She was surprised the following morning when she entered the breakfast room to find Adam already there. "Sweet heavens, but you've actually arrived here first. How novel!"

He was seated at the table, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, a plate piled with toast in front of him, and he was regarding her with a stern expression.

Her heart fell. After her success the previous night, she had hoped he would be proud of her.

"I have to go to the bank today."

Was that why he was so grave? Did he regret that they would not be able to spend the day together? She helped herself to coffee from the sideboard, slathered butter on a slice of toast, and came to sit across from him. "I shall miss you."

"I expect you'll be besieged with morning callers today," he said gruffly.

"But I talked with no woman, other than Lady Fiona and Lady Sophia. I did greet Lady Jersey and Lady Cowper, but I hardly think women of their stature will be calling on me."

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not talking about women. Men will come calling today. Expect to receive nosegays."

Her eyes widened. "You can't be serious! They all know I'm a married woman."

"That has never stood in the way of the flirtations carried on by men in the ton."

"What can I do to discourage flirtations?"

"Nothing. But I must warn you. Many of those men who clamored to dance with you last night are not honorable men. If they call on you, you must be civil to them. But never, ever allow yourself to be alone with any of them. Ever."

She was stunned. "I'm not quite certain I understand what you're saying, understand your warning. Are you saying that peers of the realm with lovely wives and families would try to steal another man's wife?"

"Not steal."

Her brows lowered. "Do you mean they would find it acceptable to, say, drive around Hyde Park with a woman other than their own wife?"

He cleared his throat. "Nothing so public. In fact, some of these men boast about . . . bedding married women."

She could feel the heat climbing into her cheeks. Her mouth went dry. Her eyes locked with his. Even though he was her husband, she was embarrassed to speak on such a personal topic in front of him. She wanted to say, "There's only one man I would ever bed, and that is my husband." But, she was too shy. Finally she said, "Surely you know I am not that kind of woman."

He nodded solemnly. "It's just that many people, especially ones who have never lived in glittering Society, are often so humbled in the presence of nobility they consent to things they never would have done with a mere mister."

Her embarrassment turned to anger. She put hands to hips and glared at him. "I may be unsophisticated, sir, but I am neither stupid nor immoral." She leapt from her chair and stormed from the chamber.

Cursing under his breath, he rushed after her, kicking his chair to the floor as he did so. He was faster than she. When she was half way up the stairs he came abreast of her and gripped her arm. "Forgive me."

She spun around to face him, her eyes still flashing with fury.

He let go of her arm. "I never thought you were anything but principled. You've done nothing wrong. It is my mind which has latched onto this vile subject." He drew a deep breath. "I . . . I was angered by Drummond's attentions to you. I was so proud of your beauty . . . until I realized other men would wish to claim you." He shrugged and offered a wan smile. "I have found that I don't fancy sharing you."

If she weren't certain he was in love with Maria, she would have thought Adam was jealous. At the notion, her anger vanished. She touched his arm. "I pledged myself to but one man before God, the priest, and your family. One man only. Always and forever."

His black eyes were inscrutable as he peered down at her. A muscle in his angular face twitched. He swallowed. Then he did something curious. He lifted her hand and placed a kiss upon it.

Her heart exploded. It wasn't the kiss on her lips that she had prayed for, but it was wonderful nevertheless.

"I wish I didn't have to go to the bank today, but since we'll be traveling to Yorkshire tomorrow I have to dispatch some duties before we leave."

A soft smile on her face, she nodded. "If any of those dreadful peers should call upon me, I shall regale them with praises of my husband."

He smiled and offered his arm. "Please join me for breakfast."

* * *

To her astonishment, Lord Drummond did call on her not long after Adam departed for The City. And her husband had been right. Lord Drummond presented her with a nosegay of violets encased in lovely white lace.

Entertaining morning callers was another new experience for which she was ill prepared. What did one do? "Please sit down, my lord." She waved toward a slender-legged French chair near the silken sofa where she sat. She had no notion of how to begin a conversation with this man. She did not admire him in the least since she had learned he was blatantly unfaithful to his wife. She held the bouquet in her hand. When Studewood entered the chamber she would ask him to see that it was placed in water. "The flowers are lovely. How thoughtful of you." Her voice lacked sincerity. All she could think of was Adam's warning not to allow herself to be alone with this man. Would this be considered being alone? The house was, after all, filled with servants.

She felt tainted just by sitting in the same chamber as him. What a pity that Therese had been dispatched on an errand for her. Otherwise, Therese could have sat in this chamber to lend propriety.

"Lovely flowers for a lovely lady. Tell me, Mrs. Birmingham, how is it that I have never before seen you?"

"I have spent my entire life in a small village, my lord."

His sultry gaze lazily trailed over her, pausing discernibly on her breasts. "Birmingham is most fortunate to have captured you before you came upon the ton."

This line of conversation must stop. "It is I who am the fortunate one. Every minute of the day I count my blessings that my dear husband chose me for his wife."

Lord Drummond's eyes narrowed. "Spoken like a bride."

She was thankful Studewood had kept the room's door open. She kept eyeing it, hopeful that Studewood would return. She would be mortified if Adam learned she was alone with this noted scoundrel. Finally she strode to the bell pull and yanked it. "I fear my beautiful flowers will wilt if we don't put them in water."

Studewood came promptly and she asked him to see to her flowers. "Then please bring them back. I do so love violets." In reality, she didn't prefer violets over other flowers, but the more often she was not alone with Lord Drummond, the less agitated she would be. And, hopefully, the presence of others would prevent his unwelcome overtures.

"Since you are new to London, Mrs. Birmingham, it would give me great pleasure to show you about my city."

"How very kind of you," she said without enthusiasm, "but we are now preparing for a trip to Yorkshire for my brother Nicholas's electioneering."

"Oh, yes, I heard where he was standing for Parliament. A pity he's pledged himself to the Whigs."

She was grasping for any topic that would get his mind off wanting to be alone with her. "Then I take it you're a Tory, my lord?"

"Indeed I am. My family has always aligned ourselves with Tories. Those of us who support our Crown are Tories."

"The aunt who raised me greatly admired the Tories."

"An intelligent woman, to be sure."

Having apparently exhausted the Parliamentary topic, they sat silent for a moment. Her ears strained when she thought she heard a door closing , followed by voices downstairs in the entry hall.

"I daresay the loveliest woman at Almack's last night will be holding court today," he said.

She gave him a quizzing look. "To whom can you be referring, my lord?"

He laughed. "You, my dear lady, were the loveliest woman at the assembly."

"It's very kind of you to say that, my lord, but I strenuously disagree. Your opinion is influenced by my novelty—and the lovely dresses and jewels my husband's fortune has procured."

"Not true."

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and seconds later Lady Sophia, swathed in soft rose, swept into the room. Her gaze riveted to Emma's visitor. "Lord Drummond, I see your reputation is intact for ingratiating yourself with . . . fresh beauty."

Before he could respond, she moved to Emma and kissed her cheek. "How lovely you look today, my dear sister."

When she sat next to Emma, Emma could have curtseyed before her in gratitude.

"I was pleasantly surprised to find you home today. Adam's been devoting every moment since you married to showing you London." Lady Sophia eyed the earl. "Her husband is besotted."

Lord Drummond met Lady Sophia's gaze with amusement. "What's not to besot?"

Lady Sophia turned to Emma. "It forcefully struck me this morning that you must be presented to the queen."

Emma could have swooned. Was meeting the queen an honor accorded to a non-aristocrat? "Are you sure that is something I could be permitted to do?"

"I would be happy to sponsor you," Lord Drummond said.

Lady Sophia glared at him. "No need, my lord. My brother has already done so. I just left him."

The very idea of getting to meet the queen lifted Emma's gloom. "I could wear the lavender dress I wore last night!"

"No." Lady Sophia shook her head. "As beautiful as that dress is, it will not do for court. Court dresses are . . . well, more old fashioned. The skirts are quite full. You should see mine. There's enough fabric in it to drape every window in our house."

"Surely you exaggerate."

Lady Sophia laughed. "A little, but I believe I made my point."

Lord Drummond rose. "I must take my leave, ladies. It's been a pleasure." He bowed over their gloved hands for a mock kiss then left.

Once he was gone, Emma whispered her thanks to her sister. "I cannot tell you how much I prayed that someone else would call on me. Adam did not want me to be alone with that horrid man, but I didn't know what to do."

"Adam has every right to be angered at him. Drummond is probably the most dishonorable man in all of London. But you did nothing wrong. Was he trying to get you away from here?"

"He told me he wanted to show me his city, but I told him we were preparing for our journey to Yorkshire."

"You did well. Were you able to think of a way to discourage him?"

Emma shrugged. "I thickly laid on the praise of my husband."

"Good girl." Lady Sophia sighed. "Those other men from Almack's last night will be sure to call on you today, too. Will that bother you?"

"It will. There's only one man I want to be with."

"It's the same with me and William," Lady Sophia said in a soft voice. "Why don't you and I go see about getting your court dress made? You use Madame De Guerney, do you not?"

"Yes. Do you?"

"No."

An awkward silence followed. Of course Lady Sophia would know Adam had taken her to Madame De Guerney because that's who Maria had used.

For the first time in her life, Emma was consumed with jealousy—toward a woman she had never met.

She ought to be grateful to the Italian opera singer. Her rejection brought about Emma's happiness.

* * *

Lady Sophia's sage counsel at Madame De Guerney's was greatly appreciated. They spent an hour there selecting the silk and all the adornments for the presentation dress. "I never would have known what to do without you," Emma told her as they returned to Sophia's carriage.

"It was my pleasure. I love anything to do with fashion."

The coachman cleared his throat. "I thought, my lady, you might want know that ever since we left Mr. Adam's house, we've been followed by a man on a horse."

"How singular," Lady Sophia said. "Watch carefully as we return and let us know if you see him again."

"Do you have any reason to believe anyone would be following you?" Lady Sophia asked Emma once they were facing each other in the coach.

Emma shrugged. "I don't, but I should probably tell you—in the strictest confidence—that we believe my uncle was murdered."

"Dear Lord, that's terrible! Do you know who the murderer is?"

"We think it's the man named heir in my uncle's last will—which we believe was forged."

"How frightening, yet fascinating! Does he know you suspect him?"

"I'm not sure. He does know I have challenged the will, so he probably knows I suspect the will was forged. Since he's not possessed of a high degree of intelligence, it's unlikely he realizes that I have strong suspicions my uncle was murdered."

"What a vile man. Will you permit me to share this intelligence with William?"

"Of course. It's just not something we want widely known at this time."

"It's the sort of thing that excites William frightfully. He adores living dangerously."

"Which must terrify you."

"Indeed it does, but since we want to have children, he knows he had to stop risking his neck."

"How long have you been married?"

"Six months. I have hopes you and I will be breeding at the same time. How much fun it will be for the cousins!"

Nothing would make Emma happier, but the very mention of it plunged her into gloom. If only she and Adam had a normal marriage. "It would be lovely."

"Has Adam bought you your own carriage yet?"

"No. There's been no need. I've been blessed to spend every day with him since we've married."

Lady Sophia sighed. "Adam must be deeply in love."

"I wish I could say it was my presence that's kept us together so much, but to be honest he's obsessed over bringing my uncle's murderer to justice."

"It's a wonder Adam went to the bank today."

"Since we'll leave for Yorkshire tomorrow, he had many duties that couldn't be put off ."

"Still, you have been blessed to have him with you so much. I would rather spend my days with William than buy jewels at Rundell and Bridge."

"I feel the same about Adam," Emma said, her voice barely above a whisper.

When they arrived at Curzon Street, she stopped and spoke to Lady Sophia's coachman. "Did you see that man on the horse again?"

"No, madam."

How curious. She wondered if she should tell Adam about it, but decided against it. He might think she was being stalked by Lord Drummond. The less said on such a topic, the better. She was flattered that Adam seemed jealous, but she did not want to do anything that would arouse his anger.