Page 49 of The Scandalous Love of a Duke (The Marlow Family Secrets #6)

The next morning, after a night’s sleep, John felt in higher spirits when he reached the long sunny room in which he normally ate breakfast.

He looked first at Edward who was sitting nearest the door and nodded. Then his gaze swept over the other occupants, searching for Katherine. She was not here. His heart dropped in his chest.

His mother rose. So did Mary, with far less decorum, as she launched herself at him and hugged him tightly. ‘You sneak, marrying Kate in secret. I will never forgive you. I may not invite you to my wedding in return.’

He tapped her beneath her chin as she let him go and stepped back. ‘You will. You’re too much of a show-off. You’ll want everyone to gloat over your brother, the Duke of Pembroke. Where’s Katherine? Has she eaten?’

‘You are not the only Duke I have as a relation, I have uncles too, and I have not seen Katherine yet.’

‘She has not come down?’ John looked at his mother for the answer.

‘No, and Kate did not join us for dinner last night either.’ His mother’s pitch held a disapproving tone. ‘Esther said Kate was not feeling well. Is she still unwell this morning?’

He could not answer.

‘Have you not seen her?’ The implication in her last words was explicit – he should have gone to Katherine.

He had made it obvious he had not spent his wedding night with his wife – and not doing so was clearly very wrong in his mother’s eyes. It meant Katherine must feel the same surely.

‘Mama, would you send for a doctor? I will go up and see her.’

‘John,’ she said, catching his arm. ‘Has she any clothes with her? Esther said there was no luggage.’

He was such a fool. ‘No, we just came away?—’

‘Well, tell her, please, I have organised someone to call this morning to take measurements and bring patterns. She will bring some ready-made garments which can quickly be adjusted to fit too.’

‘Thank you, Mama.’

‘Go on, go up to her then.’

There was no response to his knock on Katherine’s sitting room door.

‘Katherine, it’s John!’

Silence.

He entered anyway and walked through her sitting room and dressing room. They were both empty and showed no evidence of occupation. He found her in her bedchamber. She was kneeling on the floor doubled over a chamber pot, retching.

‘Katherine.’ He was at her side in an instant and holding her loose hair.

She was wearing the dress she had worn yesterday – well, of course she was, she had nothing to change into.

He also noted the bed was hardly disturbed. She had slept on top of the covers and probably in her clothes – waiting for him.

Will you never learn, John? he shouted at himself.

‘Leave me alone,’ she whispered, sitting back on her heels and holding a cloth to her lips.

The contents of the chamber pot was nothing but bile. She’d had nothing to eat since yesterday.

John rose and took the pot. He left it in the dressing room then returned to her.

‘Please, John, I would rather you just left me.’ She climbed up onto the bed and lay down.

She looked exhausted. ‘I do not want you to see this.’

‘I do,’ he answered, walking over to a jug to pour some water into the wash bowl beside it. ‘Here, wash your face. I will send for some ginger-infused tea and dry toast. Mama swears by that remedy, it should help settle your stomach.’

‘Please, John…’

‘Katherine, I got you into this mess. What kind of man would I be if I turned away from the unpleasantness of the outcome?’

‘A normal one,’ she stated, accepting the damp cloth he offered.

He laughed at her quip, wondering how the girl could joke at a time like this. He took the cloth away from her. ‘Rest now.’

He discarded the cloth and went over to the bell pull to ring for a maid.

A knock wrapped on the bedchamber door in scarce minutes. John opened it and whispered his requirement to Esther rather than letting her in to disturb Katherine. The dressing room door clicked quietly shut as the maid took the soiled chamber pot.

John leaned back against the mantle of the fireplace, watching Katherine on the bed.

Her eyes were closed and one arm loosely covered her face.

Her body was still slender, he could not yet see any rise in her stomach.

He supposed the only clue was the buttons which pulled taut across her bosom where her breasts were fuller.

A few moments later and Esther was back with the tea and toast, and another maid entered bearing a clean chamber pot.

John asked for everything to be set down near the bed and then bid them leave. Both maids bobbed copious curtsies before disappearing.

‘Does it never bother you?’ Katherine asked from the bed, lowering her arm and opening her eyes.

He went to smile but stopped when it pulled the scab on his lip. ‘Does what bother me?’

‘All the supplication; they bow and scrape at every turn. It is driving me mad already and I have only endured it for a day.’

He laughed quietly as he walked closer. ‘Why do you think I stayed abroad for so long? I could lead a normal life there. But the answer is you get used to it and then in large you ignore it. Now sit up and eat a little.’ He gathered some cushions from a chair and set them behind her back so she could recline, then passed her the uninviting toast and moved the ginger tea within her reach.

He walked about the bed and occupied the far side, slipping off his shoes and then lying down on his back beside her.

One hand rested beneath his head and he raised one knee. He remembered lying in numerous fields talking with Phillip in this position as a boy. He looked up at her and watched her nibble a small piece from her toast.

‘It will go away soon if you are lucky.’

‘What?’

‘The sickness, it usually improves after three months, or it always does for my mother and my aunts, although I believe sometimes it can go on. I have sent for a doctor.’

‘Why? It is normal. You just said so too.’

‘Because,’ he said, rolling to his side, ‘I wish to know you and the child are healthy. It will stop me fretting if I hear a doctor say so. Mama said you were also ill last night.’

‘I did not like to go down on my own.’

‘So you were not ill?’

‘Can you call being too nervous ill? If so, I was ill.’

‘It was just my family, Katherine. You know them, and Mary would have been there.’ But you were not – he saw the accusation in her eyes.

He sat upright and slid back up the bed to sit against the pillows beside her. ‘I was remiss to leave you alone, I know, but my business meeting dragged on for much longer than I expected, I am sorry.’

She said nothing.

‘It was midnight when I came home. I presumed you would be asleep, and I thought it best not to disturb you, but Mama indicated that was a poor choice. You did not sleep, did you? You were waiting for me.’

She put the plate down and then reached for the tea and sipped it.

John folded his arms over his chest and looked up at the bed’s canopy.

‘My mother has arranged for a modiste to call in a while. She will sort out a new wardrobe for you. I know you did not bring your clothes but even if you had they would not befit a duchess, and I will be damned glad to see the last of your blue spencer.’

‘Are you still trying to buy me, John?’ she said, sitting back against the pillows again.

‘It worked with the bonnet,’ he said humorously. ‘And the dress.’

‘But now we are married and you have no need for further coercion.’

‘Yes, but I still want you willing,’ he teased. Then he sobered his expression. ‘I honestly thought I was being considerate last night. I am sorry. In future, sleep in my bed, then there need be no decisions about whether I come to you or not.’

‘And I am to simply forget we did not share a bed on our wedding night?’

Ah, he had really upset her then. ‘And here was I thinking you’d refused my offer yesterday when you had a choice. It implied you did not want me in your bed, Katherine.’

‘I did not say no to marrying you. I said no to marrying this…’ One hand lifted, indicating the room. ‘And because I did not want a man who did not really want me.’

He shifted at that, turning to lift her plate from her hands and lean across her to place it onto the chest before cupping her cheek.

‘I do want you. I love you. Will you believe me now?’

‘No.’ Her eyes burned blue fire.

‘Good Lord, woman. What have I married?’ He smiled as his gaze fell to her lips a moment before he leant and kissed them. Soft and warm.

It took her a few moments to respond but she did, her lips brushing against his as his fingers cradled her jaw.

Desire, love, a strong protective instinct, respect and lust battled inside him, overwhelming his senses. He let his tongue sweep across her lips, and she parted them, turning into him, her fingers reaching to his hair and his waist.

Her touch was intoxicating and for a while he let them both enjoy the moment, but now was not the time, not with the doctor about to arrive and her stomach still delicate.

Pulling away, he smiled and removed her hand from his waist and instead pressed it against his groin. ‘I want you.’

She made a face at him and pulled her hand away.

‘I only wish there was time, darling. But there is not, not with the doctor coming and the modiste, and then I am afraid the rest of my family will descend en mass. I’ve written to everyone to inform them of the wedding so they will all call.

I have also changed my mind and decided to put something in the paper.

Just to say I have taken a wife quietly due to my mourning.

I shall not mention the date but I hope it will reduce rumours.

However, when society hears, Katherine, they will also all descend on our door, probably tomorrow, or perhaps the day after. ’

She had paled so he reached for the sweetened tea and handed it to her.

‘So soon,’ she whispered.

‘I am afraid so, darling.’

‘I have nothing to wear.’

‘You will have by this afternoon. There are some positives to being a duchess which outweigh the bowing and scraping. The modiste will have some dresses sorted for you in hours and I will take you to your first ball tonight and show you off.’

‘You think I am worth showing.’ Her pitch was self-mocking.

‘I do.’

A knock struck the door. ‘Your Grace.’ It was Esther. ‘The doctor is here.’

John smiled as much as his scabbed lip would allow as he glanced at Katherine. ‘Do you want my mother to join you?’

She nodded and at last smiled in return.

‘I will send her up.’