A Season for Scandal by Golden Angel

Chapter 19

Elijah

Sitting at the breakfast table, Elijah’s head jerked up every time he heard movement outside the door. After carrying a satiated but completely insensible Josie home, it had been sheer torture to leave her alone in her bed. Every instinct told him she belonged in his, naked body curled up against him, so he could watch over her through the night.

While her appearance at the Society’s event last night should not put her in danger, gossip they were sharing a bed—both rare and unfashionable among their social set, except in love matches—might put her in danger. Elijah could not allow the traitor to know that his feelings for her were anything other than neighborly and perhaps possessive as a husband would be with a wife. If only he could ensure there was no gossip… but as a spy, he knew exactly how much servants saw and heard. Even within their own household, the spymaster of England’s, there was no stemming such a tide.

Their servants were all trusted and sworn to secrecy, but someone out there knew his father was more than a marquess—someone intent on doing damage with that knowledge. Elijah did not intend to allow his wife to be used against him or harmed because of him. Josie had already been frightened when the villain lured her into the gardens, and he still had not found that culprit, which grated on him.

“Good morning.” Adam sauntered into the room with his usual air of arrogance, grinning widely as he took in Elijah’s reaction. “Bit jumpy, are we?”

Elijah scowled at his brother, though there was no real heat behind his glare. He cast his eyes over Adam’s rumpled form. Stubble darkened his jawline, his cravat was missing, and he appeared to have rolled around until his clothes were hopelessly wrinkled.

“You look as if you have been up all night.”

“I have.” Adam sat down and gestured to the footman for some coffee. “I was in the Warrens. While I did not see the elusive Frenchman, the barman at the Tramp’s Den said there had been a Frenchman about recently.”

“Really?” The Tramp’s Den was one of the most popular gaming hells in the Warren, run by a man known to most as the Tramp. Wealthy, ruthless, and recently married to a fallen debutante from the ton, the man was not to be crossed, but he had his own code of honor. Elijah scrubbed his hand over his chin. He would have to go down there at some point to speak to the man.

“I do not know if it was our man, but…” Adam shrugged. He looked decidedly weary, though his first sip of coffee brought some light back to his eyes. “Where is the lady of the house this morning?”

“Still abed.” Elijah’s head jerked up as he heard a noise out in the hall, his pulse quickening in anticipation. He ignored his brother’s snort of laughter. What Adam thought did not matter. Should he not be anticipating seeing his own wife?

When she walked through the door, looking beautiful and relaxed with her hair pulled into a low knot on the back of her head and wearing a loose, blue day gown that matched her eyes, Elijah felt something inside him relax. He and Adam got to their feet as she entered. Being able to see for himself, she suffered no ill effects from the previous evening undid the knot of tension he had not even realized had formed in his chest.

Josie met his gaze, and her face turned pink with a hot blush, causing him to grin as she came to a halt as she reached the table, eyeing the chair with trepidation. The smile on his face widened.

Josie

Blast the man. Her husband was clearly enjoying her discomfiture, and from the amusement in Adam’s eyes, he had an idea of Josie’s dilemma.

Though the color had completely faded from her bottom this morning, leaving nothing but creamy skin behind, it was still tender, which as she’d discovered when she sat to do her toilette. Pressing her lips together, Josie summoned her fortitude as she sat, only a little more gingerly than she may normally have.

Sitting down stung, but only for a moment, then she was able to settle down, mostly comfortably in her seat, pretending nothing was out of sorts. At least, she would be happy to, if not for the wicked gleam in Elijah’s eyes, which meant the blush on her cheeks was not going anywhere any time soon.

“Good morning.” She was determined to pretend her bottom was not throbbing beneath her. How did one handle this part? Another question for Mary the next time she saw her. Though Josie felt it would be far easier if she woke up with Elijah next to her instead of having to face him across the table when breaking her fast.

“Good morning,” the two brothers both chorused. Elijah smiled at her, then looked down at his plate.

She tried not to let it get under her skin that last night had not substantially changed anything between them. It had felt revolutionary to her, but… well, Elijah was much more experienced. Her stomach twisted, but she could not deny the truth. Probably, it had not meant the same thing to him it had to her.

Well, she was used to that with the Stuart brothers.

As if the thought had summoned him, the door behind her opened again, and Josie twisted slightly in her seat to see Joseph walking through. She was about to turn back when she caught a glimpse of his expression.

He was grinning ear to ear, literally beaming. There was a lightness to his step she had never seen before, and he bounced as he walked. When she looked back at Elijah and Adam, to see their reactions to Joseph’s unusual exultation, they appeared as flummoxed as she was.

“Good morning!” Joseph sang out, his voice ringing with happiness. “Congratulate me! Miss Bliss and I are to be married!”

Josie had already started to turn back to look at him again when he made his announcement. She froze in her motion, the expression on her face freezing as well, and it was suddenly very hard to breathe.

She had known it was coming. They all had known it must be coming. That was why Elijah had stepped in to marry her rather than Joseph. Yet hearing it made her feel… made her feel…

Bloody hell, she did not know how she felt. This was hardly shocking news, yet it still felt as if someone had elbowed her in the gut. Then guilt swamped her because she was married to someone else—who happened to be sitting across the table from her—and she should be completely loyal to him. The last feeling was a surge of relief and happiness for Joseph.

The happiness she understood—she wanted him to be happy—but why the relief?

“Congratulations!” Adam bellowed, jumping up to hug his brother. Elijah was only a step or two behind him, just as enthusiastic if not as loud.

Josie pushed her lips into a smile. She really was truly happy for Joseph. If Miss Bliss was the kind of wife he wanted, he would have never been happy with her, anyway. Though she had told herself that before, this time, it really struck home. She was finally coming to realize Joseph was not the kind of husband she wanted.

He was not part of the Society. He did not have Elijah’s presence or his commanding demeanor. In fact, she would have been able to push Joseph around in whatever direction she wished, as she always had. After several days of being married to Elijah, that did not seem as appealing as it once had.

Getting to her feet, she could not help but laugh when Joseph hugged her enthusiastically in his joy, any awkwardness between them forgotten when he was so overcome with emotion.

“Congratulations,” she said, meaning it completely. Maybe her heart was easily changeable, or perhaps she should accept t her feelings for him had not been as deep as she had thought. That was why she was relieved. It did not hurt as she had thought. She had truly let go of him, which meant she could focus on the Stuart brother she had married.

Elijah

Hurt and jealousy ripped through Elijah’s chest as he watched Joseph wrap Josie in his arms, and she went oh-so-willingly. Logically, he knew his reaction was unwarranted. Joseph was happily celebrating that he would soon be married to the woman he loved… but the truth was, how Joseph felt did not matter to Elijah. How Josie felt did.

He had seen her face when Joseph made his announcement, the way she had frozen, hiding her emotions, but he could not tell what she was feeling now. Was she enjoying Joseph’s embrace? Savoring it as something she desired but could not have?

When they stepped away from each other, he could see the smile on Josie’s face, and it cracked something inside his chest, sending a brutal ache through him. Rubbing his hand over the spot, Elijah took an instinctive step back, moving away from what was causing the pain—his wife and his brother.

Unfortunately, the movement attracted attention, and the other three turned to look at him.

Forcing his smile back onto his lips, Elijah dropped his hand to his side, focused on making sure it was relaxed and not clenched in a fist. It still felt as though his chest was too tight, making it hard to breathe, but he did not let his internal conflict show through.

“I am very happy for you,” he said, and it must have sounded genuine because none of them looked at him askance. “I wish I could stay and talk, but I have much to do today.”

“I understand,” Joseph replied, still grinning from ear to ear.

Elijah was happy for his brother, even as he was frustrated with the chaos his own life had become. This was why he had married Josie—so Joseph could have this. He had not expected it to be so hard, though.

Directing a small bow to Josie, Elijah turned on his heel and left the room. Had she appeared disappointed he was leaving or was that his imagination? His overly hopeful imagination?

That was the crux of his problem, he finally realized. He had known his feelings for Josie had changed, but he had not truly understood how much until now. The most startling revelation since their marriage—he wanted her to love him because somehow, he had already fallen in love with her.

And he did not know what to do about it.

So, he retreated to work on something he could handle—his mission to find the traitor.