Married to the Marquess by Rebecca Connolly Read Free Book Online Page A

meet tomorrow morning at his home for a quick breakfast before meeting the other two of their friends at Dennison’s Stables, Moira’s family business.
    Kate would not appreciate the company in the morning, which was, of course, all the more reason to do it.
    He turned slightly to look at her, dreading what he would see, and sure enough, she looked as if she had suddenly smelled something rather pungent, but her eyes were also shimmering with unshed tears. Surely she was not so offended that she was brought to tears?
    No, that was ridiculous. Not even Moira could offend someone to that degree.
    Well, perhaps Colin, but he was sensitive.
    “Kate?” he asked quietly.
    “Katherine,” she snapped, blinking rapidly.
    He rolled his eyes. She was just fine, tears or no tears. “Whatever. Would you like to retire now?”
    “I would like you to retire now,” she muttered under her breath. Then, louder, she continued, “But I will leave it up to my father to decide when we are finished. After all, it is his wife that was buried today.”
    Unable to help himself, Derek responded, “Technically, it’s only her body. She’s not down there at all. Just bones and muscles and flesh.”
    She looked up at him with a half-disbelieving, half-aghast expression. “Are you completely without mental capacity or do you just manner yourself after a pig?”
    “Katherine,” her father said softly, as if just now realizing there was a conversation occurring around him.
    She looked over at him, and it pleased Derek to no end to see the slight fear of reprimand in her eyes. But her father did not even look at her, so she turned back to Derek again.
    “Do not be unfeeling towards him, Whitlock,” she hissed. “He may remain here however long he chooses. If you would like to leave, then be my…”
    “I would like to retire now,” Lord Dartwell announced in his quiet voice.
    They both turned to look at him in surprise. “You would?” Katherine asked, looking confused.
    He nodded. “What’s the use? No one really misses her. They’re only here for the food.”
    Derek had to bite his lips together to keep from grinning or laughing, and quickly clasped his hand behind his back, as he also had the sudden urge to poke Kate in the shoulder.
    “Besides,” he continued, “I’m hungry myself.” And with that, he turned and walked away.
    Derek very properly offered his arm to Katherine, who very reluctantly took it. “Have I ever mentioned how much I like your father?” he asked rather brightly.
    “Shut up, Whitlock,” she muttered.
    A satisfied smirk crossed his lips, which faded as he saw that Sir Nigel and Lady Aurelia were crossing over the room to meet them. Of all the people in the world he couldn’t bear to converse with, these two were at the top of the list. Sir Nigel never said anything worth hearing, though he seemed to think his whole purpose in life was to grant his wife’s every request, and to speak to anybody nearby about whatever he could think about for however long he could think about it.
    Aurelia was not much better. Everything should have been her idea, everybody should do things to her satisfaction, every fashionable item would look better on her, which Derek knew for a fact that it would not, as Aurelia more often than not looked as though someone had tried to stuff a pig into a dress. He also had no doubt that people were much wiser than he gave them credit for, as nobody ever asked Lady Aurelia’s opinion on anything.
    He held his breath as the approached, as if that would make them avoid speaking with him.
    He had no such luck.
    “Whitlock!” Nigel cried joyously, as if they had not just spent the last two hours in the exact same places, and if those places had not revolved around the funeral for the mother of their wives.
    “Nigel,” Derek answered with a nod, trying to hurry Katherine along just a little bit more, though she seemed to be moving a touch faster on her own.
    “Whitlock, it is so good