The more she found out about her husband, the more she hated it! She slammed the glass on the table and glared at him. “What other restrictions will you put me under? Shall I only take a certain number of breaths in a minute? Shall I walk a certain way? Or would you like to dictate how tall I am?”
“Don’t be absurd.”
“Why not? You’re dictating everything else for me. Why not manage everything?”
He let out an exasperated sigh and stood up. “I’ve had enough. All of you ladies are the same. Not a single one of you makes any sense.”
“And you’re worse than my brother. Which, by the way, is quite a feat considering how awful he is.”
When she saw that he was genuinely surprised she made such a comparison, she marched out of the room. He was insufferable. There was no reasoning with him.
She decided not to stop by the drawing room. She was sure Miss Britcher would go up to her bedchamber as soon as his lordship instructed her to do so. She grunted and ran up the steps that would take her deeper into her prison.
***
“I didn’t realize you had so much to contend with,” Aaron told Miss Britcher a few minutes later. “I can see my bride is a wild vixen.”
“I’m not surprised considering the colors she likes to wear,” Miss Britcher said, hands folded in front of her as she stood in front of him with a posture so stiff one might question whether or not she was capable of sitting. “It’s unfortunate the people who were responsible for her upbringing failed so miserably at the task.”
“It is unfortunate.” He’d known Kitty was going to be difficult, but even his mother, for all her wanton behavior, hadn’t treated his father with such disrespect. “I trust you’ll know how to tame her.”
“Of course. I’ve been hired to care for unruly ladies in the past. All of them were younger and unmarried, but the same rules will work for Lady Northton. It’s a matter of letting her know her behavior won’t be tolerated.”
“Good.”
That was exactly what he’d hired her for. It was nice to know his money was going to good use. He couldn’t wait until he had an heir. Kitty better make sure he was born healthy. Aaron simply didn’t have it in him to keep going to her bed in hopes of having more than one. Knowing she’d allowed other gentlemen to take their pleasure with her made him nauseous. God willing, she’d conceive in the first month, and he’d never have to defile himself with her again.
“I don’t envy your task, but I’m glad you’re willing to do it,” he told Miss Britcher.
She offered him a nod.
“You may go,” he said when he realized she was waiting for him to give her permission to go.
She gave him another nod then headed out of the room with a determination that made him envious. If he possessed such poise, Kitty probably wouldn’t have acted so inappropriately. He blamed his upbringing for it. His father was always the gentleman. He’d raised Aaron to be the same way. The best Aaron could do was hire a lady like Miss Britcher to do the hard work for him. With a sigh, he returned to the library.
Chapter Six
Kitty tried not to show her annoyance as Miss Britcher followed her up the steps to Lilly’s residence. “I’m here to see Mrs. Morris and Lady Valentine,” Kitty told her. “You can stay out there while I talk to them.” She gestured to the carriage they’d just left.
“I have to make sure you’re really here to see ladies,” Miss Britcher replied. “For all I know, this could be a ruse for you to spend time with a lover.”
Kitty’s face grew hot. “Why would I do that in the day where everyone can see me?” This time she motioned to the people who were walking in front of the townhouse.
“You could be friends with Mrs. Morris but use a visit with her as an excuse to visit her husband. Quite a clever idea, if I may say so myself.”
They reached the top of the steps before a suitable reply came to Kitty. “How many times have you used this particular ploy to share an afternoon’s delight with your friend’s husband?”
Miss Britcher’s eyes grew wide. “My lady, I never once played the harlot.”
“Then why do you assume that’s what I’m doing?”
“I don’t have to be a harlot to know what one is like.”
Kitty groaned under