chapter fifty

"this is not happening to me,"jane muttered.

"will he really harm bidworth?" belinda asked, eyes wide as hugh stalked poor freddie.

"yes," jane hissed desperately, casting her father an entreating look. he wasn't going to do anything! he only studied hugh and her, back and forth, eyes watchful.

"fine." jane glared at her father over her shoulder as she hurried toward hugh. "i'llhandle this." once she'd reached hugh, his hand shot out to clutch her elbow as if he feared she'd flee from him at any second. "if you'll come with me to papa's study?" he hesitated, so obviously wanting to thrash freddie. "hugh, if you want to speak with me, i won't do it here." he finally allowed her to lead him from the room.

in the front hallway, hugh slowed and grated, "why in the hell is bidworth here?" she saw him glance at her bare ring finger, and his tone went lower. "have you...have you taken up with him again?"

"not that it is any of your business, but he's here with his new intended," she answered calmly, letting him relax an instant before adding, "to wish me well on my travels."

"travels?"

"yes, you just ruined the party my family threw for claudia and me to see us off to italy for the winter."

"when are you supposed to sail?"

"on the morning's tide - "

"no."

she rubbed her temples. "i clearly misheard you. for a moment, i thought you had just dared to insert yourself into my life once more. you gave up any right you had to do that."

"no, i dinna. i'm still your husband. we're married, and we're staying that way."

she blinked at him.

"you heard me, lass."

perfect, jane thought with a sigh.i can get this man to keep me, but first i have to wear away his will for weeks, and then he must be pistol-whipped, bludgeoned, and concussed. it's a formula.

"what brought about this change of heart?" she asked.

"there's been no change of heart."

behind hugh, she saw her father ordering her cousins away, barring them from coming to her rescue. he probably thought he was buying hugh time to apologize - when that notion hadn't seemed to have occurred to hugh at all.

there was no apology, no flowers, not even a preamble. in fact, he hadn't bothered to take the time toshave before he'd barged into her party, threatening servants and frightening guests - after she'd thrown herself at him for weeks. "how dare you show up here like this!"

she couldn't understand him. something had changed in hugh - yes, he wasn't known to assail genteel soir