Page 55 of The Rogue’s Countess

Phoebe sprang to her feet and hurried toward her friend. She clasped the other woman’s hands in hers and kissed the countess’s cheek.

“I don’t know the time yet, but the ceremony will be at Chelmsford House the day after tomorrow. I cannot tell you how grateful I am, Constance. I have no words.”

“There is no need to say thank you. I’m happy to help,” Constance said with a smile before she stiffened and stared at something over her shoulder.

When Phoebe followed the direction of the countess’s gaze, she saw the Earl of Lyndham standing in the salon doorway. There was a cold look of anger on his face, and the air in the room had become dark with tension. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, Phoebe faced the earl.

“Lord Lyndham, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“And you, my lady. I take it you were leaving?” The earl’s abrupt reply made Phoebe cast a quick look at her friend’s face, who stood rigid as a statue beside her. A flash of anger appeared on Constance’s features before she looked at Phoebe and smiled.

“Let me show you to the door.”

The earl stepped out of the doorway to allow Phoebe to walk out into the main entryway. In seconds, she was at the front door. Phoebe faced Constance once more and gave her a quick hug.

“I truly am grateful, Constance.”

The countess smiled at her, but Phoebe could tell it was a façade. Something was wrong between her and the earl. She hesitated, and Constance shook her head.

“It’s quite all right. Lucien is simply in one of his moods,” she murmured. Phoebe nodded but was certain her friend was making light that the couple was at odds with each other. As she walked out of Lyndham House, she smiled at Constance over her shoulder. Constance smiled in return, but there was a bleak look on her face that made Phoebe wish she could do something to help her friend.

Chapter 15

Constance closed the door behind Phoebe but didn’t move. It was obvious Lucien had heard enough of her conversation to believe she was meddling again, but not enough to realize she wasn’t. At the moment, she wasn’t mentally prepared for an argument. The last few nights had not been easy ones. She was exhausted. Whether it was feeding Isabel or simply tossing and turning because Lucien wasn’t beside her, she’d barely slept.

Slowly turning away from the door, Constance saw the salon doorway was empty. Eager to avoid a battle of words, she hurried toward the stairs. It wasn’t until she was halfway up the staircase that she realized Lucien hadn’t even bothered to stop her. The fact that he’d not even questioned her said he believed her guilty and judged her. The knowledge sliced through her like a knife, and she ran the rest of the way up the stairs and along the hall to her room.

Shutting the door behind her, Constance fought back the tears threatening to streak down her face. Instead, she allowed her anger to prevent her from crying. She didn’t know whether to be angry that Lucien didn’t trust himself to enter into an argument with her or that he still questioned how her gift was to be used for good.

Constance walked across the room to stare down at the garden. Jamie and Imogene were sitting on the grass, their heads together as if they were plotting something. She smiled slightly. Whatever it was, she had no doubt it was her son’s idea.

Behind her, the door opened with a loud crack as it slammed into the chifforobe positioned next to the doorway. Startled, Constance whirled around to see Lucien cross over the threshold into her room. Lucien sent the door crashing back into the door frame with a vicious swing of his arm, where it shuddered for a second from the force of his action.

Like a panther stalking its prey, Lucien slowly walked forward to stand in the middle of the room. The anger on his face made the jagged scar on his cheek stand out more prominently than usual. In the back of her mind, she remembered the first time she’d ever seen Lucien. Just like the night of the Black Widows ball, he was as dangerous-looking now as he had been the moment he’d touched her.

There had been a dark edge about him that night that had excited her. Aroused her. Nothing had changed that. Even when she was furious with him, the darkness just below his surface was as thrilling and potent as it always had been. It generated a tension between them that had always set her heart racing because she knew she was the only one capable of helping him tame his demons. She wanted to help him to do so once more.

Irritated at how easily she was ready to forgive him and fall into his arms, Constance tightened her lips in anger. He’d locked her out of his room, been unwilling to talk, and now he’d stormed into her room, believing the worst of her. Not about to be intimidated by him, Constance eyed him with angry indignation.

“What do you want, Lucien?”

“I want my wife to stop meddling in the affairs of others.”

“What makes you think I’m meddling,” she snapped.

“I have eyes and ears, Constance.”

“Do you really?” Her gaze roamed down over him, then back up to his face in a scornful manner. “I think your eyes and ears allow you to see and hear what you want.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means Lady Helstone came to the house to ask me to stand as her witness when she marries Gideon.” At her statement, surprise flashed across Lucien’s face, and Constance glared at him. “Get out, Lucien. I’m tired, and I’m in no mood for this conversation.”

“Perhaps not, but for a change, you will talk to me, my lady,”

“And I said I’m in no mood for this today. So if you refuse to leave, then I will,” she bit out fiercely.

With an abrupt movement, Constance headed toward the bedroom door. As she tried to sweep past Lucien, his hand snaked out and grasped her arm to restrain her. Instantly, she tried to tug free of his hold.