Free On A Cold Christmas Eve by Bethany M. Sefchick Page B

the lace on the sleeves of her gown and her hands clenched and unclenched into fists.  No, that was not the look of a woman completely at ease.  With a quick goodbye to Harry and a few more instructions to his other men who were still waiting to deal with the fallout from Archibald's arrival, Adam finished up business and then crossed the room to Lucy.
    When he approached, he was pleased to note that his sister had the good sense to excuse herself, taking the other women with her.  Then he offered Lucy his arm and escorted her silently from the room and back to his study.  As he'd expected, no one questioned their departure.  Fenster, who had also been at the wedding, a jaunty green bow around his neck, loped after them, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.
    "Guard," Adam commanded the dog, and he didn't even look back to see if his faithful friend had done as commanded.  He was that certain of the dog's loyalty.
    Once inside, he poured both of them a drink and handed one to Lucy before leading her to a small settee that he often used for napping when he worked late into the night.  After draining his glass, and watching her do the same, he refilled them both and then sat back.
    "It seems as though we were just here," he said finally after the silence stretched from seconds into minutes.
    Nodding, Lucy tossed back the rest of her drink and put the glass down so that she could knot her fingers in her lap.  "So it seems, my lord."  Then she corrected herself.  "I mean Adam."  She lowered her head, and he knew that she was ashamed and embarrassed.  She had, of course, heard Archibald's accusations.  Everyone had.
    Leaning towards her, he put a finger under her chin, forcing her to face him.  "This isn't your fault, Lucy, and no one believes a word he said.  Truly.  This is all on my brother."
    "Isn't it?" she challenged, and he was gratified to see the spark come back into her eyes, if even for a moment.  "If not for me, you would not have just been humiliated in front of all of your friends, not to mention your family.  They now all believe you have a frigid, spoiled wife who is not good for much more than pity."
    Smiling, he took her hands in his and squeezed them tightly.  "Please, my dear, inform me how I was humiliated.  I must have missed something for I fear I don't recall that specific event."  When ire flashed in Lucy's aqua gaze, he knew he had his wife back and his heart soared.
    "Don't patronize me, Adam!  Every single person in that room heard Archibald call me frigid!  He implied that others had tried and failed to get me on my back!"  Lucy sprang from the sofa and began to pace back and forth.  "I am not a loose woman!  You know that."
    Chuckling, he pulled her back down beside him, though she didn't struggle to get away. "I do, my love, I do."  If she noticed his particular choice of words, she didn't react.  She was in too much of a state.  "But everyone here knows Archibald, and they know he lashes out at me when he is denied what he wants.  It has always been thus."
    "And the rest of society?" she asked archly, still fidgeting.  "What of them?
    Borrowing one of his sister's careless shrugs, he gave her an impish grin.  "What of them?  They know me and, in time, they will come to know you as well.  They know that I would not choose a whore for my wife, and, in time, they will come to see how wonderful you are."  He pulled her close, pleased when she melted against him, even if it was only because she needed the support.  Perhaps Harry was right after all.  "They will not judge you, pet, at least not on the word of a man bound for Newgate."
    Pulling back so that she could look at him once more, Lucy bit her lip.  "And my uncle?"
    That was a sticky situation that Adam wasn't prepared to deal with quite yet, but he didn't know quite how to tell her about the plans he'd set in motion.  "In time, we will deal with him, as well.  One problem at a time."  Scooting closer,