Free Marigold Chain by Stella Riley Page A

the
proprieties without letting the world know what we’re about.’
    ‘ We
aren’t going to tell anyone, then?’
    ‘ Not
unless we must. I may eventually have to confide in Giles in order
to stop him trying to knock my head from my shoulders, but
--’
    He stopped as
the door opened and a lady came in. She was beautiful – tall,
dark-haired and graceful. For a moment, Chloe wondered if this
could be Sarah but a glance into dark-fringed blue eyes assured her
that it could not.
    ‘ Hello,
Ju. Welcome to Pluto’s den. What brought you? Feminine intuition or
a message from Matt?’
    Lady Julia
Blanchard laughed and shook her head.
    ‘ Wrong on
both counts. I met Freddy Iverson.’
    ‘ Iverson?’ repeated Alex vaguely. And then, looking at Chloë,
‘He was a witness?’
    She nodded.
‘Yes. Mr Fawsley, also. Mr Beckwith left before the game.’
    ‘ Bristling with disapproval. Yes. I can imagine. Oh – this is
my sister, by the way.’ He turned back to her ladyship. ‘So. You
know everything and it’s all true. This is Chloë.’ And, closing his
eyes, he rested his chin on his chest, apparently relinquishing all
interest.
    Fortunately, my
lady knew better than to let it bother her. She walked over to
Chloë, smiling warmly but with faint anxiety. ‘Alex is determined
to be difficult – which as you may have already gathered is by no
means unusual. I am Julia Blanchard and I came especially to meet
you. It’s too much to expect that Alex should recognise the
awkwardness of your position so I thought perhaps you might make do
with me.’
    The kindness
was unexpected and Chloë felt herself grow pink.
    ‘ Thank
you. It is rather awkward. I only wish I could explain how it
happened.’
    Alex opened one
eye. ‘Don’t put yourself out. I daresay Julia understands perfectly
– or thinks that she does.’
    He sister’s
response to this cryptic utterance was to put out her tongue.
    ‘ Go to
sleep. You look like a two-day-old corpse. And, of course I know
how it happened. With you, how do such things ever happen? You were
monumentally drunk and that’s all it takes when you’re in a wild
mood.’ She returned her attention to Chloë. ‘Did you bring your
things with you or must you go back for them?’
    Chloë shook her
head. ‘I have what I needed for over-night and a spare gown. But
that will have to do because I don’t intend to set foot in that
house ever again.’
    Somewhat to her
surprise, Julia accepted this without question.
    ‘ I don’t
blame you. If Alex had behaved as your brother has done, I’d never
willingly have seen him again either – assuming I hadn’t already
killed him.’ She paused. ‘Let me help. You are smaller than I – but
no doubt we can contrive something. Now don’t argue – just get your
cloak. You must come home with me right now and we’ll get to know
each other and leave Alex to sleep himself into a better mood. He
won’t even miss us.’
    Chloë glanced
at her somnolent husband.
    ‘ Yes he
will. The same way he’d miss an aching tooth.’
    And had the
satisfaction of seeing his lips twitch before Julia swept her
away.
     
     
    ~ * * * ~

FIVE
     
    Being
both practical and intelligent, Chloë had never supposed that her
curious half-marriage would be easy, but what she had not expected was for Alex to create
a state so negative as to resemble fighting a curtain. There were
no difficulties or unpleasantnesses, no quarrels, no scenes; in
fact, there was nothing tangible at all. It was smooth, civilised
and about as substantial as living in a cloud.
    On the
fourth day, he presented her with a wide, gold wedding band and
reclaimed his signet ring in a manner so crushingly bright as to
rob the gesture of any significance it might have had. At this
point, Chloë was tempted to seek advice from Mr Lewis; that she did
not do so was due less to Mr Deveril’s embargo on such discussions
than to the fact that Matt [though quite kind in his taciturn way]
was keeping her at