"I'll have your carriage summoned," she heard Alex say, his voice clipped and tense.
As he carried her from the garden Hugh was forced to answer question from the others who were strolling. His wife was fine, just overwhelmed by the crush and a stroll with Lord Brooke hadn't been enough to help, he was taking her home. Sympathetic murmurs arose. It was well known that Viscount Harrington's wife was shy and retiring, such a crush as Lady Cowper's ball and her new position... no wonder she was overwhelmed.
The constant whimpers and tiny moans from Irene, as well as her clinging to her husband's neck, only affirmed the story. No one knew that she was moaning and whimpering as much from embarrassment and anxiety over the repercussions of her actions, as well as the shattering of her plans, or that she was clinging
to Hugh because she couldn't face anyone, much less him.
To her shock, when Hugh gently placed her in the carriage and sat beside her, Alex climbed in after him.
Covering her face with her hands, Irene turned to the side of the carriage so that she didn't have to look at either man. The ride to Harrington House was made in silence.
******
Hugh couldn't describe his feelings as he helped his wife out of the carriage and they headed into the house, Lord Brooke bringing up the rear. While he had no reason to distrust Lord Brooke, and it was blatantly obvious that the man had a care both for his marriage and Irene's reputation, the fit of fury that had engulfed him at seeing his wife's in another man's arms had been overwhelming. And that didn't even begin to describe his feelings when he'd realized that Irene had been the instigator.
Why?
To pay him back for the spanking? To lash out?
She could have hurt her reputation far greater than she could have hurt his, however, and how could she have known that he would go looking for her at that moment if she wanted to hurt him personally?
Gripping her by the arm, he led them to the study. The short nods that he'd given the staff upon his entrance to the house had kept them at bay. It was obvious that something was going on that he didn't want any of them to be a part of. Thankfully Lord Brooke followed.
"Sit." Hugh released Irene's arm so that she could sit in the seat in front of his desk. A chair that had seen many a disciplinary session in fact; it was the same one Eleanor had frequently found herself bent over for her various transgressions. The chair itself was as comfortable as ever, but the wide, cushy armrests had a much darker use. One that Irene hadn't been introduced to yet. Hugh leaned against the desk directly in front of her, basically looming. Since she was seated she felt even smaller than usual with him hovering over her like that.
"Viscount Petersham," Alex said from behind her. The tension that had been growing between Irene and Hugh changed as Hugh focused his attention behind her where Alex was standing. She felt abject relief that her friend had not abandoned her. The moment she'd stopped trying to figure out how exactly she'd gotten into the position that she had with Alex and starting thinking about what Hugh might do once they were home, she'd known deep down that she was in for another spanking.
Worse, some part of her felt as though she deserved it. She had basically thrown herself at Alex, which had not been her intention... and Hugh had seen them. The implacable look on his face didn't entirely obscure the hurt and disappointment in his sapphire eyes. Irene knew that it was due to her. Still, she didn't want it. She worried how much more severe a punishment for her scandalous behavior might be compared to the spanking she'd had before. Were Hugh's true colors about to be revealed? Would he beat her bloody with some horrible instrument?
Not with her white knight about. As always, she knew that Alex would protect her and she took comfort in that security.
"I just want you to know that... the interlude in the garden wasn't what it looked like." Alex blew out a breath. "I'm not... entirely sure what it was..."
"I do believe that you may have been caught in the crosshairs of a marital dispute, Lord Brooke," Hugh said. His voice was cold but civil as he faced the other man. Irene peeked up at him, keeping her head bowed, doing her best not to draw attention to herself.
"I apologize for my part in it nonetheless," Alex said firmly. It was obvious that he didn't want to cause any trouble with Hugh for his own part, which Irene appreciated. Hugh could make it very difficult for her and Alex to continue their friendship if he took a dislike to the man.
"I'm not inclined to blame you," Hugh replied. His gaze dropped to Irene and hardened. Clenching her hands in her lap, she focused on them and decided to stop peeking up at him. What she saw only made her more anxious. "I do appreciate your efforts to nullify the issue for the gossip mongers. It seemed to work. They won't be speaking about anything other than my wife's 'delicacy,' which could have any number of reasons." There was only the slightest emphasis on the way he said 'my wife.' "I assume you accompanied us to hear Irene's explanation for her behavior."
Since he didn't reply, Irene assumed that he nodded. Anxiety welled up inside of her again.
"I don't have an explanation," she burst out, glaring up at Hugh as if it was all his fault. "I don't know... It was just the night. And the moonlight. And the excitement. I wasn't thinking... I don't know..." She ran out of breath, panting raggedly.
The bright blue eyes of her husband caught and held her, measuring her defiance and finding her wanting. The rebelliousness seemed to drain out of her under his steady gaze.
"Well whether there's an explanation or not, there will be repercussions," Hugh said finally. His voice was low, controlled. Looking up at Alex he nodded his head. "Lord Brooke, I apologize for my wife's behavior. You can be assured that it will not be repeated in the future. I think she and I need to... speak alone now if you don't mind."
"NO!" Wild panic filled Irene as she tried to push away from Hugh, but the chair was too heavy a piece of furniture for her to be able to move. She twisted, clutching at the broad arm, ready to crawl over it if need be, catching a look of intense surprise on Alex's face. "You can't leave me here with him, he'll beat me!"
Chapter 15
The reaction that Irene got from the men was not at all what she expected. Alex frowned and looked at Hugh, as if asking for confirmation, Hugh’s expression went from shocked to insulted to a kind of angry glare. The arms braced across his chest tightened. He didn’t looked at Alex once and he didn’t look at all guilty.
“I have never once in my life beaten a woman.”
“You beat me just last week!”
“I spanked you Irene. A well-deserved spanking that you were warned you were going to get.”