The Sherbrooke Bride (Sherbrooke Brides 1)

“Ryder?”

“Ah, my little sister. Am I an accident or did you search me out on purpose?”

She’d never met his like before, but oddly enough, she trusted him. “I asked Hollis where you were. He always knows everyone’s whereabouts.”

“True. Come sit here next to this fat nymph. What do you think of all these statues? Brought by my grandfather from Florence during his Bacchanal phase, so wrote one of his friends, Lord Whitehaven, an old roué who bounced me on his knee.”

“I’ve never seen them before,” Alex said, staring at the line of naked females, each in a startling pose. “This is my first visit to the gardens.”

“In the depths of the gardens are all the naked male statues and the assorted couples. Grandfather evidently had some qualms about childish eyes and curiosity. The statues are nicely hidden. Do you like Northcliffe?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why do you bind your breasts?”

Alex nearly swallowed her tongue. She stared at him, mute as a snail.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I am known for speaking my mind, what there is of it.”

“How did you know?”

“I know women. There is nothing a woman can do that would fool me. The fairer sex is really rather obvious. Take your lovely sister, for example. Melissande will learn that life has a way of dishing out prunes along with the strawberries. She will play her games with Tony and he will allow them and doubtless enjoy them, within reason, of course. Already he controls her well despite his besottedness with her.”

“You don’t like ladies?”

Ryder gave her a surprised look. “Good Lord, I couldn’t live without them. I doubt there is anything else in life to compare to the pleasure a man derives from a woman’s body.”

Alex gasped, she couldn’t help it.

“Sorry, I did it again, didn’t I? You’re young, Alexandra, but you’re not fluff. You’ve got steel in you and I dare say you will have to use it, very soon. Now, what do you want of me?”

“I came to ask you if you believed Douglas would annul our marriage and how I can make Douglas wait and just give me a chance before he does it.”

“Ah, I thought that was the direction of his thoughts.” Ryder looked at her closely. “I will tell you what I think, since you ask me. Douglas is very likely seriously considering an annulment. He has been clipped hard in the chin, so to speak. He is angry, feels betrayed, and wants to strike out. He is also stubborn and hard and untractable. After seeing your sister today, after seeing Douglas seeing your sister, I believe time is short. If you want to keep him for your husband, I suggest that you climb into his bed and seduce him. Continue until you’re with child. Then there will be no question of annulment.”

Alex stood very slowly, staring in mute fascination at her brother-in-law.

“I doubt Douglas has had a woman for a good while now. It’s likely he will be amenable to your approach. Do it, Alex. Patience isn’t a virtue in this case. Don’t be Penelope.”

Her hands were shaking. She thrust them into the folds of her gown. “I don’t know anything about seduction.”

Ryder laughed. “All females are born knowing about seduction, my dear. Just take off your clothes in front of him. An excellent start. You do understand about sex, don’t you? About conception?”

There came a shout. It was Douglas. “Ryder! Come here, now!”

“Ah, the lord and master wishes my presence. He probably wants to send me back to London.” He paused, looking down at his new sister-in-law. “I think you’re a good sort, Alex. Now isn’t the time to be patient with Douglas; you must act quickly. Also, if you’re wise, you’ll insi

st that Tony and Melissande remain here for a while. Comparisons are wonderfully enlightening sometimes, and my brother isn’t stupid. Seduce him tonight; don’t think about it, just do it. A man’s brain can be diverted.” Ryder wasn’t so certain about Douglas’s brain, but he didn’t wish to discourage Alex.

Ryder left her then to stare after him in bemusement and to bemoan the poor condition of the garden and of her marriage. Her fingers itched to dig in the rich black soil. Why were the gardens so neglected? Rosebushes begged for pruning. She realized with a small smile that Douglas needed pruning too.

At dinner that evening, Douglas announced, “There was a letter from our plantation manager in Jamaica. There is trouble at Kimberly Hall. Ryder will leave on the morrow to deal with it.”

“What sort of trouble?” Alexandra asked.

“Grayson wrote of strange doings, of black magic and visions from hell itself, murders and the like, of slave uprisings. You undoubtedly get the idea.”

“Grayson excels in exaggeration,” Ryder said. “If a fly flew past his head, he would call it a gigantic wasp and claim it was bedeviling him. This talk of perversions sounds interesting, but knowing Grayson, it involves nothing more than two noisy cats.”