A Scandalous Entanglement

V

Devyn watched her swing her hands up in the air with frustration, an inner battle as she fought with her tongue and voice and body. "I do not have all day woman." "Well then you shall have all the time in the world for me. You were gone for five months, five months! I deserve more than five minutes of your time." "I was away on business. Surely a woman of your standing should be able to recognise that I do not make my fortunes by staying in the confines of my home." "That is not the point my lord." She mocked in her best accent of him.

He relaxed in his chair and looked at her for the very first time, perhaps even the very first time in a long while. He took his fill and run his gaze from the pale of her blonde messy hair to the point her day gown kissed the floor. If he observed closely she curled her toes underneath the length of her dress. "What is your point then?" He had never really noticed but she was indeed a peculiar sight to behold. Not paler than the rest of the women that graced high society, but she was a woman of fine form, stubborn cheekbones and a proud neck, perhaps prouder than his.

"You have disgraced me my lord." The anger he saw just a few moments ago was replaced with a show of embarrassment and pain. "I-" He tried even though he didnt know what he was going to say.

"Lady Clara Leavening has invited us to a ball this evening my lord and I thought perhaps, since we haven't made an appearance together, we could go to show all is well and good between us." "I have no time for such frivolous activities. I am sure she wouldnt mind me missing out and you going for us." She scoffed. "And have word going around that my husband won't attend a ball with my presence but that he was comfortable attending another ball with another woman on his arms, taking her to bed during the festivities of such frivolous activities?"

"Ah, I hear rumor made its way back to the estates." "Rumor? You call that rumor?" He grew irritated of her high-pitched voice which only raised the more she talked. "You had a mistress. What am I saying you have a mistress and you have disrespected me in the worst way possible my lord and I demand an apology from you. If I went around having another that I was seeing, oh sweet heavens I would have been condemned, thrown at the ton without mercy, but it is still the same thing, I am being condemned and spoken ill about because my apparent husband finds pleasure outside by sleeping with women of ill reputations." She breathed hard and her eyes held back the tears she wanted to cry.

"I do not see anything wrong with me having an affair with another woman. If I recall, our marriage was one of convince and if I decided to settle my affairs in another womans bed then who are you to judge my lady?" He was quiet a moment watching the angry raise and fall of her chest. "Besides," he continued slowly "those are just rumors that anyone could have come up with. Nothing more, nothing less." "Well then." She straightened. And true to his thoughts she was a woman of pride. "I believe I shall find myself a man to warm my bed, since my husband is so impotent to do so."

Devyn couldn't recall how he had gotten off the chair and before her. Her breath stopped and her heart pounded in her chest. A sweat broke on her forehead and he could see the small dots of blemishes that coloured her skin. With his thoughts jumbled about his head, he stared at the slow parting of her lips, and felt the raise and fall of her breasts on his chest. "My lord." She excused herself and run for the door.

He blinked.

Devyn Seymour was a man of many things; having a high sexual drive being amongst them. And he had learned to control his anger, his temper and he had even taught himself to never hit a woman, but then why had he gotten up so fast and stood before her, fascinated by her simple presence yet eager to smack the proud smirk off her face? He run his hand through his hair. Then their was her expression, the look of absolute horror, was he truly going to hit her?

He dragged his feet to the table and sat himself down.

"If this be a bad time my lord, then I shall busy myself with other things." Callam stood at the door and even he had a look of disappointment on his face one he didnt bother voicing out. "I shall be riding into the estates. I need to collect the rent of the previous months. I fear I have gotten less than what is usually paid of me and some of the farmers have complained about pests attacking their crops which of course is a huge loss for me."