What a Reckless Rogue Needs (The Sinful Scoundrels, #2)(64)

“I’ll set the hamper in the breakfast parlor,” Colin said.

“Thank you,” she said. The gold mirror in the foyer, the marble floors, and the banisters gleamed. She realized she’d made a mistake by instructing Agnes to clean and shine everything so well that it fairly sparkled.


Angeline removed her bonnet and guilt left a bruised place in her chest. It had been foolish of her to argue about Sommerall when she hated the thought of him losing the property. It really was all he had left of his mother, other than the cradle and the rocker.

Colin strode through the great hall. “We might as well go to the drawing room. I imagine we shall have a long wait,” he said.

“How long do you think they will be?” she asked as Colin escorted her upstairs.

“He was an hour late the last time, although to be fair he was concerned about his wife.”

They had just cleared the landing when the knocker rapped.

She met his gaze. “They are on time. Do you suppose Mrs. Faraday insists upon punctuality?”

“Probably,” he said.

“Shall we greet them?”

“Yes, of course. We will also get our exercise going up and down the stairs.” He leaned down. “Thank you for coming with me, and I’m sorry for cutting up at you.”

“So am I,” she whispered. Her vexation had increased each day that went by. She could no longer lie to herself. She had developed feelings for Colin, very strong ones. She knew he deserved a wife who didn’t have a sullied reputation, and it worried her. It was one thing to plan a marriage of convenience, but it was quite another when tender feelings were involved. She was at a crossroads, and she did not know what to do. But she must think of Colin’s feelings now, rather than her own.

Even though it was not Mr. Faraday’s first visit, Angeline figured it could not be easy for Colin to watch strangers walking about his house—or rather his father’s house. Yet he was bearing up to it better than she would have done.

When Colin opened the door, he bowed and welcomed the couple. The lady was much shorter than her husband and very pregnant. She rested her hand on her belly as she gazed upon the foyer. “How lovely,” she said.

“Lady Angeline, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Faraday,” Colin said.

Mrs. Faraday smiled as she followed Angeline to the great hall. “How long have you and your husband lived here?”

“He is not my husband,” Angeline said.

Mrs. Faraday’s eyes widened. “I see.” She pinched her lips and regarded Angeline with raised brows. “Well, you are certainly forthright about your situation.”

Colin frowned and held his hands up from his place behind Mr. Faraday as if asking what was wrong.

Angeline bit her lip to keep from laughing. Apparently Mrs. Faraday assumed Angeline was living in sin with Colin.

“Lord Ravenshire is an old family friend,” Angeline explained. “I have been making recommendations to him about Sommerall.”

Mrs. Faraday’s brows almost shot to her hairline. “Doubtless he is, er, appreciative.” She shook out her fan, caught her husband’s arm, and whispered something to him. When he started to look back at Angeline, Mrs. Faraday swatted him with her fan.

The woman must have thought Angeline was lying about her title.

“If you wish, you and your husband may go upstairs and look over the rooms,” Angeline said. “Meet us in the drawing room when you are finished.”

Mrs. Faraday practically dragged her husband up the stairs.

Colin escorted Angeline to the drawing room. “What was that all about?” he muttered.

“Mrs. Faraday apparently believes I’m your mistress posing as Lady Angeline.”

“No,” he said, laughing.

She nodded. “As soon as I explained you were not my husband, I could see she was both shocked and titillated.”

His shoulders shook with laughter. Then he walked to the window and opened the drapes. “No wonder it’s dim in here. The clouds are even darker now.”

Rolling thunder rumbled. Angeline joined him at the window, transfixed by the lightning brightening up the sky. “Oh,” she said. “The lightning is awful.”

“I hope we’re not in for a storm.”

When she shivered, he cupped her elbow. “Let’s return to the sofa. It will pass soon.”

The clock struck the half hour and voices sounded outside the drawing room.

Colin and Angeline rose.

“Mrs. Faraday would like a look at the drawing room,” Mr. Faraday said.

“You are welcome to examine the room. If you have any questions, we will be glad to answer to the best of our knowledge,” Colin said.

As it turned out, Mrs. Faraday had a number of questions regarding the drawing room. She seemed a bit put off by the marks on the walls where paintings had once been. “It would have been better to leave the paintings to cover the marks.”

“The family portraits were removed to a different property,” Colin said.

“I see,” she said, walking about. “The furnishings and chair rails are very old fashioned.”

“The house has not been occupied for some time,” Colin said.

“To be sure, there is much work to be done.” Mrs. Faraday placed her hand on her rounded belly again. “How am I to find the time? I’ll have my hands full soon enough.”