Free The Marquis Takes a Bride by M.C. Beaton

not discuss such things with you Sally,” said Jennie contritely. “But we have never had any secrets from each other.”
    “It’s not that, Jennie,” said Sally, looking worried. “Are you not frightened that your husband might look elsewhere for consolation?”
    “Oh, Chemmy’s not interested in women. He only cares for clothes,” remarked Jennie rather smugly.
    “You’re
impossible
,” Sally burst out. “Don’t you know that Alice Waring was his mistress for years?”
    Jennie stared at her. “Do you mean that very beautiful woman who attended my wedding?”
    “Exactly.”
    “Oh,” said Jennie in a small voice.
    “It’s all over, of course,” said Sally quickly, feeling that her friend had suffered enough. “Mrs. Waring is now under the Earl of Freize’s protection. But ’tis whispered that she is still in love with the Marquis.”
    Jennie was not old or wise enough to recognize jealousy when she felt it. She was only conscious of an overwhelming desire to prove to her husband that she was attractive to other men.
    An opportunity placed itself in her way sooner than she expected.
    She arose unusually early one morning and was descending the stairs to the morning room when, to her surprise, she heard the butler, Roberts, saying in a firm voice, “I am sorry Mr. Chalmers, my lord and lady are not at home.”
    “
Guy!
” cried Jennie, running down the stairs and darting past the startled butler. “Guy, my darling Guy. Of course I am at home.”
    She caught his hands and smiled radiantly up into his face. He looked thinner and older than she had remembered, but he was still her beloved Guy.
    She ignored the stiff disapproval of the butler and drew Guy into the morning room, slamming the door behind them.
    “I thought you had forgotten me,” said Jennie.
    “As if I could!” exclaimed Guy. “It’s all the fault of that cursed husband of yours. First, he takes you away to Kent forever and then he tells his servants to refuse me admittance.”
    “But I was never in Kent,” said Jennie, puzzled. “He left me with my grandparents after the wedding.”
    “Well, if that don’t beat all,” said Guy wrathfully. “Look Jennie. Get your coat and bonnet. I’ll take you for a drive. If we don’t move quickly, your husband will be downstairs and we’ll never have a chance to talk.”
    It took Jennie only a few minutes to collect her belongings, leave the house, and climb up into Guy’s carriage.
    He drove her to a secluded corner of Green Park and then reined in his horses.
    An amazed Jennie heard his tale of journeying to Kent and how her husband had pretended she was with him.
    “But I have been
everywhere
since I came to town,” cried Jennie. “Why have I not seen you?” She began to reel off a list of notable names and houses and Guy scowled. He did not want to tell her that he was not in the habit of moving in such elevated circles.
    “Oh, these things are a cursed bore,” he said vaguely. “I tear up the invitations as soon as I get ’em. Let me look at you. God, but your beautiful!”
    He drew her into his arms and began to kiss her passionately. She finally pushed him away, feeling muddled and somehow guilty and forlorn. A large brown Jersey cow ambled over to the carriage and looked up at her accusingly.
    “I am a married woman now, Guy,” she said breathlessly. “We should not be doing this.”
    “What happened to your marriage of convenience?” sneered Guy. “I’ll bet his lordship climbed into your bed as soon as possible.”
    “No!” cried Jennie, much flushed. “He has honored our arrangement. He has been most kind. And… and he has bought me all these pretty clothes.”
    “Well, that’s one thing he should be good at,” said Guy. “He certainly picked out a fine wardrobe for Alice Waring.”
    Jennie looked miserably down at her hands. She was being childish to hope that love should grow in such an odd marriage. She turned and sadly leaned her cheek against