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"Of course" As they left the house and approached his waiting phaeton, Rhys adjusted his long-legged stride to hers "This ry Grayson hile"

"He will not be angry"

"Not with you perhaps"

Her throat tightened "Not with anyone"

"The man has always been a trifle touchy where you are concerned," Rhys drawled

"He has not!"

"Has, too And if he has truly decided to exert his husbandly rights, I pity thea deep breath, Isabel kept her thoughts to herself, but the butterflies in her stoazed at his reflection, and heaved a frustrated breath "When is the tailor scheduled to arrive?"

"Tomorrow, my lord," Edward replied with obvious relief

Turning to face his longtiarments truly that dreadful?"

The servant cleared his throat "I did not say that,torn knees are not exactly a full utilization of hed dra you on several occasions"

"My lord!"

"But since tor you was often e"

The valet’s snort ed his schedule for the day His plans started with a discussion with Pel about redecorating his study and ended with her once again sharing his bed He was content with that schedule until his foot met the marble floor of the foyer

"My lord"

He faced the bowing footer Marchioness has arrived"

His hackles rose He hadher, but he would have gone a lifetime if that had been possible "Where is she?"

"In the parlor, my lord"

"And Lady Grayson?"

"Her Ladyship departed with Lord Trenton a half hour past"

Normally, Gerard would take exception with Trenton, as he did with anyone who deprived hi him first, but today he was relieved to spare Isabel his mother’s visit There could be a hundred excuses for why his mother had come, but the truth was simply that she wished to berate him She took such pleasure in it, and now she had four years’ worth of bile to vent It would be unpleasant, no doubt, and he steeled himself inwardly for the trial ahead

He also took abefore, that he had always been slightly jealous of those who stole Pel’s attentions The feeling of possessiveness was only exacerbated by his deepened interest in her

But he did not have time to contemplate what that meant at the moment, so Gerard nodded to the servant, took a deep breath and headed in the direction of the parlor He paused athe silver strands that were noeaved liberally through the once dark tresses Unlike Pel’spreserved her beauty well, the dowagerhis presence, she turned to face hiaze raked him from head to toe Once, that look would have withered hireeted, her voice tight and clipped

He bowed, noting that she still ’s weeds even after all these years

"Your clothes are a disgrace"

"It is lovely to see you, too, Mother"

"Do not hed loudly, and sank onto the sofa "Why , and I’ to please you The best I can do is to give you a wide berth"

"Sit, Grayson It is rude of you to stand and forceup at you"

Gerard sank into a nearby wooden-ar directly across from her, he was able to study her in depth Her back was raht, painfully so, her hands clenched in her lap until the knuckles hite He knew he took after her in coloring--his father’s portrait was of a idness was far removed from his own ability to bend when necessary

"What ails you?" he asked, only superficially concerned Everything ailed his mother She was simply a miserable woman

Her chin lifted "Your brother Spencer"

That caught his attention "Tellin any sort of " Her thin lips pursed tighter

"In ay?"

"In every horing, drinking to excess, coht He hasschool"

Scrubbing his hand across his face, Gerard struggled to reconcile the ie she presented with the fresh-faced brother he had known four years ago It was his fault, he knew Leaving any child in the care of their mother was bound to lead to a preoccupation with the pursuit of oblivion

"Youwill acco your pardon?"

"Gather up his possessions, and send hihten him out"

"I will not!" His mother’s spine stiffened further How that was possible, he could not say, but it did "I will not have Spencer under the same roof as that harlot you ue," he warned with o around the carved arms of his chair

"You have made your point and embarrassed me utterly End this farce now Divorce that woman for adultery, and do your duty"

"That woman," he bit out, "is the Marchioness of Grayson And you knoell as I that a successful petition for divorce would include evidence of marital harmony prior to the adultery It could also be said that my own inconstancy drove her to hers"

His mother flinched "To wed a mistress For heaven’s sake, could you not have wounded me alone, and not the title as well? Your father would be so ashamed"

Gerard hid the way that stateardless ofLady Grayson, it is a choice I am quite content with I hope you can learn to live with it, but I am not overly concerned if you do not"

"She has never once honored her vows to you," the dowager said bitterly "You are a cuckold"

His breath was harshly drawn, his pride stung "Am I not culpable for that? I have not been a husband to her in anything but a fiduciary capacity"

"Thank God for that Can you iine what kind of mother that woman would be?"

"No worse than you"