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pain in his chest
erupted into audible sobs.

    “Adam…” Luke
bravely thrust himself in his older brother’s way and grabbed his
arm. “You can’t send her home! They forced her to marry you. If you
send her back they might hurt her…” Adam clenched his teeth as he
felt the blow. He’d caused his Eve harm. He stared past his brother
as tears dripped down his cheek and prayed his brother would
disappear. “…but she doesn’t appear to mind being your wife. You’re
not going to kill yourself are you? You know Jonah hates farming.
He’d rather join the Navy than be a Lord and you know he’s
terrified of being eaten by a whale.”

    “You’re right;
it would be cruel to make Jonah a Lord and force him to worry over
next year’s harvest. I shall face eternal heartbreak with stalwart
bravado for Jonah!”

    “Don’t sneer
Adam, you know we’d all be miserable without you.”

    “Yes, who’d
bail you out when you got into another scrape?”

    “Give me your
word of honour that you won’t hurt yourself or I’ll tell Lady
Latham her Lord was just watching her eat through a peep hole.”
Adam gave his brother the evil eye before pressing past and moving
mindlessly toward his room. Even the first time he’d looked in a
mirror after losing his eye hadn’t made him feel so wretched. The
woman he longed to hold thought him as mad as the rest of his
family. “Adam, promise me you won’t kill yourself…”

    “Of course I’m
not going to kill myself…” The younger man sighed in relief as he
ran after his brother. “…I’m a coward. If I can’t face my bride,
I’m hardly going to find the nerve to face death…”

    “I’ve never
known anyone who was less of a coward…remember that time…”

    Adam paused
outside his room and hissed, “I don’t want to remember anything!”
Slamming his door he locked it and tore off his eye patch. Throwing
it on the floor he cursed his impetuous heart. He’d have to face
her…he’d wait till dark. Numbly falling face first onto his bed he
lay there listening to the clock tisking in contempt at his
cowardice as the day wore on. He’d never been afraid of anything or
anyone until his heart resolved to rest in the arms of Miss Eve
Venables. He sighed into his coverlet as the image of Eve sitting
at his table swirled through his brain. She was the perfect Lady
Latham. He should have kicked his brother out the front door and
faced his fear, but it was too late for should haves.

    He had three
options; keep his wife whether she hated him or not, annul the
marriage or give her a choice. His heart insisted he choose the
first option, but his heart’s inane demands had landed him in the
mess to begin with. He was going to listen to his head for once and
let his wife choose. Whatever she decided his silly romantic heart
would have to accept. His heart blanched at the possibility of
losing her. He could feel it writhing in his chest, but for once it
was going to be ignored. It would have to suffer ‘til nightfall
before learning its fate.

Chapter 9

    As winter
twilight faded into early darkness Eve returned to her chamber and
had her maid help her undress. “I’ll wear my dressing gown over my
chemise until my Lord sends word that he’s ordered dinner.”

    “Very good my
Lady…but…”

    “Yes?”

    “When his
Lordship remains all day in his room he normally orders a supper
tray.”

    “Then I shall
have one as well. Does he often remain all day in his room?”

    “No my Lady;
only when he’s…upset.”

    “And what
usually upsets his Lordship?”

    “I couldn’t say
my Lady.”

    “Yes you
could.”

    The maid
glanced towards the hidden communicating door and lowered her
voice. “His family often upset him with their helpful schemes. His
Mother is particularly helpful.”

    “I look forward
to meeting her.”

    “She’s a good
woman. She loves her sons.”

    Eve looked into
the maid’s eyes and understood the silent admission. The mad