Nearly a quarter of an hour later, the sister finally sat. Apparently, that was sufficient time to surmise that he was not a threat.
“I’m Frances,” she offered.
“Lord Alexander, although you may call me Alexander as we are family now.”
“You didn’t offer for Harriet,” she said, making clear her feelings on the matter. Alexander winced. Like Harriet, she seemed both unafraid of and unimpressed by him. Why hadn’t they sent the Bancroft sisters after Napoleon? He would have been taken care of in weeks.
Alexander decided a white lie wouldn’t be out of place here. “I am remiss to say that I did not that evening; however, I intended to the next morning.”
Frances looked him over with discernment.
“Balderdash.”Oh hell. He opened his mouth to defend himself further when the door swung open and Harriet entered, looking flustered. Then stunned.
“My lord? What are you doing here?”
“Being interrogated, it would seem.”
“Frances, where is Caroline?”
“She is helping Mr. Hammons, I believe.”
“Why did you let him in?” Harriet still hadn’t looked his way.
“He claims to be your husband. Is that untrue?” Frances, despite her treatment of him, seemed generally unbothered by the idea of letting a man into the house, regardless of his identity.
“He is! But you’re alone.”
“I have a penknife on me.” Frances shrugged, standing and moseying out of the room, clearly bored with the direction of the conversation.
They were alone. Together. And if Harriet closed the door, they could—
“Good day. Do you require something?”
“Good day to you. I’m glad to see you have returned safely to London, a fact I might have been made aware of days ago.”
“What for?”
“So that I may know mywifeis safe.”
“Ahhh, this is an issue of property. Your valuables are accounted for, my lord,” Harriet replied sarcastically. He knew from his vast experience with women that this was a poor place to be indeed. He needed to change tack.
“I only thought you might return to my house. That is, our house. Now that we are married.” Harriet looked at him oddly, as if he had suggested they might move in together to Buckingham Palace.
“I had assumed that would not be necessary based on our agreement. You desire no children, nor do you require me to run your household. I did not think you might like to be apprised of my whereabouts. And I feltcertainyou did not wish me to be apprised of yours.”
She did, he supposed, have a point.
“It would seem rather odd to elope only to live apart, would it not?”
“I had not thought so. Hence my residing here.” She was being quite difficult.
“Our marriage is supposedly a love match, no?”
“Perhaps we fought,” she gritted out.
“Much as I adore the image of us as a passionately tempestuous couple, perhaps you might consider removing to my town house? You may run it as you see fit. My housekeeper, Mrs. Tanning, will be delighted. She’s been trying to get me to choose new curtains for the dining room for ages now.” Harriet bit her lip, mulling over his request. He thought once again of the door and how it might be closed, even for a brief interval, so he could attend to some matters with her. Matters he’d been imagining over and over and over. “Please?” he added.
“Why do you want me there?”
