Page 57 of How to Best a Marquess

Chapter Sixteen

“Grace has been waiting for you,” Ian said as he sat by his wife’s bedside.

“I came as soon as I could, and I brought Grace a book,” Ellie said, a leather-bound book in her arms.

Grace smiled in greeting and motioned Ellie to her side. “Wonderful. Ian just finished reading Romeo and Juliet.”

Ellie leveled a somber look at her brother. “I thought that a bad choice, Ian.”

Ian shrugged. “Grace enjoyed the play and cried at the end.”

“That’s because it’s horribly depressing. Have you no sense, brother?”

Ian ignored the barb and stood and kissed Ellie’s cheek. “What have you brought?” He snatched the book from her hands before she had a chance to blink. “Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels?”

“It’s one of my favorites,” Ellie said.

Ian cocked a dark eyebrow. “Where six-inch-tall Lilliputians tie up a full-size man?”

“It sounds charming,” Grace said.

“Hmm,” Ian said. “First you want to run the Raven Club, now you choose to read this to my wife. Should I be concerned, Ellie?”

Ellie smiled sweetly. “No more than usual.”

Ian rolled his eyes. “Brooks has updated us. You are working on a women’s gambling room, and the marquess is expanding the boxing salon and plans to increase the number of matches.”

Ellie shrugged and hoped she gave off an appearance of indifference. “My efforts will be more lucrative.” She could only hope so. Too much was at risk, including Lady Willoughby’s future.

“We shall see. Time is passing. You both have only one more week,” Ian pointed out.

“I’m not concerned,” Ellie said.

Grace shifted against the cushions. “Leave us to our ladies’ talk, Ian.”

“With pleasure.” Ian fluffed Grace’s pillows and raised her hand to brush a kiss across her knuckles. “If you require anything, don’t forget to ring the bell, my love.”

Ellie watched the display of affection. Her heart felt like it was bleeding after her afternoon with Hugh. Could that heated encounter have actually occurred? She still couldn’t believe they’d been together. The sweetness of his touch and lovemaking had been tainted by his confession.

As soon as Ian left, Ellie pulled up a chair and offered a weak smile. “Shall I read to you?”

“No. Ian has been reading. I’d prefer conversation,” Grace said.

Ellie lowered the book on her lap. Reading would have been easier. She didn’t want to talk. She didn’t trust her voice not to crack in anguish. She swallowed and cleared her throat. “What does Mrs. Henderson say about the babe?”

“The babe has yet to turn.”

In a flash, Ellie’s melancholy vanished and was replaced with concern for her sister-in-law. “Oh, Grace.”

“But she has hopes the babe will cooperate. Mrs. Henderson assures me there is still time. And if the babe fails to turn, then she has delivered difficult births. Meanwhile, I am to stay in bed. Right now, I’m more interested in the goings-on at the club.”

“Please do not worry about the ledgers. I am maintaining them each day. Just as you showed me.”

“I don’t give a fig about the ledgers. How are you and the marquess managing?”

“What do you mean?” Ellie asked.

“Come now. It must be difficult to spend time in the club and not run into each other,” Grace said.