To Save a Love - Alexa Aston Page 0,85

merely a jailor, keeping innocent women prisoners.”

She remained quiet in his arms for several minutes and then softly said, “Make love to me. It helps me to remember I am free and alive.”

Their lovemaking began slow and tender but became more frantic. Dez could understand why. After a battle, men wanted to prove they were still alive and had cheated death. Many soldiers sought out camp doxies for that very reason. Lovemaking was the ultimate physical experience. Anna had come through an entire war during her stay at Gollingham. Wanting to assert herself through making love was a natural extension of proving to herself that she was free from the dark shadows of the madhouse.

She slipped from her bed and shrugged into her dressing gown. “I have certainly worked up an appetite,” she joked. “I will meet you downstairs for breakfast.”

She cut through this dressing room to return to her own bedchamber. Dez rang for Coral.

“Is Lady Torrington all right?” the valet asked, his concern obvious.

“She will be. It simply will take time to get over what she went through.”

“Lady Torrington has you in her corner, my lord,” the servant said. “I can think of no greater champion to spur her on.”

Dez went to Anna’s rooms and found her about to leave.

“Good,” he said, slipping her arm through his. “I am in time to escort my beautiful wife to breakfast.”

As they came into the breakfast room, Johnson hovered nearby.

“What is it?” Dez asked the butler.

“The morning newspapers, my lord. They are on the table.” He lowered his voice and leaned close. “You and Lady Torrington are mentioned in them. Thanks to that reporter,” he added with disdain.

He stared down the servant until Johnson flinched.

“Do you have a problem working in this household, Johnson?”

Panic filled the butler’s face. “No, my lord. Never. I live to serve you and the countess.”

Anna said smoothly, “Thank you for letting us know, Johnson. It was very thoughtful of you.”

She moved to take her seat and the butler pulled out her chair and pushed it up once she had sat upon it.

“I believe I will take two poached eggs this morning with my toast,” she said airily. “And tea now.”

Johnson looked to a footman, who brought the teapot over and poured the brew into her cup.

“Coffee for me,” Dez said abruptly and the second footman responded quickly. “A rasher of bacon and three eggs for me, Johnson.”

“At once, my lord.”

The butler hurried off and he and Anna doctored their drinks the way they liked them. He noticed how she added an additional sugar cube, something she had never done before the baby.

“Do you really think you can eat two poached eggs?” he asked, clasping her fingers.

“Not at all,” she said. “I doubt I can force one down but I wanted to give him something to do. He’s quite upset. If the butler or housekeeper are upset, then all the servants are.” Anna smiled. “Johnson is merely looking out for us. He disapproves of us speaking to Mr. Jefferson yesterday.”

“Remember, we agreed not to care what Polite Society thought. We should do the same for our servants,” he said quietly. He picked up the newspaper Jefferson wrote for. “Shall we?”

“You read it first,” she told him. “I will look at the gossip column and see what poor soul is being lambasted today.”

Dez opened the paper and saw the bold headline.

Horrific Conditions at Gollingham Asylum.

With a deep breath, he began reading.

By the time he finished, the breakfast Johnson had brought had grown cold. He motioned for a footman to take it away and asked for more coffee and then dismissed the servants, giving him and his wife privacy for their discussion.

“Well?” she asked.

“The piece is very thorough. Jefferson is concise and yet leaves no stone unturned.”

“Let me read it then.”

He watched her face as she did, reaching for the toast she’d left untouched and finishing it and her eggs off, along with his coffee.

She finished and set the newspaper aside.

“It was bold of him to list the names of all the patients. I wonder if he got that from Haggard,” she mused. “And he does detail Lord Jergens’ role in having his bride committed and the annulment issued by the bishop. Jefferson has excellent sources.”

“Jergens will be ruined. He already was on shaky ground, owing creditors all over town. No parents will ever allow him to court—much less wed—their daughters. Lady Alice came off as very sympathetic, I thought.”

“Yes, but we both know how gossip eviscerates people, Dez.