by Zina Abbott
Delphinia had no sooner tucked the last stocking in her boot than Bennett grabbed her hand and pull her to her feet. Delphinia felt her body propelled through the air until it collided with the solid wall of his chest. His other arm clamped around her waist and held her tight against him. She looked into his face, only to realize they were so close his features appeared blurred. She felt like she needed to look cross-eyed at him. It was easier to close her eyes and balance herself by placing a hand of each of his shoulders. Very nice shoulders, she noted, as she ran her hands front to back. It had been no idle boast that he had the strength to lift and carry her up the stairs.
“Don’t press down on my shoulders, Mrs. Nighy. You’ll throw my measuring off.”
“What measuring?”
“Just relax. This won’t take long. All I need you to do is stand up straight without rising up on your toes or moving your head around.”
Still unsure what Bennett had in mind, Delphinia closed her eyes, deciding to cooperate for the time being. She felt her feet touch each side of one of his as she adjusted them in position to stand straight.
What an insight. She had no idea how disconcerting touching a man’s foot with hers could be. Or, could her unsettled feeling be because it was Bennett’s foot?
“Stop wiggling your toes, Mrs. Nighy. You’re distracting me. Just stand still.”
Once again, Delphinia complied. If for no other reason, she felt inclined to humor this man who had stood up for her against her father, then somehow managed to win him over.
“As much as I enjoy your body molding against mine, Mrs. Nighy, it is throwing everything off. Please stand straight just a little longer.”
Delphinia swallowed, willing her senses to behave. She wished standing close to his man didn’t cause strange feelings of longing to well up inside her. Being next to Andrew Sopworth had certainly never affected her this way. She once again straightened her form. She inhaled his scent. In spite of his claim he took a bath twice a week whether he needed it or not, she could tell he had indulged earlier this day. Traces of the soap he had used still clung to his skin. In addition, the scent of lumber that surrounded him in his everyday work seemed to have become a part of him. It was a woodsy scent she could spend the rest of her life enjoying.
“Please stop inhaling and sighing, Mrs. Nighy. I don’t know if doing so makes you seem taller or shorter, but it isn’t helping. Just breathe normally.”
Breathe normally? She was standing ever so close to Bennett with his arm cinched around her waist pressing her to him, and he wanted her to breathe normally? “What is breathing normally? In case you have forgotten, Mr. Nighy, I’m wearing a corset. This is how I breathe.”
“I don’t think you can blame the way you are breathing right now on your corset, Mrs. Nighy. However, the contraption is probably another reason you stand so ramrod straight which may be giving you an unfair height advantage.”
Delphinia leaned back and glared at Bennett. Unfair advantage? Being required by polite society to wear a corset was what was unfair. And what was wrong with standing ramrod straight? Hadn’t all those years of training her mother had forced her to endure taught her the importance of standing and sitting without slouching? “You went to West Point, Mr. Nighy. If you wish to match me as far as standing ramrod straight, draw upon your former training on the parade ground.”
Bennett pulled her tight against him once again. “Don’t get in a snit, Mrs. Nighy. I find no fault with your form or your posture. I’m almost done here. Once again, please stand straight, as you naturally would.”
Delphinia felt his hand on her chin as he positioned her face. Next she felt his palm rest on the top of her head before he slid it towards him.
“Ha! Just as I thought. I am taller than you are, Mrs. Nighy. It may be by less than a half inch, but as long as I keep you out of two inch heels and convince you that wearing your hair in that fat braid at the back of your head is the most flattering style on you, you will not seem so tall in comparison to me.”
Delphinia, in all seriousness, leaned back and studied Bennett’s eyes. “I know my height makes many men uncomfortable. That is one reason my mother favored my former fiancé. We looked well together, even though being near him gave me cold chills.”
“Do I give you cold chills, Mrs. Nighy?”
Being near Bennett caused her to quiver, but she would not characterize it as cold chills. “Of course not. Please pay attention to the discussion at hand. Is it important that you are taller than I am, Mr. Nighy? Does it bother you that I am not several inches shorter than you?”
Bennett released his tight hold, but kept her bound to him with his eyes, his expression just as serious. “No, I don’t mind your height at all. You and I being the same height has its advantages.”
Intrigued by his claim, Delphinia offered him a ghost of a smile. “And how is that, Mr. Nighy?”
“It makes kissing each other more convenient.”
“Kissing? I know we have kissed, Mr. Nighy, but considering the type of marriage agreement we have entered into, I don’t think it wise to indulge in kissing on a regular basis.”
“I disagree. Now, you are avoiding a discussion of my theory. Deflecting is what I think you call it. Just cooperate and you’ll see what I mean about how being the same height is convenient for a couple kissing.” Bennett slid his arms around Delphinia to embrace her, gently drawing her close once again. He expected her to resist him, but to his surprise, she allowed him to guide her body. He tilted his head, and used his fingertips to gently coax her to turn her head the opposite direction. He leaned in, while guiding her chin towards him until their lips met. His kiss was feather-light. He leaned back and studied her face. “See? I don’t need to roll my back and shoulders to bend down to reach your lips, and you don’t need to crick your neck or stretch up on your toes to reach mine. Am I not right?”
“I’m not sure…”
“Then let’s try it again.” Bennett found it more difficult to break free of her lips on the second kiss, but he managed. “Come, Mrs. Nighy, surely you must admit I have a point. As I recall, the day we went fishing we discovered…” Bennett leaned forward and placed another soft on Delphinia’s lips. “We were able to kiss very conveniently.”
Another soft kiss.
Bennett smiled as he felt Delphinia’s toes wiggle against the sides of his bare feet. “Your hair was down and we both wore sensible boots.”
Another kiss.
“Do you recall there being any difficulties due to us being about the same height?”
Delphinia’ words came out as a breathless whisper. “As I recall, we were sitting, not standing.” Memories of the day they had gone fishing and he had kissed her as they sat next to each other on the bank of the river sharing grilled onions warmed Delphinia. It caused her to shiver at the same time. No, thoughts of the similarity in their heights had not entered her mind at all. The only difficulty she had experienced was reconciling herself to the sense of loss when the kisses ended. She felt that same sense of loss now he had stopped kissing her and stood waiting for an answer.
“Perhaps we should try that again.” This time it was Delphinia who leaned in and kissed Bennett, pleased he tightened his embrace and deepened his kiss. He was definitely no cold, dead fish to kiss like Andrew Sopworth had been. Too bad they had entered into a marriage of convenience because she could spend a lifetime kissing Bennett and never tire of it.
When the kiss finally ended, Delphinia swallowed in an effort to relax her throat now choked tight to the point it prevented her from speaking in her natural voice. “I believe you are right, at least about the convenience of being close to the same height if one wishes to kiss, Mr. Nighy.” Delphinia rubbed the inside of her bare foot against the instep of Bennett’s foot. “But in a marriage of convenience such as ours, I don’t think it wise to continue this demonstration.”
“I suggest you not do that with your foot, Mrs. Nighy. That is not proper behavior for someone who thinks we ha
ve entered into a marriage of convenience. It could lead to unexpected consequences, especially since we are so close to the bed.”
They were back to the issue of the bed again, and where she intended to sleep in order to maintain their marriage of convenience.
Delphinia shifted her stance so the balls of her feet rested on top of Bennett’s toes. “Mr. Nighy, nothing that has taken place the past several minutes has been proper behavior for a marriage of convenience.”
“In what respect, Mrs. Nighy?”
“For one thing we have been far too open with each other, considering the business arrangement we discussed.”
“Should we not have an open understanding between us, Mrs. Nighy? I have found many aspects of us getting to know each other better very convenient. Haven’t you?”
“Perhaps, but it is detracting us from the purpose of our agreement, which is becoming very inconvenient.”
“In what respect, Mrs. Nighy?”
Delphinia glanced at the bed behind her, but quickly turned away. Not quick enough, she realized with dismay. From the glint in his eyes and the smile that curved his lips, she knew Bennett had read her thoughts.
No. She must deflect, move the conversation in a different direction. “The unexpected inconvenience is my feet are getting terribly cold. We really need to get a carpet up here next to the bed.”
Bennett leaned back, his eyebrow cocked up. “We need to get a carpet for next to my bed? I have been managing just fine with bare floor next to my bed. If you have decided this is a marriage of convenience, and you will be sleeping elsewhere, why should it matter to you?”
“We decided it is a marriage of convenience.”
“No, you decided. You wanted to marry before a judge because you thought it would be sacrilegious to marry in church when you did not intend for the marriage to last.”
“Then you insisted we marry in the church anyway.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I think you can figure it out, Mrs. Nighy. However, while you are working through it, we still need to decide where it will be convenient for you to sleep tonight.”
They were back to the issue of the bed. Delphinia’s eyes once again wandered to the headboard.
Bennett had been right—the bed was beautiful. The headboard and footboard carved in Cherrywood exhibited some of the finest craftsmanship she had ever seen. Bennett had not skimped on quality when it came to the mattress, either. However, to accept the bed meant sharing it with the man who had been sleeping in it—the same man who had been kissing her senseless in spite of his claim that he had initially told her he had no desire to marry.
How inconvenient.
How tempting.
But joining him in the bed wasn’t part of her plan to take control of her own life.
Bennett pulled her close to him once more and kissed her neck below her ear before he raised his lips to whisper. “You want to sleep in that bed, don’t you, Mrs. Nighy.”
“Of course I want to sleep in that bed. It’s a beautiful bed, and I’m sure it would be much more comfortable than the settee.” Delphinia licked her lips as she studied Bennett’s face.
Bennett leaned forward and kissed her moistened lips, then once again whispered in her ear. “The bed comes with me in it.”
Delphinia realized she not only wanted to sleep in that bed, more importantly, she wanted to sleep next to the man who came with it. She suspected she was terribly in love with him, and the thought frightened her. What if he decided she was too difficult to live with? What if he wanted to be rid of her? What if he took a mistress?
Delphinia rolled her cheek against his and whispered in his ear. “There is the matter of you being dead set against being tied down by marriage. Our business arrangement, so to speak, would not tie you down. In three years you would be free of me.”
Bennett clutched Delphinia tight. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Since your initial proposal I have realized something, Mrs. Nighy. You have the vision, an understanding of how to achieve what I only can dream about. You are my other half. You are what I need to build my life to be what I want it to be.”
“I know. That’s why I suggested the marriage of convenience. Not only would it help me, it would benefit you and your business.”
Grinning, Bennett shook his head. “But that is not why I decided I wished to marry you.”
Surprised, Delphinia leaned back and studied his face. “It’s not?”
“I enjoy being with you in ways that have nothing to do with business.”
Delphinia stared at him, her eyes slowly dropping to his lips. Could he be referring to something personal between them? Her thoughts gravitated to the kisses they had shared on the fishing trip, and just now this night. She had enjoyed them—craved them—but been afraid to read too much into them. Andrew had kissed her for show, but she knew it had meant nothing to him. What had they meant to Bennett? A game? A diversion?
Dare she believe they had been an expression of genuine affection?
Delphinia began to hyperventilate. She closed her eyes as she felt herself getting light-headed. She refused to faint.
Bennett leaned in and kissed his new bride gently on the lips. “Stay with me, Delly. Don’t be so shocked I want you for my wife and to be the mother of my children for personal reasons, not because it is fiscally and socially advantageous.”
“Chi…children, Mr. Nighy? We only talked about the business arrangement between us.”
“You, Mrs. Nighy, only talked about the business arrangement between us. True, we may have talked about a few terms and conditions should I have decided to enter into such an agreement. However, when I decided I wished to marry you, I said nothing about doing so as a marriage of convenience.”
Delphinia froze in place and studied his face. “Are you suggesting we have a regular marriage, one for personal reasons also?”
Bennett captured her lips once more, his kiss deeper, more urgent. “Very personal reasons, Mrs. Nighy, and on a very intimate level.”
Delphinia licked her lips and swallowed. The thought of very intimate personal reasons was beginning to appeal to her—greatly. However, she dare not lose sight of reality. “You do realize I am not the easiest person to get along with, don’t you? I can be quite demanding.”
“I figured that out within a minute of meeting you.”
“I can also be stubborn.”
“I knew that within two minutes of meeting you.”
“But, you will shortly grow impatient with me.”
Ben laughed as he pulled her hands to his lips and kissed each one in turn. “I know how to get around that. When you start acting too impatient or stubborn, I’ll just take you fishing. So, under those conditions, will it convenient for you be my wife in every sense of the word?”
“And have children together, for personal reasons, not because I’m well-connected?”
“If I want a broodmare with the right blood lines, Mrs. Nighy, I’ll buy a horse.”
Delphinia looked deep into his eyes. “Why me, Ben? You could have found another woman much less demanding, and much easier to get along with.”
Bennett captured her face between his palms. “Because I’ve discovered I can’t get along without you. You, Delly, the woman you are. In the process of you pushing yourself into my business…” Bennett stopped and offered her a teasing grin. “…and my fishing trips, you have pushed yourself into my heart.”
Delphinia clutched his shoulders and buried her face in his neck. Her voice hitched as she spoke into his collar. “Are you sure you want me as I am?”
Bennett wrapped his arms around her back and spoke softly in her ear. “I will always want you—every stubborn, determined, intelligent, visionary inch of you. I love you, Delly, and I am dead set on having you. Please trust me with your heart.”
Quiet settled over the room as Bennett waited for what Delphinia might do or say next. “Don’t over-think this, Delly. Listen to your hea
rt.”
Silence.
“Release me, please, Ben.”
As soon as Bennett loosed Delphinia and stepped back, he watched as she straightened to her full height. She quickly swept tears from her eyes before she reached to her waist. The next thing he knew, the skirt of her dark green wedding outfit dropped into a puddle on the floor and covered her feet. It was quickly followed by a white satin petticoat that layered itself like frosting drizzled on a cake atop the pile of skirt and bustle.
Bennett folded his arms and offered his wife his usual quirk of the eyebrow and tilted head. Doing his best to not be distracted by the sight of her clinging white silk drawers with three inches of lace hanging from the gathers at her knees, he watched as she unfastened the first button of her dress top starting from the bottom. “Might I ask what you are doing, Delly?”
“It should be obvious, even to you. I told you my feet are cold standing on these floorboards. We can worry about getting a carpet tomorrow, but the skirt on top helps for now.”
“And that is why you have decided to disrobe in my room? Not that I’m complaining…”
Delphinia shot him a look of annoyance. “You surely cannot be that obtuse.” She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and released it. “Very well, I will say it, Ben. I have done as you requested and listened to my heart. I have decided it would be very convenient to be married to you in every personal, intimate sense of the word.”
Bennett quirked up the side of mouth in a half-grin.
Convenient?
So, they were still using that word, were they? At least she hadn’t called him Mr. Nighy. “How convenient?”
“Convenient enough that I wish to share this beautiful bed with you tonight and always. Unfortunately, it would be quite inconvenient to go searching for my nightgown right now.”
Delphinia looked Bennett full in the face. “I’m trusting my heart to you, Ben. Would it be convenient for you to try to keep me warm tonight even if all I have on are my unmentionables?”
Bennett did his best to suppress a laugh. Although he wasn’t sure how much sleep they would get that night, he intended to keep her plenty warm the entire time, even when she wore less than her unmentionables. “I can conveniently do that. Please tell me, Delly. Do you believe you will ever grow to love me?”