"Are you sure?"
He nodded. "I've taken four turns in the hall while you were about your household duties. I'm so sick of these rooms I've considered making drastic changes. Come, we don't want to be late."
When they reached the dining room, the Dowager and the girls monopolized Drew's attention. He listened to Elizabeth's report on the candidates for governess and directed her to send letters and travel money to two of the women. Margaret regaled him with tales of Lucinda's growth and intelligence. The Dowager entertained with stories of the neighborhood.
By the time dinner ended, Drew gladly accepted the assistance of two footmen to help him upstairs. Nicola followed him into the room. She kissed his cheek. "I'm sure you're exhausted. I'll see you tomorrow."
He caught her hand. "Stay awhile. Though I am tired, there is something I wish to speak to you about."
She sat on a chair beside the bed. Did he mean talk or had he other plans? "My pleasure is yours."
"Tomorrow I'll be riding out with Martin Grove to show him the estate and introduce him to the tenants. The next day, I'd like to invite you to join me in looking over some properties Mr. Grey has recommended for your sisters."
Nicola sucked in a breath. Was this the way he showed his displeasure over the girls' behavior? What need had they for land and houses? They would wed and their husbands would provide homes for them. "Why do you want my sisters gone?"
"What?"
"Unless you plan to send them away, there is no need to buy houses for them."
He chuckled. "Aldora would have my head if I made such a suggestion. Besides, what would life at Denmere be without Margaret's pranks and Elizabeth's music?"
"Then why purchase estates."
"I've had much time to think about your sisters and my responsibility to them. Perhaps they will decide not to marry or marry a man who has no land."
"You won't force them to wed?"
"The way you were?" He reached for her hand. "I know you had no say in the plans your father made. Are you still troubled by our marriage?"
She looked up. "Our marriage provided me with what I needed." Almost, she thought. Except for love and she still had hope love would come.
He brushed her lips with his. "The day after tomorrow, we'll have time for ourselves."
"I'll look forward to that."
Before she could return the kiss, Bevel arrived to assist Drew in preparing for bed.
* * * *
Drew woke at sunrise. He washed and dressed without waiting for Bevel. Last night, he'd ordered Cook to prepare a picnic hamper and he'd seen a clean blanket placed in the phaeton. An eagerness to have the day begin filled him. He had plans for continuing his courtship of Nicola. He slipped through the dressing room and opened the door of his wife's bedchamber.
Expecting to find her in bed, the sight of her standing on her head startled him. She wore the same attire she'd worn when he'd come upon her in the garden. His gaze followed her slender legs. The white shirt had gathered beneath her arms affording him a glimpse of her breasts. Slowly, her legs separated to form a vee. His body responded with lightning swiftness. She curled out of the headstand and rose.
"Drew."
He didn't speak, just crossed the room and took her into his arms. As he teased her lips apart with his tongue, he ran his hands down her back. She rose on her toes and pressed against him. Her response created an urgency he had to deny. Any moment, Bevel or Peggy would arrive and he wanted no interruptions.
Reluctantly, he released her. "We'll leave right after breakfast if that suits you."
The look of disappointment on her face made him smile. She lowered her gaze. "I would like that."
He limped back to his room for the cane. Leaning heavily on the stick, he navigated the stairs. While he ate a hearty breakfast, he thought about his wife's eager response. Though he'd never touched her naked body, he could almost feel he'd felt her soft skin, had suckled her lush breasts and explored her secret places.
A fever dream, he decided. He recalled a brief snatch of a vivid fantasy in which he'd touched her face. How he wished that had really happened. He wiped his mouth and headed to the Great Hall to await Nicola.
* * * *
Nicola tapped the toe of her half boot on the floor and wished her maid would hurry. As Peggy arranged Nicola's hair, the abigail chattered. Nicola paid little attention to the tale. Instead, she mulled over the earlier encounter with her husband. Why had he walked away? He'd kissed her the way he had the night she had become his wife in truth, yet this morning, he had abandoned her and left her body craving his caresses.
He had responded to her. She had felt his body quicken. His heart had beat in time with hers. What had she done wrong?
Had her disobedience been the reason? Several days before the wedding, he'd forbidden her to wear the dhoti and to practice yoga. Or had his injured leg troubled him. He'd limped as he walked away.
She sighed. Perhaps he now remembered his command for her to remain in the house. Her attempt to escape had caused his injury. Did he blame her as much as she blamed herself?
"Which spencer, my lady," Peggy asked.
"The dark blue one." Her pale blue carriage dress was made from corded muslin and trimmed with dark blue ribbon. She tied a white chip hat decorated with a pale blue ribbon beneath her chin. Holding the spencer, she walked to the door. Perhaps during the day, she and Drew would find a way to come together instead of standing apart.
Chapter 17
As Drew paced from the Great Hall into the smaller one, his cane tapped on the black and white marble squares. Each time he passed the staircase, he glanced up. Where was Nicola? This morning, he had nearly lost control. Had his passion frightened her? His actions had been precipitous but the sight of her bare legs and her responses to his kiss had breached his hold on his desires.
Almost, he could love her, but since he had no belief in the truth of that emotion, he had little more than affection to offer. Would that be enough to keep her at his side?
He reached the stairs again. He looked up and saw her. Beautiful, he thought. Mine. The degree of possessiveness he felt made him tighten his grip on the cane. From where had the wish to own her completely come? He'd never considered himself as a jealous or possessive man.
She moved with light steps down the stairs. Her pale blue gown reminded him of the spring sky. He took several steps forward and halted. He couldn't rush the day or his plans with impulsive behavior. Time must be spent with her without the constant and annoying interruptions that had broken every attempt he had made to woo his wife.
"Good morning," she said. "I hope you've not been waiting long."
"'Twas worth the wait." He offered her his arm. "The day promises to be perfect." He stared into her eyes and nearly asked what caused the sadness underlying her smile.
A footman opened the door. While she donned her spencer, Drew stepped outside. A groom waited with the curricle. Drew allowed the footman to help him onto the seat. Nicola scrambled up beside him.
"Jem be waiting to know if I should come along," the groom said.
Drew reached for the reins. "No need, but thank Jem."
The man hunched his shoulders. "Her ladyship requested the other carriage for shopping."
Nicola laughed. "How Grandmother delights in wandering through the shops. And with Elizabeth along, they may never come home."
Drew chuckled. "Thank you for the warning. When we are in London, I'll be sure to hire a special carriage and two footmen to travel with them."
She reached out and brushed her fingers along his cheek. "Tell me about these properties."
What he wanted to do was return the horses to their stalls and carry her up to their suite. Instead, he flicked the reins and sent the team down the lane leading to the road. "The first is on the other side of the village and I fear the house has fallen into disrepair though at one time it was a showplace. The second property is north and west though a corner of it touches Denmere land. There is a third b
ut the distance is more than I wish to travel today without spending a night in an inn." A choice that had no part in his plans for today.
"Then I'll pray for good fortune."
He turned the carriage onto the road. "I would like to thank you for the care you took of me when I was ill."
"That was my duty."
He studied the road. He wished she felt more than an obligation to him. He wished she would love him. His stomach knotted. How could he wish that when he couldn't give her love in return? He could offer affection and respect but little else.
For a time, they rode in silence. Then Nicola began to talk about her plans for the other wings of the house. He told her about the farms and the improved methods he struggled to get the tenants to accept.
"Change is hard," she said. "Unless it comes without warning."
"If you'd had time to think, would you have followed your father's dictates?" Suddenly, the answer seemed important. He wanted to hear her say she would have chosen him without her father's arrangement.
She sighed. "There was the threat of Cousin Fergus to consider. I'd already planned to bring my sisters here and beg my mother's family for refuge."
"And yourself?"
"Though leaving them would have been hard, I wanted to return to India. My sisters are far more suited to this country than I am. Elizabeth will be a social success and Margaret would like land where she can raise herbs and animals. Land is scarce in India."
"And now?"
Her hesitation bothered him. Did she still want to return to the country of her birth?
"My life has changed and I'm learning to be content with my lot."
He wished he could give her more than contentment. He wanted to give her joy and excitement. Maybe they could find those things in the marriage bed.
Once past the village, he consulted the directions Mr. Grey had sent. A short time later, he pulled into the lane leading to the first property.
"There are tales in the village about the lady in white who haunts this house. She was a woman who lost her betrothed in the times of Henry the Eighth. I've heard it said she comes to the church when there is a wedding."
"Margaret said she saw her on our wedding day."
He frowned. There was more to the story that he didn't recall. They rounded a bend in the lane and caught their first sight of the house and the gardens. The disorder shocked him and though the condition of the Tudor house was bad, he thought about Denmere before his wife arrived.
"How dreadful to let such a place go unattended."
"The house has pleasing proportions and the garden can be tamed. I think Elizabeth will welcome the challenge."
Fastidious Elizabeth, he thought. "I would think disorder more a Margaret ideal."
Nicola laughed and climbed down from the seat. He groaned. He should have helped her down. He thumped the cane against the ground and wished he didn't need its aid.
Nicola opened the door of the sprawling Tudor house. Drew followed her inside. A musty odor assaulted him. He sneezed. Dust covered the floors and grimed the mullioned windows. Cobwebs gathered in the corners. Despite the desolate condition, the proportions of the room were marvelous. The stairs to the second floor rose in a graceful spiral.
His wife laughed. "Elizabeth will glory in the house and in turning each room into a perfect setting. She told me that though she wishes to wed a man wealthy enough to keep her in furs and silks, he must also possess a dingy castle for her to bring to life. This house will give her practice."
Drew laughed. Though he remained skeptical about Elizabeth wanting this derelict house, he allowed Nicola's wishes to rule. "I'll write Mr. Grey and tell him to make an offer. Now, let's be off before we look as though we've been rolling in a dustbin."
Her laughter flowed with his. The harmonious unity gave him hope the rest of the day would go as smoothly. He forgot to protest when she helped him into the curricle.
"I can't wait to tell Elizabeth about her fortune."
He guided the carriage toward the road. "You'll have to wait until I discuss the whereabouts of your father's cousin and the purchase papers are signed."
She sighed. "Cousin Fergus has proved to be a thorn. Prabha says he's evil. She named him a cobra. I'm glad I punched him and would gladly do it again."
"Let me deal with the man."
He flicked the reins and set the horses to a faster pace than an amble. "Let's hope the next property is suitable for Margaret. What kind of house do you envision for her?"
"She would live in a single room if there's a large barn, stables and enough land for a greenhouse and a garden. She is horse mad, you know."
"And dogs, frogs, cats. Don't forget pigs. Has she always craved a menagerie?"
"In India, she had a mongoose and a monkey. Once she tried to bring a baby elephant home. Thank heavens a pig is an easier pet." She slid closer to him. He put an arm around her waist and halted the carriage long enough to kiss her lightly.
For a long time neither of them spoke. He started the horses forward and allowed himself to hope a slow and patient wooing would win him what he wanted.
An hour later, he located the twin willows that marked the entrance to the second property. A small Georgian house sheltered by a stand of willows stood a short distance from the lane.
The second estate was completely different from the first. The house contained but six bedrooms. A caretaker and his wife resided in a cottage not too distant from the house. The stone barn predated the house and because the place had once been a horse breeding farm, the stables were more than adequate. A meandering brook flowed through the property. Just beyond a small cluster of willows, Drew discovered a small white structure with wooden shutters that could be opened. Benches had been built along the walls.
"Let's have our picnic here," he said. "Rather than search for a spot on our way home."
Nicola smiled. "I wondered if you'd planned to starve me. Let me run and fetch the basket. I'm sure you're tired from all the walking."
Though he hated to admit she was right, his leg ached. He sat on one of the benches. "Don't tarry."
"If you don't see me for a lengthy time, be sure I've discovered the wonders of the luncheon Cook prepared and stopped to eat my fill."
"Is this how you plan to treat your husband?"
"You will see." She hurried away.
Drew closed his eyes. There were things he had to tell her, apologies to be made, thanks to be given. He wasn't sure how to begin but he knew the guilt they both felt over his injury needed to be resolved and soon.
"I think we should spread the blanket in the sun," Nicola said.
With a start, Drew opened his eyes. He rose and felt his leg threaten to buckle. He reached for the cane. "I should be doing this."
She brushed his arm with her fingers. "'Tis hardly a labor to carry a basket and spread a blanket. I'm sure if I'd been injured, you would fetch and carry for me. Why should the reverse not be true?"
"But you have done so much for me since the accident."
"I am to blame." She put the basket on the blanket.
He shook his head. "The fault is mine. If I hadn't been such a boor, you would have told me about Crawford's presence at the wedding feast."
"If I hadn't been angered by your restrictions, I would have stayed in the house. Perhaps we are equally to blame and there is no reason for guilt." She laughed. "'Tis a thought worthy of Yogi Yakshi."
Drew lowered himself to the blanket. "Who is this Yogi person?"
"A wise old man who taught me much about the myths and philosophy of India and the various ways of striving for perfection." She opened the basket and laid out the food.
"How does one go about that?"
"There is meditation, yoga and kama."
He frowned. Had the latter been part of the book title of the instruction manual Nicola had mentioned? He reached for the wine bottle, removed the cork and poured two glasses. When he handed one to her, his fingers lingered. He touched his
glass to hers. "To a perfect day and the perfect companion."
Nicola sipped the wine and felt a cord of heat flow to join the warmth she experienced from his touch. How wonderful if he meant his words for they bore a promise for the future.
"What would you like? There is chicken, ham and beef, rolls and greens and several other dishes."
He smiled and she felt her heart race. "For you to sit near me." He reached for a piece of chicken, took a bite and held it out to her. "Since we share the blame for my injury, we can share our meal as well."
She moved to sit beside him, fished a roll of ham from the container and held it to his mouth. He nibbled until he reached her fingers. "Enough. We must eat, not tease."
When Nicola had eaten her fill, she sat with her arms around her knees. The day seemed a dream she prayed would never end. Drew stretched out on the blanket with his hands beneath his head.
"You look ready for a nap," she said.
"I might at that, but what will you do?"
"Sit and think."
"About what?"
"Perhaps nothing, though I've found it hard to clear my mind since I left India."
"Are these thoughts troublesome?"
She wasn't sure how to reply. So often her thoughts dwelled on him and her worries about his expectations for their marriage.
He pushed into a sitting position. "I won't waste our time napping. Do you realize this is the first time since our marriage there have been no interruptions. No Margaret bearing pigs or Elizabeth with complaints."
"No Sarad with letters or Mr. Grove and the tenants with a hundred questions."
He moved closer and slid his arm around her waist. "This is nice, but I think I would miss the chatter, the protests and the questions if they were gone forever."
She turned to face him. His gaze fanned tiny fires in her chest. He pulled her closer and brought his lips to hers. An avalanche of strange and thrilling sensations rolled over her. He kissed her mouth, her cheeks and glided his tongue along her lips.
His fingers found the pins in her hair. One by one, he removed them until her hair tumbled free. He plunged his hands into the mass. "I've wanted to do this since the first time we met. Your hair makes me think of rich warm earth."
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