The Marriage Mishap. Judith Stacy
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when I got home.”
“I don’t take instructions from servants.”
She said it so sweetly that a moment passed before the meaning sunk in. Anger coiled in his chest. “This is how I have my household set up. Bernard handles my schedule.”
“Then perhaps Bernard will go to dinner with you tonight.” She rose sedately and crossed the room. At the door, she stopped and looked back at him. “I am prepared to go…this time.”
Stunned, Adam stared as she sashayed from the room.
They didn’t speak as they rode to his father’s house in town. Adam smoked four cigarettes, one after another, tossing the butts out the window, stealing glances at his new wife across the darkened carriage.
He had a way with women, or so he’d always thought. He could be generous, thoughtful, kind— even charming, when necessary. Women fawned over him. Mothers, aunts and grandmothers pushed their daughters, nieces and granddaughters at him. Certainly they all thought him a handsome catch. The Lord knew, enough eligible young women had been paraded in front of him.
Adam’s shoulders squared as he gazed at Haley in the shadows. So what was wrong with this woman? Nothing he did made any difference. The house he’d given her, the jewelry he’d offered hadn’t affected her in the least. Haley seemed totally immune.
Adam grunted and turned away. Not only had he been unable to charm her, he couldn’t even get her to like him. And if he couldn’t get her to like him, how was he ever going to get her into bed with him?
Adam slouched on the leather seat and lit another cigarette.
Darkness had descended over the city when the carriage stopped outside the Harrington’s large home. Adam escorted her up the walk and spoke to the butler who greeted them.
There was a settled look about the house, as if it had been there for years, just as it sat tonight. It was immaculate, almost as though no one lived there. It gave Haley an eerie feeling.
Adam introduced her to his family, and they spoke politely before settling around the dining room table. Almost immediately, Adam and his father began discussing business.
At the head of the table, Martin Harrington was a commanding sight, tall and straight despite his silver hair. Beside Adam sat his sister, Gwen, dark-haired and green-eyed, like Adam. With her mother gone, Haley wondered why Gwen wasn’t seated at the foot of the table, as the mistress of the house should be. Nearing thirty, there was a hardness about her. Probably a pretty girl once, lines and creases showed in her face. Or was it something else that had aged her? Haley pretended not to notice that Gwen was on her fourth glass of wine.
At Haley’s right sat Kip, tomorrow’s birthday boy. Small and thin, he pushed his food around his plate. Though with his light brown hair and blue eyes he hardly resembled his older brother and sister physically, Haley found a connection; he looked as bored as the rest of them.
Finally something in the conversation caught her ear. Haley perked up. “The McKettrick plans? Adam and I were discussing them this evening.”
Everything in the room stopped. All eyes riveted her. Adam blanched. Kip and Gwen looked at her as if she’d just suggested they all disrobe and wallow in the rice pudding. Martin looked as though he’d been violated.
Haley’s stomach hardened into a knot. She smiled. “The plans looked very interesting. Have you seen them, Mr. Harrington?”
“No, I haven’t.” He shoved a spoonful of pudding into his mouth and looked away.
“You’ve seen the plans? The treasured, gold-plated McKettrick plans?” Gwen rolled her eyes with mock envy and lifted her glass. “A reason to celebrate! More wine!”
Martin glared at her.
“Can I be excused?” Kip dropped his napkin beside his plate, as if he’d been waiting for an opportunity to escape.
“Eat.” Martin barked.
“I don’t like it.” Kip slapped his fork down.
Martin pointed at him. “I don’t care what you like—”
“It tastes like garbage! I want to be excused!”
“Not until you finish your meal.”
Gwen looked across the table at Kip. “Oh, go ahead. You can leave.”
Martin’s jaw tightened. “The boy needs to eat. He’s skinny as a rail.”
“Well, you certainly know what’s best, don’t you, Father?” Sarcasm dripped from each taunting word. Gwen banged her spoon against her glass. “I said, more wine!”
A doorbell chimed through the house. Martin slammed his spoon on the table. “Who the devil is that, coming to call at the dinner hour?”
“I’ll see!” Kip ran from the room.
“Come back here!” Martin yelled.
Gwen glared at him defiantly, then laughed.
“Damn it,” Martin mumbled. He tossed his napkin on the table and stalked from the room.
Gwen waved her glass. “I guess I’ll have to get my own wine.” She wobbled away.
Adam stared at his plate. Haley couldn’t tell if he was embarrassed or simply accustomed to their behavior.
She pressed her fingers to her lips, as if trying to recall something. “So, what did you tell me was the reason you moved into your own home?”
He looked up at her, and she gave him a smile. Adam relaxed marginally. “It was a tough decision.” He tossed his napkin on the table. “Let’s get out of here.”
He clasped her elbow and they headed for the foyer, but commotion in the front of the house stopped them. The front door stood open, and two men were piling trunks in the foyer.
“Well, I’ll be. It’s Isabelle.” A genuine smile parted Adam’s lips, and he went into the parlor.
Haley followed and saw a tall, statuesque woman in traveling clothes standing in the middle of the room. Gray streaked her black hair. Kip was at her elbow, looking mystified, while Gwen sipped another glass of wine. Shoulders hunched, Martin stood in the corner.
“Where have you been, Aunt Izzy?” Kip asked anxiously. “Lots of great places?”
“You dear, dear boy. The world—I’ve been around the world, I tell you. Wait until you see what I’ve brought for you.” Isabelle gestured grandly with her hands.
Gwen raised her glass in a toast. “Here’s hoping it’s liquid.”
“Adam!” Isabelle’s gaze fell on him, and she threw out her arms. “Come here, you handsome thing.”
“I missed you, Aunt Izzy.” He crossed the room and reached for her hands.
“Wait!” Isabelle’s eyes bulged, and she threw out her palm, stopping him. She pressed her thumb and forefinger to her temple. “Don’t move.”
Kip’s eyes widened. “Are you getting a reading, Aunt Izzy?”
“Oh, for God’s sake…” Martin groaned.
She squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m getting something.” Isabelle rotated her outstretched palm in a circular motion. “Yes, yes, I’m picking up another aura.”
“I know who it is,” Kip exclaimed. “Adam got married.”
Her eyes popped open. “Married!”
Adam smiled and gave her a hug.
“Martin finally goaded you into it, huh? What did he do, get you drunk and have the ceremony performed while you were unconscious?”
Adam caught Haley’s gaze and saw the