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“Your wife is one of the greatest beauties I have painted,” Orsini inforress
“Mr Orsini,” Madeline protested fro, “you mustn't embarrass me—”
“She has an unusual quality,” Orsini continued earnestly “Sensuousnesschild-woman”
Unused to such lavish coaze on the floor “Yes,” she heard Logan say softly “That's exactly what I see in her”
When Madeline was able, she visited the Capital for an afternoon, watching rehearsals and even helping with line readings Logan didn't seem to mind her presence In fact, he readily ad she ithin his reach “It savesinto elsewhere,” he told her dryly
Madeline enjoyed spending tiht of an expectant wonant actresses who continued perfore until their sixth or seventh month, the employees of the Capital treated Madeline with a relaxed attitude that made her feel accepted and comfortable
Best of all were the evenings when she and Logan would relax together after supper They spent hours reading and talking until Logan finally carried her to bed It seeer Madeline began to think that she was sloinning the battle, regaining Logan's trust…until the day that her illusions of happiness seemed to matter
Sundayproceeded in the usual fashion, with a lavish breakfast and coffee, followed by Madeline's solitary attendance at church and then a few hours spent with Logan in the private fa notes and corrections, while Madeline warmed herself near the tiled stove and did needlework
Glancing at her husband's dark head, Madeline was unable to resist going to him She dropped the bit of embroidery to the floor and stood behind his chair, her hands resting on his broad shoulders “I despise needlework,” she said, bending over to nuzzle the warm space behind his ear
“Then don't do it,” Logan replied, turning a page of the folio
“I have no choice All respectable married women do needlework”
“Who wants you to behave respectably?” he asked absently, trying to focus on his work “Don't read over my shoulder, sweet I can't concentrate”
Undeterred, she slid her arms around his chest “You shouldn't work on Sunday It's a sin” She pressed two or three soft kisses where the column of his throat ainst her lips
“I' the folio and twisting in the chair to snatch her into his arhter as he pulled her into his lap His hands roamed intimately over her body “What do you consider an appropriate activity for Sunday, madam?…This?…Or perhaps this… ”
Their play was interrupted by a knock at the door Madeline struggled fro to the pool of heat near the tiled stove A footht a note on a silver tray to Logan Grinning at Madeline's attean took the note and dismissed the servant
“Who is it froan as he broke the seal
“Apparently an acquaintance I an read aloud, “…Ia our friend Lord, Drake Knowing of your close friendship with him, I felt certain you would wish to be inforaze continued to e
Madeline stared at hi silently and sat like a statue “Logan?” she asked tentatively He didn't see for the half-cru exclamation escaped her lips as she read the letter It seemed that Andrew, Lord Drake, had attended a water-party on the Thaht
So the revelry, Lord Drake had fallen overboard, but no one had noticed until early hly searched, there had been no sign of hi cases the body wasn't discovered for days
Gently Madeline touched her husband's stiff shoulder “Was—is—he a strong swied to reach shore—”
“No, he couldn't sell,” Logan said, his voice hoarse “He was probably too damned drunk to even try”
Her hand settled on the nape of his neck “Logan, I'm sorry—”
He jerked away fro between his teeth “Don't” A visible tre his back “I want to be alone”
Every impulse in her body proan didn't want her He was shutting her out of his grief It was the worst hell iinable to love sos for her, he fought them at every turn'madeline stared at his dark head and couldn't stop herself froan, what can I do?” she whispered
“Just leave”
Madeline's hand fell away, and she left the roo back
For the rest of that day, and an closed himself in his room and drank The only time he spoke to Madeline was to tell her to notify the Capital that he wouldn't be co to work His understudy would take his place in the perfor
“When will you return?” Madeline asked, staring into his set face and liquor-glazed eyes She was met with a stony silence in reply, and he shut himself away in his room once more He didn't want her company, nor anyone else's In spite of Madeline's pleas and the trays of food she sent upstairs, he refused to eat
Worriedly Madeline asked Mrs Beechaan had ever behaved like this before, and the housekeeper hesitated before replying “Only when you left him, Mrs Scott”
Madeline colored with guilt and re did it last?”
“It took one week for hiin to eat properly again” Mrs Beecham shook her head in sincere puzzlement “That I could understand, as we all kne he felt about you…but this…I wouldn't have guessed that he cared so much about Lord Drake I don't like to speak ill of the dead, but the man was a ne'er-do-well, may he rest in peace”
“It an felt responsible for him”
The housekeeper shrugged “Whatever the cause, the aze touched on Madeline's strained face “He'll put hihts eventually Don't distress yourself, Mrs Scott It's not good for a woman in your condition to worry”
That, of course, was easier said than done How could she not worry when her husband see of the second day, Madeline gathered her nerve and went to his door, turning the heavy brass knob and discovering that it was locked “Logan?” she asked, knocking quietly As she had expected, there was no reply She knocked a little harder and heard a muffled snarl from within