The Countess Page 0,65

only good part of their marriage, that he was kinder and showed her more respect and consideration than George had. Even a modicum of either behavior would make it bearable if she had those passionate nights too. Clearing her throat, she forced herself to meet his gaze again and nodded solemnly. "Very wel . The marriage wil stand so long as we have another ceremony."

She swal owed and then added quietly, "Thank you."

Richard shook his head. "Do not thank me. I do not want you to feel I have sacrificed myself and done you some great honor by standing behind the marriage.

This does not just make things easier for you, but for me as wel ." He squeezed her hand and added, "And I have high hopes that we wil deal wel with each other and in time become good friends and partners."

Christiana peered at him silently. Aside from the fact that he was trying to ensure she did not feel beholden to him, which seemed very kind to her, Richard also wasn't making false claims of love and adoration or even like and attraction. He was being honest and stating exactly how the marriage would benefit him, and that he hoped for more in the future. Before she'd met George the very unflowery words would have upset her; now they made her relax and want to smile. She had learned her lesson wel and would take truth over empty lies any day.

"Al right?" he asked when she continued to stare at him silently.

Christiana managed a smal , sincere smile and nodded. "Al right."

"Good." He smiled widely and stood, pul ing her to her feet with him. "Now, come along. We should join your sisters and Langley before he comes charging up here to rescue you."

He said the words teasingly enough, but with a slight edge that made her wonder.

However, it suddenly occurred to Christiana that she hadn't told him about Langley's suspicions.

"He thinks you are George," she blurted as he began to urge her out of the room.

Richard drew her to a halt, his gaze sharp as he asked, "He does?"

She nodded and quickly explained the conversation she'd had with Robert the night before. When she finished, they were both silent as Richard digested what he'd learned.

"I see," he said final y as he took her arm to walk her along the hal . "That explains a lot of his behavior, and I suppose I should have wondered how you knew about my birthmark. It's not common knowledge." He was silent as they descended the stairs, but at the bottom he paused, and turned her to face him. "Do you trust Robert?"

Her eyebrows flew up at the question. It seemed to suggest he would trust her judgment in this very serious matter, which definitely made a nice change from George, who hadn't even trusted her judgment in the day to day running of the house or the choosing of clothes.

"Yes," she said simply. "He is like family."

Richard nodded. "Then I shal take him aside and explain matters to him."

Christiana felt something unclench the slightest bit around her heart. She also felt the sting of tears in her eyes and turned away from Richard before he could see them. She didn't know where they were coming from anyway. It was foolish to want to cry with gratitude just because he was being both kind and apparently respecting her opinion. Ridiculous. Pathetic, real y, she decided with self-disgust.

"There you are! I thought I heard voices out here."

Christiana glanced around to see Robert Maitland standing several feet away, in the parlor door. Grateful for the distraction he offered, she beamed a smile on the man, but her smile dimmed when she noted Lisa behind him. The displeasure on her youngest sister's face had her eyebrows rising, but then she glanced back to Robert as he spoke again.

"The tea is growing cold. You should real y come join us," he said firmly.

"Actual y, Langley, if you don't mind, I need to have a word with you first," Richard said, taking Christiana's arm and urging her up the hal toward the other man.

"Oh?" Langley narrowed his eyes and then glanced to Christiana.

Reading the silent question as to her wel -being in his eyes, she smiled gently and said, "He has the strawberry. Though, it's real y more of a rosebud if you ask me, Robert."

Langley didn't comment, in fact he didn't look any happier to know Richard was Richard and Christiana supposed it was