Page 96 of A Momentary Marriage

“I presumed you were bluffing,” she retorted, irritation blooming in her chest. “It’s a trifle extreme, don’t you think?”

“Trying to kill you was a trifle extreme,” he answered. “I don’t intend to sit around and wait until he’s successful. This is the most efficient way to assure your safety.”

“James, no! He’s your brother.” Laura’s eyes widened as he pulled a small pistol out of the drawer.

“I don’t have a great deal of brotherly love for the man right now.” He stuck the pistol into the waistband of his trousers and pulled his coat closed over it. “I’m leaving tonight, and I’m taking Claude with me.”

“You think he will be willing to go with you?”

James smiled thinly. “I’m not giving him a choice.” He walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured a shot of whiskey, then drank it down.

Laura watched him, baffled. From the moment the urn had almost hit her, he had been roiling with emotion, first panic, then rage. Now he seemed utterly calm and in control. But why wouldn’t he look at her? “I don’t understand. Why do you want Claude to accompany you?”

“Do you think I would risk him being near you?”

Laura started to point out that James could just as easily take her to London with him and leave Claude here, but he seemed suddenly so cool, so much a stranger, that she felt embarrassed to do so—as if she would be begging for his attention. As she watched, he poured another drink and downed it.

“James, why are you acting this way?” Laura’s legs began to tremble, and she had to lock her knees for fear she might crumple to the floor. Her chest was tight, and tears pushed at the edges of her eyes. She had almost died a few minutes ago. All she wanted right now was for James to hold her, to feel his strength and warmth all around her. Instead, he was as remote as a stranger. “This is madness!”

“Madness?” He whipped around, his composure cracking. “It’s madness to feel I should protect you? I’m your husband, damn it, however little you may regard me as such.”

Laura’s jaw dropped in astonishment. “What?”

“Why in hell didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“About someone trying to kill you! Or perhaps I should say the first time someone tried to murder you. Maybe there are a number of attempts you haven’t seen fit to share with me.”

“No, just the one.” Laura struggled for calm, reminding herself that James had received a fright tonight, too, and was also on edge. “I didn’t tell you because it was only an accident. We weren’t hurt. We were able to jump into the river as we crossed the bridge. I wasn’t even in the carriage when it crashed.”

“Jumped into—” He cut off the words and swung away, slamming his glass down on the cabinet. “You could have been killed. Was that not important enough to speak of? Or perhaps I just wasn’t important enough for you to tell.”

“This is absurd. You were ill. Just starting to recover. I wasn’t about to burden you with news of a carriage accident. I was fine, and there was nothing you could have done about it anyway.”

“No, certainly not. I was too weak and useless to protect my wife. But of course you could tell Graeme. He was able to help.”

“For pity’s sake,” Laura said, exasperated. “I didn’t tell Graeme. He was there.”

“He was with you?” For some reason, this seemed to incense him even more.

“No. He came along afterward.”

“How convenient.”

“What does that mean?” Laura was past being patient. Her own anger rose up in her, and she braced her hands on her hips, glaring at James. “ What is wrong with you? Why are you being so obnoxious?”

“It’s my natural state, remember?” His eyes glittered. “Forgive me. I’m sorry to be a bother about a little thing like someone trying to kill you! No doubt I should be calm and amiable about the fact that everyone knew about this except me.”

“It wasn’t everyone!”

“No, just Graeme. Your stalwart champion.”

Laura let out a noise that sounded much like a growl. “God give me strength. They’re right—you’ve gone mad.”

“Yes, no doubt. I’m sure it’s quite mad for a husband to think his wife might come to him if she was in danger. That she would think he had the right to take care of her, instead of some bloody fool who didn’t even have the courage to marry her!”

Laura stared. “My God . . . you’re jealous.”