A wife who appreciates roses would be a perfect match.
At the entrance to his bedroom Monsale stopped. A frown creased his brow. Even he was aware that marriage was more than just meeting the obligation of an oath to the crown. Soon a woman would inhabit this house. She would sleep in his bed. Share his life.
He would have a wife.
“I have no idea how to be a husband,” he muttered.
Nor did he have a clue as to what he would do when his bride inevitably uncovered the secrets of his dirty business dealings. Mister Harforde had it wrong; an interesting life was the least of Monsale’s problems.
He had a dark past. And what woman would want to give her heart to such an unscrupulous rogue?
Chapter Seven
Eleven Days to go.
* * *
“Have you heard from Monsale?” asked Naomi, popping her head around the door of her mother’s sitting room.
It was late morning and Naomi had held off for as long as she could. She was desperate to discover how things between Monsale and Miss Constance Harforde had gone the previous evening.
Kitty lifted her gaze from the note which sat open on her desk. She beckoned for her daughter to enter. Naomi, hands behind her back and fingers crossed, stepped into the room. Her eyes flitted to the paper, then back to her mother’s pensive face.
“I received this missive from Monsale House just over an hour ago. Apparently, Mister Harforde treated Monsale like he was a dirty interloper. Said some very unkind things about his father. Accused him of being a pirate. Needless to say, Constance is off the list.”
Doing her best to hide her delight at this news, Naomi adopted a thoughtful study to her demeanor. “Well, I suppose Mister Harforde was correct. James McNeal was a pirate. Isn’t that why his brother sailed to Bermuda? The duke was coming to take custody of the young Andrew, to save him from a life of villainy.”
Kitty sighed. “Naomi, we do not ever discuss the details of Monsale’s provenance, even at home. Why your father foolishly trusted you with that secret, I shall never understand.”
Because he saw the effect Monsale had on me the moment we met.
Lady Naomi Steele might have been but a girl, but the attraction was instantaneous. Unlike her mother, the Duke of Redditch wasn’t blind to his daughter’s infatuation with the orphaned Andrew McNeal. Her father had told her the truth of Monsale’s past as soon as she reached a marriageable age. She suspected his logic to be one of, the more you know about the devil, the less chance you have of eloping with him.
Kitty may well think she had the right of it when it came to the full extent of Monsale’s sordid past, but it was nothing to what her daughter knew of his more recent exploits. And while Harry had let more salacious details slip over the years, Naomi had also made a point of filling in as many of the gaps as she could herself.
Her father might have hoped his advice had deterred her from any thoughts of loving Monsale, but it had had quite the opposite effect. She was steadfast in her love for the leader of the rogues of the road. Determined that she would one day be his wife. That he would freely offer her his love.
And how well is that plan going?
The issue of the other ladies on her mother’s list was her main concern this morning. If she could overcome that obstacle, Monsale would be forced to reconsider his options.
“Such a pity about Constance. Oh, well. That leaves only two names on the list. Who is next and when is Monsale going to meet with her?”
And how soon can I strike her name off the list?
“Lady Miriam Shadbolt. Monsale is going to host the Shadbolt family at his home this evening,” replied Kitty.
The titter at hearing Miriam Shadbolt’s name, died instantly on Naomi’s lips. He had invited people to dine at Monsale House?
Monsale never has guests at his home. I have known him since I was a child, and I’ve never been allowed to set foot in the place. And now he has…
She hadn’t seen this coming.
Think. What do you know about Miriam Shadbolt, apart from her being a dullard?
Her smile crept back to her face. She knew plenty about the Shadbolt family. And had heard all the sordid rumors. Many of which she knew to be true.
“The Shadbolt family was an odd choice Mama. You know their reputation about the ton is almost as bad as Monsale’s.”
