The Light in the Darkness by Ellen Fisher Read Free Book Online

now—however distasteful that may be to us.” She turned hopefully to her brother as a thought occurred to her. “I don’t suppose an annulment is possible? Surely you did not actually bed the filthy creature?”
    “It is possible,” Grey acknowledged, “but I will not obtain one. Marital relations are not necessary, not when there are so many other willing women about.”
    “You do not intend to have a son?”
    Grey frowned slightly and studied his brandy. “As we discussed before, I would not make a suitable father.”
    “Nor do you make a suitable husband!” Catherine snapped.
    “I agree.” Grey’s voice had turned glacial. “I was perfectly content to live in a fog of memories and alcohol, but you, my darling sister, persisted in pressuring me to find a wife. I at last decided to oblige you.”
    “I had hoped a wife would give you new interest in living.”
    “You were wrong.”
    Catherine stared at him a few moments longer, engaging in a silent battle of wills, then she bent her head in defeat. Turning to the girl, who sat nervously erect on the settee, she said harshly, “Well, what’s done is done. Come along, child.”
    As Jenny rose obediently to her feet, Grey demanded, “What are you going to do?” He was alerted by the defiant expression on his sister’s aristocratic features that she was, very definitely, up to something.
    But the face Catherine turned to him was full of innocence. “Why, I’m going to make a lady of her, of course. What is there left for me to do?”
    “A lady?” Grey repeated incredulously. His gray eyes swept over his wife’s unadorned, too-small indigo gown,ludicrously out of place in such luxurious surroundings, and he gave a short contemptuous laugh. “This uneducated, uncultured child? Most likely she’s illiterate. Jenny, can you read?”
    Startled to be addressed directly, Jenny stared at him, struck dumb. At last she stammered, “N-No, sir.”
    “Simpleminded, unattractive, and filthy,” Grey growled. “And
you
want to transform her into a lady.”
    “Damn it, Grey!” Catherine was visibly exasperated. “You brought her home. We have to do
something
with her.”
    “Put her to work in the cookhouse,” Grey suggested helpfully. “She claims to be able to cook. You needn’t teach her anything.”
    “And what will people say?”
    Grey rolled his eyes. “I do not trouble myself about what others think.”
    “Because you are in an alcoholic haze most of the time,” Catherine said tartly. “I’m not concerned about their opinions of you, Grey. Heaven knows most of them already believe you to be mad, and quite frankly I’m not certain they aren’t correct.”
    Catherine paused for a moment and studied the pitiful young woman her brother had married, still staring at the chamber as if it were a castle filled with extraordinary treasures. The wide-eyed expression on the girl’s face filled her with an unwonted sympathy, which she tried her best to ignore. God knew the girl really did belong in the cookhouse. But she was determined to outmaneuver Grey. He had married this simple, common child merely to spite her, and she was not going to let him get away with it. She would not let him get the upper hand.
    “No,” she said at last, “I’m concerned about this poor child. She must be terrified, for she knows full well she doesn’t belong here. The least I can do is make her feel welcome.”
    Grey slanted her a look full of suspicion. “Just where were you thinking of installing her?”
    “Diana’s chamber would be appropriate,” Catherinebegan in her most reasonable voice, but Grey cut her off angrily.
    “Diana’s chamber? Are you insane? The
stables
would be more appropriate! Catherine, I absolutely will not permit—”
    “You are seriously suggesting that the lady of the house sleep in the stables?”
    “Well, why not?” Grey demanded. “Look at her.
Look
at her! Does she not belong in the stables?”
    Catherine studied the girl