by Brenda Hiatt
"But we may not even be at Plumrose then. Are we not to take Violet to London next month? I can't imagine there will be a convenient body of water inside your aunt's town house."
That reminded him of Silas Moore's veiled threats that evening. Now that an annulment was completely out of the question, would he attempt to carry out either or both of them? He'd been so bewitched by Dina that he hadn't given it any thought until now.
"You're frowning again. Are you plotting to convince your aunt to build a pool, perhaps?" She took his hand in hers. "Come, let me prove to you that's not necessary."
He was tempted to let her do just that —so powerfully tempted, in fact, that it frightened him. Gently, trying not to hurt her feelings, he disengaged his hand. "Much as I would like that, this is not the time. It has been a long day— and night —and you need your sleep."
"But—"
"Good night, Dina." Bending down, he cut off her protest with a kiss—a mere touch of the lips that still almost stirred him to madness —then turned away and escaped into his room before he could reconsider. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward to allow his valet to help him out of his things.
He simply had to find a way to control himself around Dina. If he did not, how long would it be before he hurt her? Not just by allowing her to become chilled in the pool, but truly hurt her? And now, he had less confidence than ever in his ability to hold himself back.
For far from slaking his appetite for Dina, as he'd half hoped it would, tonight's encounter had only whetted it. Indeed, he now doubted he would ever have enough of her, even if they visited the pool every night for the rest of their lives.
He should have insisted upon an annulment when there was still time.
Chapter Eighteen
Dina stared at Thor's closed door in stunned disbelief. She had all but begged him to take her to his bed and he had rejected her. Though he claimed it was for her sake, she wondered. Surely, if he had enjoyed their lovemaking as much as she had, he would not have been able to resist another opportunity for pleasure, given so much encouragement from her.
A sudden rush of embarrassment heated her cheeks. In her inexperience, had she done something wrong? Perhaps he had merely been polite when he said she brought him the most pleasure he'd ever experienced. If that were the case, his resistance to her invitation was no strange thing after all.
But . . . could that truly be the case? She relived those ecstatic moments in the pool, remembering how he had clasped her to him, how he had groaned with pleasure at his release. How delighted he had seemed at her own enjoyment.
Certainly, she had not exaggerated that in the least. Never, in her most erotic dreams, had she imagined how wonderful the physical side of marriage could be. How foolish that she had once dreaded it.
Perhaps, even now, she could convince him—
She took a step toward his door, her hand outstretched to knock, then hesitated, desire battling with pride. Suddenly weariness washed over her, making her sway where she stood. Dimly, she heard a clock somewhere downstairs chiming three.
Yawning, she turned back to her own chamber. She would figure out what to do, how to feel, tomorrow. Thor was right that it had been an extremely full day and evening. Calisthenics in the gymnasium in the morning, Silas' arrival in the afternoon, helping with the decorations after that, and the ball itself in the evening. Hours of dancing, and then . . .
Despite her wounded pride, she smiled as she opened the door to her chamber.
"Is the ball finally over, then, ma'am?" Francine greeted her sleepily, rising from the chair where she'd been dozing. "Here, let me help you out of your things. Ma'am?" she prompted, when Dina continued to gaze dreamily into space, reliving her memories yet again. "Are you all right?"
"What? Oh, yes. Yes, of course. I am beyond tired, that is all."
But that wasn't all. She was a woman now, in every sense of the word. She yawned again. Tomorrow she would figure out exactly what that meant.
Dina awoke to bright, wintry sunlight streaming across her bed. Startled, she sat up. "Goodness. What time is it?" she said aloud.
At the sound of her own voice, all of the memories from last night came flooding back —the sweet as well as the bitter— followed by a sudden fear. Would Thor have disappeared again, as he did after their first kiss?
"It's half past eleven, ma'am." Francine popped into the room as she answered Dina's question. "Mr. Turpin said I wasn't to wake you, but I figured you'd want to go down right away whenever you did wake up."
"Mr. Turpin is downstairs, then?"
Francine nodded.
Dina's spirits lifted at the removal of that fear, which she now realized, on reflection, had been rather absurd. Of course he would not have left on Christmas day. That did not necessarily mean he had not wanted to, however.
"Have all the rest of the household been up for hours?" Dina asked then, with a belated sense of guilt. How terrible to oversleep on Christmas of all days.
"Oh, no, ma'am. Everyone is getting what you might call a late start today, what with the ball last night and all. Mr. Turpin and his two gentleman friends were up earlier, but the others are just now going downstairs."
Relieved, Dina hurried to wash and dress, skipping her morning calisthenic routine. As she left the room, she found herself breathlessly impatient to see Thor again. She strove to subdue her excitement, reminding herself that she had no idea how he might act toward her today.
A buzz of voices led her to the dining room, but she hesitated just outside the door. What if Thor acted as though nothing had happened at all? She wasn't sure she could bear it. If he did not, however, if he greeted her tenderly, would everyone else guess what they had done last night? She didn't know if she could face that embarrassment, either.
"Dina! Do wait a moment, won't you?" came Violet's voice from behind her. "If we go in together, Mother can't scold me for being the last one down."
Dina waited gladly enough, for she had no more desire to enter the room alone than did Violet. Still, she could not subdue a flutter of nervousness as all eyes turned toward them from the table. Her gaze went at once to Thor, to find him watching her as well— though his expression seemed more worried than doting. Swallowing, she returned his nod, still unsure of his feelings.
"Happy Christmas, Violet, happy Christmas, Dina," Lady Rumble greeted them from her place at table. "Help yourselves to some breakfast, do, and then we will all go up to the parlor and sing carols before attending the midday Christmas service."
The two young women obediently went to the sideboard, at which point Violet took the opportunity to whisper to Dina, "Well? Was I right about last night? May I say, 'I told you so'?"
Caught off-guard, Dina felt herself blushing deeply and was grateful her back was to the rest of the group. She shot Violet a quick, sidelong glance and gave her a quick nod.
Any hope that Violet would be discreet was dashed when her sister-in-law set down her plate to clap her hands. "I knew it. I knew Grant would not be able to resist you," she whispered excitedly.
"Pray be quiet," Dina breathed, alarmed. She should have been more guarded, particularly after what Violet had apparently let slip to Silas last night. What if Thor was intending to act as though they hadn't—?
"I would much prefer you not discuss such things before the whole family —or any guests," she added.
Violet glanced over her shoulder. "No one is listening, but I suppose you are right. We can talk later." With a wink and a grin, she finished filling her plate and moved to the table.
Dina took her time filling her own plate, waiting for her cheeks to cool before turning around. She saw that the only empty chair was next to Thor and wondered whether that was by his design or his mother's. Either way, she had no choice but to take it—not that she was reluctant, exactly.
Still, she wasn't sure where—or how—to look as she took her seat between Thor and Lord Rushford. Lord Rushford murmured a greeting, which she returned, and t
hen Thor spoke for the first time since she'd entered the room.
"Good morning. Are you . . . quite well today?" His voice was as full of concern as his glance had been when she entered.
Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze with a determinedly cheerful smile. "Perfectly well. And you?"
To her surprise and secret delight, he colored slightly. "Er, yes, quite well. Happy Christmas, by the way."
Violet, seated across the table between Sir Charles and Silas, winked. "Yes, happy Christmas to you both. A most happy Christmas indeed, I should think."
"And to you all," Dina said, sending her sister-in-law a speaking glance that resulted only in a slight shrug and another grin.
Silas, Dina noticed, was frowning. "You'll want to eat up, if we're not to be late for the service," he snapped when she caught his eye.
Violet glanced at him in surprise and he quickly smoothed his frown into a solicitous smile. "Do be sure to wrap up warmly when we leave the house, Miss Turpin, for it's quite cold today and I would hate for you to take a chill."
His words reminded Dina forcibly of Thor's concern for herself last night, in the pool. She dared a quick glance at him, to find him watching her intently.
"I'm glad you took no chill yourself," he said, so softly that not even Lord Rushford, on Dina's other side, could have heard him.
She smiled shyly up at her husband, her earlier fears fading somewhat. "I told you I would not. You needn't have worried."
"No, I suppose not." Slowly, his lips curved into a smile, reminding her vividly how those lips had felt against hers, how his hands had caressed her body. Suddenly embarrassed, she dropped her gaze to her still-untouched plate and picked up her fork.
Across the table, she heard Violet telling Silas that there was no hurry and that while she appreciated his concern, she felt sure she could walk to the church and back without ill effect. He muttered an apology and a compliment, though Dina thought both lacked sincerity. Had Violet noticed? Sometime today, she really must attempt to speak with her about Silas.
Lady Rumble took control of the conversation then, laying out her plans for the rest of the day. Dina, however, found it difficult to concentrate on anything but Thor's nearness, and the moment when they could again be alone together. When she could finally discover how he felt about what they had done last night.
When they all rose from the table a short time later, she was rather surprised to discover her plate was empty, for she could not remember eating a single thing.
Taking Thor's arm, she felt a stronger sense of awareness than ever, again reminded irresistibly of last night's intimacy. How, she wondered, did married women manage to deal with such mundane matters as correspondence and ordering a household? All she wanted to do right now was closet herself with her husband and continue what they had begun the night before.
"You are positively glowing this morning, Mrs. Turpin," Sir Charles commented as they gathered in the parlor. "Christmas must agree with you."
Violet giggled. "I think it is marriage that agrees with her— with both of them, in fact." Not until she spoke did Dina notice that Violet had come upstairs on Sir Charles's arm rather than Silas's.
"Yes, I rather think it does," Thor responded, smiling down at Dina in a way that warmed her to her toes. "Not that it is any of your business, Miss Impudence."
Violet's eyes went wide and innocent. "I am merely pleased to see you both so happy. That is not impudent, is it?"
Her words were loud enough for all to hear, and everyone laughed —except Silas. Luckily, Lady Rumble launched them into a rousing chorus of "Good King Wenceslas" before anyone but Dina —she hoped —could notice his sullenness. She prayed that his temper would not mar the day for anyone else.
Half an hour later they all left for the village church, where they found that nearly everyone who had attended last night's ball had opted for this later service. Sitting beside Thor in the family pew at the front, Dina felt that all eyes were upon her, that it must somehow be obvious to everyone what had transpired after she and Thor left the ball last night.
The sermon was mercifully brief, the vicar no doubt eager for his own Christmas dinner. After the service, everyone gathered in front of the church for a few minutes to exchange holiday well-wishes. Dina chatted with the neighbors, her hand tucked through the crook of Thor's arm, just like all the other married ladies— though she still didn't quite feel like one of them. She supposed she wouldn't, until things were finally settled between Thor and herself.
Still, it was a pleasant preview of what village life here could be like, if her wishes became reality.
Though the sun was bright, the wind was bitter and it soon drove everyone off to their homes for their Christmas dinners. Dina found the walk back exhilarating, but both Lady Rumble and Violet —this time on Silas's arm— were shivering by the time they reached the house. When Lord Rumble suggested a bowl of hot rum punch, everyone enthusiastically agreed.
As the others headed upstairs to the parlor, Thor hung back. "If you are not too cold —and I confess, you do not appear to be— there is something I should like to show you outdoors."
"So, you are finally realizing that I am no delicate flower?" Dina asked teasingly, though she knew her cheeks were pink from more than the brisk walk home. "Whatever it is, I should like to see it," she added, before he could reply.
Putting a hand atop hers, still nestled in the crook of his arm, he squeezed it and she could feel the warmth of his touch even through her glove and his. "I am realizing that you are even more courageous than I'd thought. And, yes, that you do not take a chill easily."
It wasn't quite the concession she'd hoped for, but it was something, so she did not argue the point further as she accompanied him through the house and out the back, through the gardens and along the path toward the outbuildings.
"Are we going to the kennels again?" Dina asked in surprise.
He nodded but did not speak, only smiling in a way that increased her curiosity.
"The cold snap won't have hurt the puppies?" she asked in sudden concern.
"They should be fine, with all of the straw I've packed round them. Who is overprotective now?" he teased.
Dina had to laugh, partly in relief that he had all but admitted that he had been overprotective of her earlier. That boded well, she hoped, for more of what she so desperately wanted.
"Happy Christmas, Princess," Thor greeted his foxhound when they entered the kennel a moment later. "I've brought you a present." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a bit of sausage from breakfast, wrapped in a handkerchief.
"You had that in your pocket all through the service?" Dina didn't try to hide her amusement.
"If you didn't notice the smell, I doubt anyone else did." He held the meat out to Princess, who took it daintily between her teeth, then swallowed it whole. "There. Now I've paid properly for your present," he said, smiling back at Dina.
"My present?"
In answer, he picked up one of the sleeping balls of fur and handed it to her. "I decided yesterday, after hearing the story of the dog you did not keep, that you needed another."
Dina stared down at the tiny creature, which now opened its eyes and blinked up at her. "He's mine?"
"She, actually. I've found that the females tend to make better pets."
"But . . . won't you want to train all of these pups to hunt?" The puppy sniffed at her thumb, then nibbled at it, charming her completely.
"All but this one," he said. "She has a more important job to do."
Dina looked up to find him regarding her tenderly and felt her heart turn over. "Being mine, you mean?"
He nodded. "Happy Christmas, Dina. But now, I suppose we should get back to the house. You can decide later what you'd like to name her."
Charmed anew at the thought of naming her very own dog, Dina grinned up at him, then touched her nose to the puppy's. "Thank you," she said. "I wish I had something as wonderful to give to you."
; Gently, he took the pup from her arms and set it down with its littermates, then helped her to her feet. "You already have," he told her.
"Oh." Dina looked away in sudden embarrassment. "But that wasn't —I mean —I enjoyed that as much as you did, so I'm not certain it can count as a gift."
"Certainly it can." He sounded amused. "But I was talking about something else."
She looked up at him questioningly.
"Your friendship. It's been a delight to discover how many interests we have in common, and I've no doubt we will discover many more. You have become a good friend to Violet, as well."
Dina felt her heart drop to her stomach with an almost audible thud. Friendship? Was that still all he wanted from her, even after last night? She must have been right, then, that he hadn't enjoyed their time together nearly as much as she had.
She struggled for an appropriate response, one that would not reveal how his words had hurt her, as that had clearly not been his intent. Before she found one, however, Silas's voice rang out from behind her.
"So, the old housekeeper was right. You are out here."
Dina turned to see her brother bearing down on them, Violet just behind him. "What are you doing out here, Silas?" Dina asked. "I thought you had all gone up to the parlor for some punch."
"We went up, but then you two were suddenly nowhere to be seen. I became . . . concerned."
"I told you there was no need to track them down," Violet exclaimed in evident irritation. "I can't imagine why you thought it necessary."
Dina could guess, given what Silas had suspected about her marriage last night, but saw no reason to speak her suspicions aloud. Instead, she bent and lifted up her Christmas present. "Look, Violet. Thor, er, Grant has given her to me, to be my very own."
"Why, Grant, how sweet," Violet said, stroking the puppy's soft fur. "And how unlike you. How many times have you told me that your foxhounds are working dogs, not pets?"