entire life, as she had been one of Lavinia’s best friends since childhood. Her flirtatiousnessat dinner was nothing new; it was just how she was. She had always had a bit of a tendre for him, but that was just the remains of girlish infatuation. Though, if Scarlett cared so much, did that mean that she felt something toward him? Hope began to build anew.

“Yes,Madeline,” she repeated, flinging her name back at him. “Hunter, have you … that is … have you and Lady Raymond ever … been together?”

“Been together? With Madeline? You mean, in a physical sense?” His eyes widened in shock and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Absolutely not! She’s … she’s Madeline. She’s like a sister. Nia’s friend. Don’t tell me you are jealous.”

Scarlett began to play with her hair. “No, of course not,” she said, but her face told a different story. “She said some things to me, however, that made me believe otherwise.”

“Oh?”

“She told me that she has always been interested in you, but only recently showed you herwomanlyways. And that she had no problems in saying such things tomebecause our marriage was simply an arrangement and we care nothing for one another.”

Incredulity coursed through him. Would Madeline really say such things? But seeing how distraught Scarlett was, knowing that she wouldn’t fabricate such a thing, made him believe otherwise. What reason would she have to create such a lie?

“I’m sorry that she said such things to you,” he said gently, reaching out and taking her hand in his. “But no, Scarlett, I have never even thought of Madeline in such a sense. She is nearly as much sister to me as Lavinia herself. As to our own marriage — no one has any business speaking of it, though until this past week, I suppose that what she said is correct. But no longer.”

He reached up, cupping her chin between his index finger and thumb. “Now, come here, wife. We have some business to attend to.”