Free The Invisible Husband by Cari Hislop Page B

delivery. She
clenched her teeth and smiled. “Perhaps if you gave it to me…”

    “Of course…”
Mrs Roberts took a small wrapped object out of her pocket and
pressed it into Eve’s hand. “…open it!” Eve refrained from asking
the woman if she could say anything without sounding like she was
on a stage and untied the ribbon. She didn’t have time to pick up
the gift before Mrs Roberts had leaned over and hissed, “It’s a
picture of Lord Latham…before the incident! He would kill me if he
knew I was giving you this…” Eve turned the miniature over and
stared at the handsome black haired boy smiling under the glass,
but her heart wasn’t impressed. It snubbed the picture and kept
calling for the man in the study.

    “Thank you,
that was very kind of his mother to think of me.” Eve slipped the
picture into her pocket and picked up her cup and saucer.

    “Well what do
you think; wasn’t he handsome?”

    “Yes, but he’s
thirty-seven now; frankly I don’t care what he looks like.”

    Mrs Roberts
looked momentarily confused, but her smile returned as she fondled
her large belly. “Lady Latham is so happy that her eldest son had
finally married. Lady Latham longs for grandchildren…” Mrs Roberts
ogled Eve’s stomach before whispering, “Is there any chance you
might be increasing?”

    Eve flushed at
the rude question and tactfully changed the subject. “So where are
your family?”

    The woman
looked confused. “My family?”

    “Yes, the
family Lady Latham lent you the carriage to visit.”

    “Oh, a ways
North of here…” Mrs Roberts waved her hand to dismiss them as her
eyes lit up. “…so Latham hasn’t come to your bed yet? Oh dear, his
mother was afraid he might not have the nerve to…you know…with a
young lady of refinement. Your mother, she explained the marriage
bed?” With her face on fire Eve opened her mouth to give the lady a
sharp retort, but wasn’t given the chance. “They say lie back and
think of England, but that’s so boring. I advise you to purchase
some bon bons and keep them next to your bed. Then while he’s…you
know…you can eat them and think of a pleasant play or a pretty bit
of scenery. There’s a particular part of Sheridan’s The Rivals I
always find amusing. They…he always thinks I’m enjoying myself and
that makes them happy! It’s always good to keep one’s man
happy.”

    “Is that how
you came to be enlarged Madam?”

    The woman again
looked confused. “Enlarged?”

    “Your impending
joy…”

    “Oh…you mean
Cabbage…I know its silly, but you have to call it something.”

    “True, though
perhaps Baby might be more appropriate?”

    Mrs Roberts
snorted in amusement. “Yes of course…but do you think his Lordship
might come to your bed tonight?”

    Eve’s face
turned a darker shade of pink as her temper started to rise. “Lord
Latham’s nightly movements are his own affaire.”

    “Oh yes, I
suppose it is awfully rude of me to be so bold, but I have a
dreadful curiosity. Mr Roberts says it’ll one day land me under a
mail coach.”

    “What an awful
thing to say.”

    “Men are like
that dear…Lady Latham has been deeply concerned for her eldest son.
He was one of those difficult children. She secretly despairs of
ever helping him.”

    “Perhaps if she
were to ask him directly he’d be able to enlighten her. Perhaps he
doesn’t need help…”

    “Of course he
needs help! After that villain slashed out his eye and nearly slit
his throat, he was never the same. He hides away pretending he
likes solitude when really his heart is breaking for company. His
mother has tried everything imaginable to get through to him. He
must be the most mulish man alive; I don’t envy you my dear.
Heavens! If his mother’s experience is anything to go by, you’ll be
begging the rest of your life for a new fan or hair comb. Men can
be so selfish, but perhaps he’ll be different with you. That was a
pretty broach you were