The Seduction of His Wife by Tiffany Clare Read Free Book Online Page B

to dissect his marriage with anyone.
    “Definitely not a child anymore.” Dante chuckled and pushed his foot off the carriage to follow him into the house. “I hope she’s stocked something stronger than tea in the study. It’s been a long day.”
    Richard also hoped there was something stronger than tea to drink. He’d need something fortifying before facing his wife again.

Chapter 6
    Why did you agree to marry me? For the life of me, I can make no sense of it.
    As soon as the door closed behind her, Emma put her hand to her chest and took a deep breath. That hadn’t been as horrible as she had thought. When Brown had come out to say there was a nondescript carriage coming over the river, one without an emblem emblazoned on the side to identify the person within, she’d known without a doubt it was her husband.
    She had watched from the window while the staff had lined up. Then Richard had stepped from the carriage, squinting at the sun before donning his hat. Directly behind him was another man. His shoulders were twice the width of her husband’s, his height just as great. He was darker-skinned, and not in the sense that he spent a lot of time in the sun. She would guess him to be of Spanish or Italian decent.
    She’d only given the other man a once-over. Her attention had been drawn immediately to Richard. What a formidable man he was. A foreign desire for something she didn’t understand had unfurled in her lower stomach at the sight of him standing in the drive with a smug grin lighting his expression. Then she remembered how he’d treated her in London and squashed the unwelcome feelings.
    He’d not get the better of her in her own domain.
    She tipped her head back, the rim of her hat folded into her neck as she rested her head against the wall. How would she deal with all these conflicting feelings for a man she hardly knew? She had this desire to seek him out, find out why he’d come home. She wanted to learn everything she could of the man who had avoided her for so many years. On the other hand, she wanted to rage and scream at him for his thoughtlessness. Tell him he couldn’t walk back into her life and demand whatever he pleased of her.
    Not now. Not when everything with Waverly rested so uneasily. She’d also have to be more careful about her paintings with Richard home. He could never know the true nature of her art. She’d have to sneak around in the middle of the night, or early mornings, to paint her more erotic scenes.
    Everything could be ruined by Richard’s return.
    Footsteps approached the front door. She made a quick decision to avoid Richard for the remainder of the afternoon and made her way out to the gardens, where her sisters sat in the shade of a great oak. On seeing her expression, they came to their feet. Grace had taken her hat off and swung it back and forth by the pink satin ribbon. Abby twirled a plucked daisy between her fingers.
    “It’s him, isn’t it?” asked Abby.
    She nodded, looking at Abby. “Come, we must find you new accommodations. Someone travels with him and that gentleman will reside in the room I assigned you.”
    “Why ever would you do such a thing? I love that room. It overlooks the mazes.”
    Because she hadn’t thought to speak up on her sister’s behalf. Instead she had held her tongue. She’d do as her husband pleased for the time being. Surely he wouldn’t remain long.
    “I had no choice in the matter,” she said.
    “You can stay with me,” Grace chimed in.
    “Absolutely not. We’ll be bickering and ready to tear out each other’s hair after a day.” Abby turned back to Emma. “And I suppose I can’t spend the night with you. Not now that your husband is here.”
    “No, you can’t. I hardly believe this is happening.” She shook her head and twisted her fingers together. “While he’s in the study, we should oversee the room changes.”
    Abby leaned down to pick up her book. “I do hope he lets us stay on. I was looking