Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor #3) - Rose Gordon Page 0,73
over her knuckles. “I didn’t think the timing was very good. I wanted to give you—and them—time to rest before making a first impression on the other.”
An emotion he couldn’t identify flickered in her eyes, and she squeezed his hands. “All right.”
Feeling just a little more confidence, Simon stood and led Rae from his bedchamber down the stairs to the dining room.
Unlike what he was sure she was used to at Lord Drakely’s and Lord Townson’s, the Appleton’s dining room was a smaller room with a simple table and not an overabundant amount of chairs.
“Mother, Father,” Simon intoned from the doorway, squeezing Rae’s hand for encouragement. “I’d like you both to meet my bride, the newly minted Henrietta Appleton.” He pulled his wife closer to him. “Rae, this is my mother, Katherine and my father, Walter Appleton.”
Rae’s mouth went dry. She’d been so confident that she’d be able to display a confidence she didn’t feel when meeting them, but now…
“It’s nice to meet you, dear,” Mrs. Appleton said with a smile. “Bexley hasn’t quite finished breakfast, so how about if the two of us go get acquainted in the drawing room?”
Panic built in Rae’s chest. Mrs. Appleton had just met her and now she wanted to be alone with her? Would she interrogate her to see if Rae was up to her standards for marriage to her son? Would she inform Rae that Simon was using her to heal his broken heart? What would Rae say in response to her?
“We’ll all go,” Simon said smoothly.
Thankful Simon didn’t intend to leave her alone with his mother; Rae drew closer to him and allowed him to escort her down to the drawing room. He steered her toward the blue settee and helped her get settled while his parents filed in and sat down in the armed chairs across the room.
An uncomfortable tension filled the room as the four of them exchanged looks, but uttered not a word.
“How are you finding marriage, dear?” Mrs. Appleton asked a few minutes later, clearly as uncomfortable as Rae.
“Simon’s been very good to me, Mrs. Appleton.”
“You’ll have to call me, Katherine,” the older woman said, tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear. “With two Mrs. Appletons in residence, it will bring about chaos.”
Rae appreciated the older woman’s gesture for what it was. Nobody would be confused as to which Mrs. Appleton was being referred to. She just didn’t know how else to invite Rae to use her Christian name. Rae’s heart hurt a little. Mrs. Appleton…er…Katherine truly believed Simon was using Rae and likely felt like she was walking on a pond that had iced over and was waiting for it to break.
“Thank you, but I’d only feel right about calling you by your Christian name, if you’ll call me by mine.”
“Oh for heaven’s sakes, you two,” Simon burst out. “Mother, there will be no confusion as to which Mrs. Appleton anyone is referring to around here. Besides—” he flashed Rae a wolfish smile— “we will be moving to our own home where Rae will be the only Mrs. Appleton.”
“You should look on Brooks Street,” Mr. Appleton murmured. “I was over there two days ago and passed a quaint little townhouse for rent.”
“Thank you, Father, however, I’ve already purchased one. It’s on Grant Street.”
The air crackled in the room.
“You did?” his mother asked, her clear blue eyes darting back and forth between Simon and Rae.
“Yes.” A smug expression came over his face. Odd. “I signed the papers yesterday and collected the key. Rae’s things are all moved in, and I’ll have my things moved over today.”
Katherine’s hand fluttered to her chest. “I see.”
Just then, Bexley entered the room and announced that breakfast was ready.
Rae was off her bottom before the man’s sentence was complete. If leaving without eating was an option, she’d cast a vote for such. Unfortunately, she highly doubted it was.
“A girl after my own heart,” Mr. Appleton said with a chuckle. He stood and held his arm out toward her. “May I escort you to the dining room?”
Rae looked to Simon for help.
“It’ll be all right,” he murmured quietly. “He doesn’t bite…hard.”
Rae reached out to swat at Simon’s shoulder and abruptly stopped two inches short. “Thank you, Mr. Appleton,” she said to her father-in-law.
“I’m ashamed to say this, but you should have swatted him,” Mr. Appleton said. “I’m afraid I didn’t tan his little hide enough as a little boy, you might need to smack him a little to keep him in line.”