The last thing Rob Jaffrey expected to see when he arrived at Willow House was his wife in the arms of another man. Blinded by a jealous rage, he hurled himself toward the man who had been embracing Rosamond in a sheltered corner of the garden. He was fully prepared to throttle the fellow.
The cowardly cur sprinted toward the lowest section of the garden wall. While Rob was still too far away to stop him, he slithered up the stones like the snake he was. At the top of the wall, he paused to look back, devilish glee lighting his eyes.
‘Salutami Lina,’ he called in Rosamond’s direction. A moment later, he had dropped down on the other side and disappeared.
Rob skidded to a halt. As much as he’d have liked to pursue the rogue and thrash him within an inch of his life, he knew his limitations. The injuries he’d suffered the previous summer had been severe. The worst of them had healed, and he walked without a limp, but sprinting across the garden had already left him winded. He’d never be able to get over the wall, let alone run down Rosamond’s escaping lover.
Andrew Needham, who had accompanied Rob from Cambridge, was in no better shape. Huffing and puffing, he trotted up to his friend. His pale yellow hair stood up in tufts, looking white in the bright sunlight. He had lost his bonnet in their rush to apprehend the miscreant.
‘What did he say?’ Needham asked.
Rob shook his head. ‘His words made no sense to me. Shall we ask my wife?’ He braced himself. This would not be a pleasant interview.
Needham stepped in front of him, blocking the path. He was not a big man, no taller than Rob himself, but it was impossible to move past him. ‘Curb your temper, Rob,’ Needham warned. ‘There’s more to this than meets the eye. She marked the man who just went over the wall. There was blood on his face.’
Rob’s memory of what he had seen shifted and reformed. A sick horror replaced his anger. If that devil had hurt her—
‘Rosamond!’
Pushing past Needham, Rob pelted toward his wife. She had collapsed onto a turf-topped bench and was scrubbing vigorously at her lips with a handkerchief. Just as he reached her, she turned aside to retch into the bushes.
There was nothing Rob could do to help her until the spasms passed but when she sat upright again, he pressed the handkerchief she’d dropped into her hand. She glanced at him, then away.
He had never felt so useless or so much in the wrong. He had misjudged what he’d seen. He should have known that Rosamond, for all her flaws, was not the sort of woman who would betray her marriage vows. He was ashamed of himself for doubting her for even an instant and appalled at what might have happened to her if he had not arrived when he did.
Rosamond took several deep breaths. Her fingers curled into fists in her lap, crushing the handkerchief. ‘I could not free my knife hand.’ She sounded more aggrieved than frightened. ‘The wretched man had my arms pinned to my sides.’
‘Did he hurt you?’
‘Only my pride.’ Her chin came up. ‘I did more damage to him.’
Rob was not sure he wanted to know the answer but he asked his question anyway, ‘How? Why was he bleeding?’
‘I bit his tongue. He should not have tried to stick it into my mouth.’ For a moment she looked as if she might be ill again.
Rob drew her into his arms and, for a wonder, she did not resist. ‘Shall I hunt him down and kill him for you?’
‘I would rather kill him myself but that would not be a good idea.’ Her voice hitched, as if she might be trying to fight off tears.
He held her close, stroking her back with one hand. In time with the slow, soothing motion, he rocked back and forth, treasuring these tender moments. It would not be long before she pulled free of his embrace. Rosamond despised any show of weakness, especially in herself.
He was dimly aware that Needham stood guard a few feet away. Rosamond’s servants had come out of the house, drawn by the shouting, but once they realized who Rob was, none of them intruded, not even the formidable Melka.
As Rob expected, Rosamond soon freed herself and put a little distance between them on the turf-covered bench. Although she was now able to look at him, there was no welcome in her gaze. Rather, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
‘What are you doing here, Rob?’
‘That is a long story.’
She glanced around the garden, caught sight of Needham, and frowned. ‘Why did you bring Andrew with you?’
‘That, too, is complicated, and a tale best told when we are in private together.’
Her half smile was rueful. ‘This is the most secluded spot in the garden. Tell me now.’
Rob shook his head. ‘This bench is hard by a wall. Do you know what is on the other side?’
Startled by the question, she turned to stare at the high, brick barrier. ‘A neighbor’s garden backs up to this one.’
‘Thus anyone might be listening, even that man who just tried to rape you.’
Her face flamed. ‘Rape was not his intent. At least, I do not believe it was. He was acting under the misapprehension that he could render any woman amenable to his wishes by the application of kisses and the promise of passion. Those blandishments were a clumsy attempt to trick me into telling him something I do not want him to know.’
‘The more fool he,’ Rob muttered. ‘What information was he after?’
‘I cannot tell you that, either.’
‘What can you tell me?’
‘What can you tell me?’ she countered. ‘Or shall I ask Andrew?’
‘Andrew does not know.’
‘Then why did you bring him with you?’
‘He insisted upon coming.’ Rob shook his head. ‘No more questions, I beg you. Not now. Ho! Needham. It is safe to approach.’
Given no other choice, Rosamond made an effort to be pleasant to Rob’s friend, but it was abundantly clear that she was not pleased at being kept in the dark. Nor was he.
Needham was quick to excuse himself, claiming to be passing hungry after the long ride from Cambridge. He expressed the hope that he could coax Rosamond’s cook into giving him a bite to eat. With more speed than grace, he fled toward the house.
Rosamond crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at her husband. ‘What was so important that you left your studies? You have already missed more than your fair share of lectures as it is.’
‘And I do not need another one from you. Do you know that some husbands would feel justified in beating their wives if they’d come upon a scene such as the one I just encountered?’
‘I’d like to see you try!’ Her eyes blazed with indignation.
Rob sighed. This was not going well. He did not know why he’d thought it would. He intended to tell her the whole story, but he still thought it would be best to do so in her privy chamber with the door barred.
‘I am permitted annual leave of up to four weeks,’ he reminded his wife.
‘Not when the term has scarce begun. And not when you have just been absent for an entire year. You have an obligation to finish your studies.’
‘And so I shall, but first it was necessary that I come here. I had to be certain you were safe.’
‘Safe?’ she echoed. ‘You know as well as anyone that I am capable of looking after myself.’
‘Oh, yes. So I saw.’
She glared at him. ‘I am grateful for your help, but I had the situation well in hand.’
She had bitten him. Repressing a groan, Rob put his elbows on his knees and supported his head with his hands. If he and Needham had not appeared on the scene when they did, the fellow would likely have met violence with violence. At the least, he’d have struck the woman who’d wounded him. Deflecting her dagger would have been child’s play.
‘Please tell me you intended to run away.’
‘If you had not come to my rescue, I’d have been inside the house before he had time to staunch the flow of blood.’
Rob did not believe a word of it, not when he’d seen with his own eyes how she’d tried to restrain the villain. It shamed him that he’d been fool enough to mistake that for love-play but difficulty in thinking clearly was often a problem when his wife was involved.
He wanted to ask for her promise that she would be more careful in the days to come, but he knew her too well. Whatever she was up to, she’d continue to go her own way until she was satisfied with the result. In the heat of the moment, she’d rush in where angels feared to tread.
‘You are resourceful, Rosamond. I will give you that much.’
‘How long do you plan to stay?’
‘A question to warm any husband’s heart.’
‘You need not be sarcastic.’ Avoiding his eyes, she toyed with the handkerchief in her lap. ‘I have missed you, Rob. I grew quite … accustomed to being with you on the ship.’
He stared at her, surprised but pleased by her admission. ‘I have missed you, too, Ros.’
Nearly a year and a half ago, he’d taken time away from his studies to travel, ending up in Moscow and in trouble. Because of that, back in England, Rosamond had become embroiled in difficulties of her own. She’d even followed him to Muscovy, although by the time she arrived he’d no longer needed rescuing. Afterward, they’d shared a long sea journey home, during which they’d had time to become reacquainted with one another. For part of the voyage, Rob had been recovering from grievous wounds, but during that last week he’d been able to be a true husband to her. He smiled at the memories.
‘I would like to stay here for a day or two.’
He’d have preferred to remain longer but, sadly, she’d been correct in saying he had a responsibility to finish what he’d started at Cambridge. He owed that much to himself and to his parents and to Lady Appleton, as well.
Once, he’d have done anything to stay at Christ’s College. Before his marriage, he’d been a sizar, the lowest form of scholar. Although some of his expenses had been paid by Lady Appleton, he’d been happy to perform the most menial of tasks in return for rations in the college buttery and the odd farthing tossed his way for services rendered. He’d roused fellow students in time for chapel, made beds, swept chambers, emptied chamber pots, cleaned boots, carried water, run miscellaneous errands and served at table. It had not been an easy life. He’d still been required to be on time for morning prayers and to attend three lectures every day. Even on the Sabbath, he’d not been able to rest, not when so much of every Sunday was spent in church.
It had only been in the last year that he’d come to realize that some things were more important than earning his degree. His wife’s well-being was chief among them.
‘It will be … pleasant to have your company.’ Rosamond took his hand in hers. Her lips curved into a teasing smile that caused his heart to race and blood to rush into other parts of his body. ‘Does a visit of a day or two mean you will be with me for one night or two?’
She slid her free hand up the front of his doublet and began to toy with the laces that held his collar in place. Rob caught her fingers and kissed them, unable to keep the foolish grin off his face.
‘Two,’ he said. ‘Most assuredly two nights.’