A Deceptive Wager Page 5

  Kitty cleared her throat and forced a pleasant smile on her face. “Thank you.” She stepped into the townhouse, and, unfortunately, Miss Britcher was right on her heels. “I married yesterday. I’m Lady Northton now.”

  He offered a nod. “If you and your friend will follow me, my lady, I’ll take you both to the drawing room.”

  When Kitty entered the drawing room, she pretended not to notice the look of shock on her friends’ faces when they saw the crotchety old lady who was behind her.

  Kitty waited for the footman to leave before she turned to Miss Britcher. “As you can see, these are ladies. I am not here to engage in a secret rendezvous with a gentleman. Now that you can assure my husband of this, leave us alone.”

  Miss Britcher scanned the two ladies as if she wasn’t convinced they really were ladies, but after a few seconds, she must have concluded that Lilly and Emilia couldn’t be gentlemen secretly disguised as ladies since she gave them an approving nod. To Kitty’s dismay, she proceeded to go around the room and inspect it. She checked behind the open drapes, around the furniture, and then behind the desk.

  When she started opening the drawers, Lilly called out, “Is there something I can help you with?”

  “I’m making sure Lady Northton won’t be exposed to anything inappropriate while she’s here,” Miss Britcher replied as she sorted through the items in the drawer.

  Kitty rolled her eyes. “My husband hired her to make sure I don’t conceive another gentleman’s child. He thinks I’m not a virgin.”

  Lilly’s eyes grew wide, and Emilia’s jaw dropped.

  “There’s nothing wrong with a husband wanting to make sure the child is his,” Miss Britcher said. “It’s wise of him to be careful. His title is at stake. Only the legitimate heir should inherit it.”

  Kitty closed her eyes for a moment in order to stop herself from screaming.

  Miss Britcher closed the last drawer then went over to them. “Everything looks appropriate. I’ll be outside.”

  Kitty thought she meant she would be outside the townhouse, but Miss Britcher picked up one of the chairs and carried it to a spot right in front of the doors. Then, without looking back at them, she shut the two doors.

  Lilly turned her bewildered gaze to Kitty. “Who is she?”

  “My insufferable chaperone,” Kitty replied as she sat in a chair across from the settee. “It was Aaron’s wedding present. She hasn’t left my side since we got into his carriage after the wedding.”

  “She follows you around when you leave the townhouse?” Emilia asked.

  “I wish that was all she did. At least then I’d have a little freedom,” Kitty replied. “No, she is with me at all times.”

  “At all times?” Lilly repeated.

  Kitty nodded. “All the time. She even sleeps in the bedchamber with me.”

  “In your bed?” Lilly asked.

  “No. She has her own bed. But she sleeps by the door so I can’t get out of the room without her knowing.” Kitty let out a frustrated sigh. “How can your husband be friends with someone like that?”

  “Well, he doesn’t treat Roger that way,” Lilly replied.

  “This is just terrible,” Emilia spoke up. “Why does he have to be so unreasonable?”

  “Because he’s sure I have lovers,” Kitty said. “He thinks I might even be with child right now. Miss Britcher is to inspect my underthings every morning to see if I’ve started my lady’s time.”

  Emilia cringed. “How does she inspect your underthings?”

  “This morning when we woke up, she made me take them off so she could inspect them.”

  “Oh, this is unnecessary,” Lilly said. “I’ll tell Roger this must stop. Roger can assure Aaron that you’re not with child. You haven’t done more than dance with a gentleman at a ball.”

  “Aaron won’t believe it,” Kitty replied. “He is sure that all ladies are harlots.”

  Emilia frowned. “Something must be done about it.”

  “I already know what I’m going to do,” Kitty said. “I’m going to hire a chaperone for Aaron. I have some spending money I saved over the years, and I will use it to pay for a chaperone’s services. I’ll make this person do everything Mrs. Britcher has been doing to me.”

  Lilly gasped in excitement. “Who are you going to hire?”

  “I don’t know yet.” Kitty lowered her voice and pointed to the doors. “But it must be someone like her. Aaron’s chaperone must make him as miserable as she is making me.”

  Lilly clasped her hands together and grinned. “I like the way you think.”

  “I do, too,” Emilia agreed. “I had no idea you were capable of scheming.”

  “I got the idea from my husband,” Kitty said. “You can thank him for coming up with it.”

  “I’ll ask Benjamin if he knows anyone who can help us find the right gentleman for this job,” Emilia replied.

  “And I’ll ask Roger,” Lilly added.

  Kitty’s eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t know, Lilly. Will Roger tell Aaron?” The last thing she wanted was for Aaron to stop her by taking the money from her.

  “I can get Roger to keep a secret,” Lilly said.

  “How?” Kitty asked.

  “I know something about him that no one else does,” Lilly replied. “Since I won’t tell anyone his secret, he won’t tell yours. Besides, Aaron will find out soon enough.”

  Lilly seemed so confident she could do this that Kitty believed her. She’d known Lilly for years, and when Lilly was this sure about something, it was a guarantee.

  Emilia wiggled on the chair in excitement. “This is going to be so much fun! I’m going to discuss this with Benjamin as soon as I get home.”

  Emilia stood up, and Lilly laughed. “Are you going to your townhouse right now?” Lilly asked.

  “I can’t wait. I want to help our poor friend right away.” Emilia glanced between her and Kitty. “Do you want to come along?”

  Kitty sighed. “I’d love to, but I don’t want my guard to find me in a room with a gentleman. Even if that gentleman is your husband and even if you’ll be there, I just know she’ll insist on staying in the room.”

  “She’s probably right,” Lilly said. “Miss Britcher looks even more stern than Lady Cadwalader. One would swear Lady Cadwalader learned to be so miserable from her.”

  “No, even Lady Cadwalader smiles from time to time,” Kitty replied then giggled.

  Her two friends laughed, and she felt much better. For the first time since the wedding, she was beginning to feel like there was hope that her life hadn’t come to an end.

  “I’ll stay with Kitty while you get some ideas on who might be a suitable chaperone for Aaron,” Lilly told Emilia.

  “Benjamin knows a lot of gentlemen,” Emilia said. “We’ll find the perfect one.” Emilia turned to Kitty. “Then Aaron will be sorry he gave you such grief.” Without waiting for her friends to respond, she hurried out of the room.

  ***

  Two days later, Aaron stared at the middle-aged and tall gentleman who looked down at him. Aaron’s gaze went to Kitty, who had the nerve to smirk triumphantly at him.

  “That, my lord, is your chaperone,” Kitty said.

  “I will not pay for this,” Aaron replied. Then, glaring at the older gentleman, he added, “You might as well leave now. You’ll receive no pay.”

  “Oh, yes, he is,” Kitty said. “I have my own money.”

  “How?” Aaron asked in shock.

  “I’m an intelligent lady. I’m capable of selling things and keeping the money.”

  “Selling what? Do you charge your lovers for an evening with you?”

  She gasped. “I have never done anything of the sort. I sew items like dolls, pillows, and clothes. Then I sell them.”

  He snorted. Who did she think she was fooling? No lady wasted time sewing things to sell, especially not one who was part of the nobility.

  “It’s true,” she insisted, her face growing red. “I do hav
e money, and I earned it through honest means. Fortunately, Mr. Stonewall isn’t daft like you are.” She turned to the gentleman. “I want you to keep watch over him at all times. I don’t want him to be alone with any lady except for me.” She turned her gaze back to Aaron. “The staff is setting up his sleeping arrangements in your bedchamber as we speak. Mr. Stonewall will be with you every moment of the day, just as Miss Britcher is with me.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re doing this out of spite.”

  “I’m doing this to make sure the only lady you will get a child with will be me. You can’t go around slipping into ladies’ beds. I will not have my dowry being used to take care of your illegitimate brats. My dowry will only be used to take care of my child. And your money will only be used for your heir, who is also going to be my child. You’re not the only one who is concerned about making sure their child is protected.”

  Aaron couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Imagine her accusing him of acting in such a way! She had no right!

  His mouth forming a tight line, he took her by the arm and strode out of the room. He led her down the hall and then turned to his library. He glanced back and saw that Miss Britcher and Mr. Stonewall were following them.

  He stopped at the door and snapped, “Neither one of you are allowed in here.” Then he entered the room with Kitty and slammed the door. He released her. “I suppose you think you’re clever.”

  “I got the idea from you. If you get rid of Miss Britcher, I’ll get rid of Mr. Stonewall.”

  “No. I’m not getting rid of her so that you’ll go back to other gentlemen’s beds.”

  She crossed her arms. “Then I’m not getting rid of Mr. Stonewall.”

  He stared at her for a long moment then groaned. “Why must you be so difficult?”

  “Why must you be so difficult?”

  Not expecting her to turn the question back on him, it took him a long moment to respond. “You are the one who needs watching. Ladies are the ones who can’t be trusted. They’re known for their unfaithfulness.”

  “Who are they being unfaithful with, my lord?”

  “Their lovers.”

  “Lovers who happen to be who?”

  What was she getting at? “Lovers like Lord Edon and the Duke of Lambeth.”

  “Exactly. Gentlemen. These ladies are taking lovers who are gentlemen. That means gentlemen are just as guilty as ladies are.”

  He clenched his jaw. He sought for a way to argue with her, but his mind drew a blank. How did she manage to render him unable to think clearly? It wasn’t right. It simply wasn’t right! Finally, he sputtered, “I can’t help it if those gentlemen are with ladies who aren’t their wives. I can only control what I do.”

  “I can’t control what other ladies do, either. I can only control myself.”

  “The only way I know you’ll behave is by having Miss Britcher watch over you.”

  “And the only way I know you’ll behave is by having Mr. Stonewall watch over you.”

  He groaned and threw the door open. Miss Britcher and Mr. Stonewall were standing nearby. He directed his attention to Mr. Stonewall. “I’ll pay you to leave.”

  “You can’t do that!” Kitty ran over to them and slipped between them. “I’m his employer, not you.”

  “But I have more money.” Certainly, she couldn’t have saved up so much money that she was wealthier than him. His gaze went to Mr. Stonewall. “How much is she paying you? I’ll pay you more to end your services.”

  “No!” She glanced at Mr. Stonewall and shot him a pleading look. “No.”

  Mr. Stonewall looked at Aaron. “As Lady Northton has stated, she is my employer. I am responsible to her.”

  Aaron’s face turned red. “She is a lady. Surely, you understand how untrustworthy she is.”

  “She paid me half of my wages upfront,” Mr. Stonewall said. “The terms of the job were agreeable to me, so I accepted it. When she relieves me of my position, I shall go.”

  Kitty didn’t hide her relief.

  “I see you bewitched him with your charm,” Aaron told her. Some gentlemen were easily led in by a beautiful lady, but Aaron was much too intelligent for something like that.

  “She did no such thing,” Mr. Stonewall said. “She won me over by logic. If she is to need a chaperone, then you need a chaperone, too. It’s only fair.”

  Fair? What was fair about the fact that ladies could get anything they wanted while their husbands had to cover up their scandalous activities? A gentleman could spend his entire life doing everything he could to preserve his reputation, but his wife could ruin all of that in one evening of debauchery.

  He glared at Kitty. “I better not find out you’re with child.”

  She stiffened her back. “And I better not find out you have an illegitimate child.”

  “You won’t because I don’t defile myself with anyone.”

  “I don’t defile myself, either.”

  The fierceness of her words was no longer surprising him. She was excellent at feigning innocence. One would swear she truly was as clean as a fresh layer of snow.

  He settled for laughing in a way that let her know he didn’t believe her before he went back into the library. He shut the door behind him to let her know he was done having anything to do with her. The door opened, and he whirled around, sure that she was going to persist in arguing with him. But Mr. Stonewall was the person whose large frame took up most of the doorway.

  Aaron waved for him to go. “I don’t require your services at this time. You may leave.”

  “I’m to be with you at all times, my lord.” Mr. Stonewall entered the room, his hands clasped in front of him and a solemn expression on his face. “Your wife was explicit in her instructions.”

  “But there is no one in this room.” He gestured to the furniture. “My wife has no need to worry that I’ll be with another lady.”

  “Perhaps you might peruse some illustrations, write a missive to a lady, or engage in some other inappropriate activity. I have to make sure your behavior is what your wife expects from a celibate husband.”

  “This is unnecessary. I have no inclination to do anything inappropriate. All I want to do is read a book in my favorite chair. That’s why I’m in my library.”

  Mr. Stonewall’s eyebrows rose. “What book will you be reading?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Very much.”

  When Aaron realized he was serious, he let out a frustrated huff and picked up the book he had set on his desk to read before Kitty and Mr. Stonewall had interrupted him. “You’re welcome to inspect it if you must.”

  Mr. Stonewall closed the door and then went to take the book from him. Aaron didn’t like this. If the gentleman shut the door, it meant he intended to stay. And just what was he going to do while staying here? Watch him read?

  Mr. Stonewall checked the title on the cover then opened the book. He took a good minute to browse the contents before he handed it back to Aaron. “Dull and boring. The book will suffice.”

  Aaron glared at him. “If I want your opinion on what I should read, I’ll ask for it.”

  “As you wish, my lord.”

  As he wished? Who was Mr. Stonewall trying to fool? Aaron knew full well that Mr. Stonewall had no intention of doing anything that Aaron wished. He had given his allegiance to Kitty.

  Aaron bit back a retort and tucked the book under his arm. After a moment, he decided he couldn’t sit in this room and read while someone was watching him. “I’ll take this to bed.”

  He strode out of the room, but he didn’t realize Mr. Stonewall was following him until he was halfway up the stairs. He jerked in shock and almost dropped the book.

  “What are you doing?” Aaron asked, too appalled to sound appropriately upset.

  “My sleeping quarters are in your bedchamber,” Mr. Stonewall replied. “If you are to retire for the evening, then I will do the same.”

  “You will not sleep in my bedchamber!
”

  “Weren’t you paying attention when your wife explained where I’d be sleeping? Her chaperone is to sleep in her bedchamber. I am to sleep in yours. That is, of course, unless you and your wife choose to be together.”

  “We most certainly won’t be together.”

  “Then I will check out my sleeping quarters right now.” He gestured for Aaron to keep going up the stairs.

  Aaron was too stunned to reply. This was really happening. Somehow, his manipulative wife had convinced this gentleman to make an incredible nuisance of himself.

  He wasn’t going to forgive Kitty for this. She had no right—no right at all—to treat him like a child! This was unconscionable. No other grown gentleman had to endure such nonsense. Even his father had received better treatment. Gritting his teeth, Aaron marched up the steps.

  Chapter Seven

  Lilly and Emilia couldn’t stop giggling the entire time Kitty told them how the previous evening had gone when she’d introduced Aaron to his chaperone. Once more, Miss Britcher had checked the drawing room of Lilly’s townhouse before agreeing to sit in the hall so Kitty could have some privacy.

  But this time, Miss Britcher’s lack of trust didn’t bother her. She was much too pleased by how upset Aaron was that morning during breakfast. He hadn’t said anything, but it’d been apparent he hadn’t been able to get much sleep. His eyes had been red, and he’d kept yawning. If Mr. Stonewall hadn’t been sitting next to him, he might have fallen asleep.

  “Mr. Stonewall is perfect,” Kitty told Emilia. “You’re right. Benjamin found the right person for this job. I was afraid Mr. Stonewall might accept Aaron’s offer to pay him to leave.” She put her hand over her heart. “I was so relieved when Mr. Stonewall didn’t take the offer.” She brought her cup up to her lips and sipped the tea.

  “I thought you’d like Benjamin’s uncle,” Emilia replied. “Michael has a high opinion of ladies and marriage. Benjamin’s mother was his sister, and they were close friends.”

  “Did he ever marry?” Lilly asked before she bit into a scone.