Maddie took another sip of her drink as all the warmth seemed to seep from the room. A shiver ran down her spine at the noticeable silence that settled over the hall and the knowledge that all eyes were now watching…them.
“You mock, wife?” Menace laced his cool tone.
Maddie beat back the urge to run like hell. He was her husband and be damned she’d cower to him. No matter the century. “Not mock. I’m just confused. Am I to welcome this lady to our home as a guest of mine? I’ve never met this woman before in my life.”
“You know her now.”
Maddie swallowed the porridge past the lump of fear in her throat. “Yes, I suppose I do. But I can’t help thinking I’ve seen her before.”
With you, up against the wall in the hall outside my bedroom.
“You have not,” he said with a dismissing tone.
The baron took in his lover and his hard, cold features softened a little. Fear knotted Maddie’s stomach, threatening to bring up her food. This man was in love and not with his wife. Oh gosh, where did that leave the Lady Madeline…leave her?
“Lady Veronica is a guest here, Madeline. I expect you to treat Her Ladyship with all due respect. Do I make myself clear.”
“Perfectly,” Maddie said, looking for a napkin and, not finding one, wiping her hands on the tablecloth. She cleared her throat. “May I have a word with you in your study after your meal, my lord?”
“My study?” he asked, a confused line to his brow.
“Ahh…” she stumbled, stuck for inspiration, and with no idea what to call the room.
“I will join you in the solar shortly,” he said.
The scrape of her chair was loud in the quiet hall. Maddie walked from the room, but not before seeing Lady Veronica place her hand on the baron’s lap. Did the woman have no respect for his wife? Not that Maddie cared what they did together, but had he married the real Lady Madeline surely she would have. She walked into a corridor that ran parallel to the hall and stopped, unsure as to where the solar was. With the aid of a servant, she entered a small box-shaped, sparsely furnished room.
And readied herself for the coming confrontation with the mighty Baron of Kingston.
*
“Darling, must you go to her. You promised me a ride after breakfast, and I hoped you had not meant on horseback.”
Lord William glared at his vexing wife’s retreating back then turned to face his distant cousin. Veronica could be a teasing little minx when she wanted, and normally he would never delay such an appointment. However, Lady Madeline, no matter his thoughts of her, was now his wife, and deal with her he would. Never had he known a more forward-speaking woman. But she would learn to curb her sharp tongue.
Aimecourt may be held in her delicate little hands in trust for their children. She may be far wealthier than he. But as his wife, she would learn to live under his rule or suffer the consequences.
“I shan’t be long. I’ll walk you to the stables after morning prayer,” he said, ignoring her pout and settling down to finish his meal.
*
William strode into the solar and nodded to a serf to close the door. “You wished to see me, Lady Madeline?” he said, in a tone of bored negligence before seating himself behind his desk.
“Yes, I did.”
William watched as she smoothed her skirts with trembling fingers. She lifted her jaw and met his gaze, her apparent nervousness not strong enough to curb whatever it was she wished to speak to him about.
“Firstly, I would like to know why I am being forced to live under a roof with my husband’s mistress.”
William raised his brow, surprised by her question. “Our stewards settled our marriage contract last fall. ’Tis too late now to change your decree, m’lady.” Her defiant little chin rose and an odd twinge twisted his gut.
“Refresh my memory, if you will.”
Not interested in going over their marriage contracts again William inwardly groaned. “Aimecourt would be held in trust for