Free A Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection by Annette Lyon, G. G. Vandagriff, Michele Paige Holmes, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, Nancy Campbell Allen Page B

when you have refurbished it. While it is being cleaned tomorrow, we will go to the drapers and look at pattern books.” Melissa could not have chosen more wisely any activity guaranteed to cause her mother to be more resigned to her marriage.
    She ate at home with her parents.
    “So where is this husband of yours, gel?” her father asked.
    “I have no idea,” Melissa answered, trying to effect the manners of a tolerant spouse long married. “He left word that he would not be home for dinner. I do not expect him to live in my pocket.”
    After her parents had gone up to bed, Melissa and Stella left the house, accompanied by Stern, her father’s footman, whom Papa insisted escort them for safety. They walked to Oaksey House in Grosvenor Square. When Stella had helped her mistress to undress, they said goodnight and retired.
    Melissa lay alone in her freshly made bed, fighting tears after a long, arduous, and heartbreaking day. How could she have been so duped? Oaksey had deceived her utterly. Remembering the intimacies of her honeymoon, she still had difficulty believing they were not motivated by sincere feeling. However, she had often been told that men could indulge themselves in what seemed to her to be intimate behavior without any regard for the woman. Surely, if he loved her, he would not have left her their first day in London, going off to spend his newly acquired fortune.
    Reviewing every word and every look that had passed between them in nearly a week’s time, she felt terribly used. How gullible he must have thought me! What a green girl I was to believe someone like him could have fallen head over heels for me! Likely the only reason for his desire to elope was that the bailiffs were camping on his doorstep. His debts must have been urgent indeed. But the worst thing by far is his acting as though he loved me— he was so tender, so passionate. As though I were the most desirable girl in the world.
    All day, she had blotted out these realizations with action and then exhaustion. But now they would not leave her. She was appalled by her naiveté. Indeed, it seemed she directed as much of her anger at herself as she did at Thomas. He probably thought she knew he was at his last prayers, financially. According to Donald, all of London knew. He probably thought she was so desperate to get out of her unwanted engagement that she would welcome his marrying her for her money. At last, she gave into tears of humiliation and cried herself to sleep.

Chapter Four
     
    Lord Oaksey was enjoying the novel sensation of having more than a feather to fly with. He had been to Lord Kent’s man of business, obtained a draft for thirty-thousand pounds, and spent the better part of the morning staring at it, trying to take it in while waiting to see his bank manager. His days of poverty, of trying to maintain the stature expected of a gentleman, on a very thin stipend, were over. Bless Lady Melissa Aldridge, now his dear wife.
    Finally, he was called in to see Mr. Judd. Placing the bank draft on his desk, Oaksey said, “There you have it. I’m certain you never thought you would live to see the day that I repaid my overdraft.”
    Judd stared at the draft. “Thirty thousand pounds. You must have married money!”
     “And a very lovely young lady. Daughter of Lord Kent— Lady Melissa Aldridge. I thank you for your indulgence these many months.”
    “I don’t mind telling you it worried me tremendously, seeing your inheritance dwindle as you restored your estate. How anyone could live on the stipend you allowed yourself, I don’t know. Congratulations on your fortunate marriage.”
    Next, Oaksey went to White’s, where he wrote out drafts to those friends who had lent him money and probably never expected to see it again.
    Lord Russell said, “Congratulations, old man. That gel you ran off with had the dibs, eh?”
    “Lady Melissa. She is a lovely thing. I am indeed fortunate.”
    “Billiards?”
    He drew a long