‘That,’ said his lordship, recalling that the name Cecily had featured in the story of the ball, ‘is unfortunate.’
‘Isn’t it?’
‘She’ll talk. Or Lewis will. Either way, you won’t avoid some gossip.’
‘Gossip?’ asked Mr Ingram. ‘About what? This sudden rush to the altar?’
‘Amongst other things.’ The Duke smiled. ‘All will become clear to you in the fullness of time, Jack – and I feel sure I may count on your support, should the need arise. As sure, shall we say, as I am that you will both do me the inestimable kindness of escorting Nell to the play this evening.’
Mr Ingram and the Marquis exchanged glances.
‘He wants a favour,’ said Amberley. ‘We could force him to tell us everything.’
‘We could,’ agreed Jack regretfully, ‘except that a man’s entitled to his wedding-night.’
‘Dear Jack,’ murmured his Grace. ‘I knew I might rely on you.’
*
Adeline did not know whether to be glad or sorry when she finally found herself alone with her husband – for the constraint of having to mind her tongue with his friends was immediately replaced by apprehension of a different kind.
It was not, she told herself, that she was ignorant of - or frightened by - what marriage entailed. How could she be? She was twenty-four years old and, she hoped, not a prude. No. What disturbed her was the thought that, after tonight, her safe shores might forever be removed from reach, leaving her out of her depth and with no straw to cling to. She neither wanted nor was ready to love Rockliffe; but, knowing what a mere kiss had done to her, she did not know if she would still have a choice once she had lain in his arms. And that was the crux of the matter.
‘Shall I change my gown?’ she asked, as soon as the others had gone.
‘Why? You look beautiful – and I doubt you will ever wear it again,’ replied Rockliffe. ‘Or perhaps you were hoping to escape for a little while.’
‘Not at all,’ she lied coolly. ‘Why should I?’
‘I can’t imagine. But if you are not poised for flight, it would please me if you felt able to sit down and take a glass of wine with me.’
There was not, under the circumstances, any very satisfactory answer to this. Adeline seated herself on a small sofa, accepted the glass he offered and said politely, ‘Was there something you wanted to say to me?’
He did not sit beside her and it was a long time before he spoke. Finally, he said slowly, ‘Yes. Why is it you never use my name?’
This was unexpected. To gain time, she said, ‘Does anyone?’
‘That, my dear, is immaterial. I asked why you do not.’
She shrugged. ‘Who am I to be different? Does it matter?’
‘Yes. I rather think it does … but we won’t labour the point. Suffice it to say that, though I’m aware it’s the fashion for wives to address their spouses by their title, it’s not a fashion I care for.’ He leaned negligently against the mantelpiece and continued to regard her enigmatically. ‘On a more practical note, you will be pleased to learn that Matthew has discovered a suitable maid for you and has therefore instructed her to present herself for your approval before we leave in the morning.’
‘Leave?’ echoed Adeline, jolted out of her sangfroid. ‘But we’ve only just got here!’
‘Quite. And tomorrow we leave for Kent and Wynstanton Priors. Nothing, I am afraid, could induce me to remain in town through August.’
For a moment or two, she eyed him with misgiving. Then, setting down her glass untouched, she stood up and said, ‘I see. In that case, I should go and attend to some packing.’
Rockliffe smiled but refrained from pointing out that she need never again perform such tasks with her own hands.
‘I think you will find that everything has been properly taken care of – including, one hopes, the removal of your things to the suite of rooms traditionally occupied by the duchess.’
‘You’ve had my clothes moved from one room to another just for one night?’ she asked incredulously. ‘Why? Or do you just like making extra work for the servants?’
‘My servants, since you ask, are well-paid, well-treated and, in general, not exactly over-worked,’ he replied carelessly. ‘As for why … there are three rooms known as the Duchess’s Suite – which now belong to you. They also, of course, adjoin my own rooms.’ Beneath their heavy lids, the dark eyes gleamed and he held out his hand to her. ‘I imagine you’d like to see them. Come, I’ll show you.’
‘Now?’ she asked weakly.
‘Why not? There’s no time like the present, you know.’
The suite of rooms – bedroom, dressing-room and sitting-room - to which he took her were hung with lilac silk and furnished in mahogany from the hand of Mr Chippendale; there were pale Aubusson carpets, huge gilt-framed mirrors and bowls of fragrant white roses. Adeline, however, was conscious only that the curtains were drawn, the candles lit and an elegant supper for two was laid out in the boudoir.
Rockliffe surveyed the room more critically and said, ‘My mother had a fondness for mauve. I have never been sure why. If you wish to change it, please feel free to do so.’
On top of everything else, the suggestion that she might like to re-decorate was a little too much. She swallowed and said, more abruptly than she had intended, ‘I’m not sure I can cope with all this. You realise that I don’t know the first thing about being a duchess?’
‘I realise you think you don’t – but the truth is that the only trick is in being a lady; and that, my dear, you already are.’
‘But there are so many things I don’t know!’
‘I am aware of that, too. But it’s nothing that can’t be remedied.’ He paused. ‘It hadn’t, I suppose, occurred to you that I might help?’
She flushed a little and looked down at her hands, saying nothing.
‘Obviously not,’ he continued dryly. ‘But you may believe that I’m not entirely insensitive. I know that you need time to adjust … and that there are things which you must learn. It is probably the main reason we are going to the Priors. Yes – I know I said I won’t stay in London during August and that is true. But it will be easier for you to settle into your new life in Kent with just Nell and myself than it would be here with the vulgarly curious coming to call.’
‘Would they?’
‘Without doubt. There will be a notice of our marriage in tomorrow’s Morning Chronicle - a necessary precaution if we are to avoid the appearance of furtiveness.’ He smiled down on her bent head. ‘So – as I was saying. You will have time to acquire some of the skills you think you lack. But make no mistake. I am not Pygmalion looking for my Galatea … and I neither expect nor want you to change.’
The blue-green gaze rose slowly to his.
‘You don’t?’
‘Odd as it may seem – no. I do, however, wish to give you this.’ He gestured to the flat leather box reposing on the small table between them. ‘Open it.’
Her nerves snarled again. With careful reluctance, she did as he asked … and yet was still unprepared either for what she saw or what it did to her.
‘A bridal gift,’ said Rockliffe at length. ‘You don’t like it?’
‘I – yes. Yes.’ Her throat was paralysed. Oh God – don’t let me cry. ‘How could I not? It’s exquisite. But you shouldn’t – I can’t -- ’
‘Quite.’ His fingers were at her nape, calmly removing the single strand of pearls she’d borrowed from Nell and causing strange sensations to ripple down her spine. Then the glittering necklace of aquamarines and diamonds slid coldly around her throat and she was being turned to face him.
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Just as I thought. Look.’
Once more she obeyed the pressure of his hands to view herself in the mirror. He was still behind her … tall, undeniably magnificent and so close that she could feel his warmth against her back. She said unevenly, ‘It’s beautiful. Thank you. But you – you ought not to have done it. You’ve given
me so much already.’
‘My dear, no. I have merely provided a few necessities. This – dare I say it? - is different. There is also, you may have noticed, a bracelet.’
Without moving away, he lifted it from the box and, reaching both arms round her, fastened the pretty thing on her wrist. He felt, rather than heard, her breath catch; and, with his fingers still against her wrist, knew also that her pulse leapt. He was distantly aware that he ought to let her go … but there was something in the wide aquamarine gaze that he couldn’t quite interpret, so he didn’t.
His eyes, dangerously mesmeric, met hers in the glass and held them. That and the fact of being so close to him made Adeline feel faintly dizzy. Her senses were wholly disordered and she knew a sudden over-powering urge to lean against him and stop fighting. But her fear of where it would lead was stronger and it jerked her mind awake again. ‘It’s too soon,’ she told herself. ‘Much too soon. Take hold of yourself and use your brain. Now.’
With the best smile she could manage, she twisted smoothly away from him towards the supper table. A bottle of wine caught her eye and, unable to think of anything else, she said a trifle breathlessly, ‘Your generosity is a little overwhelming. I think, if you don’t mind, I should like that wine now.’
‘With pleasure.’ His tone remained perfectly bland but, just for an instant as he attended to the bottle, his eyes were shadowed by something akin to disappointment. ‘As you can see, I took the liberty of ordering supper – in the hope that you might now feel inclined to eat.’
She had done no more than toy with the various delicacies of their wedding breakfast. It surprised her that he had noticed.
She said, ‘And you? Are you hungry?’
He raised his head and gave her the sudden, uncluttered smile that was beginning to have the effect of turning her bones to water.
‘That, dearest Adeline, is a question probably best left unanswered,’ he replied audaciously. And then, ‘Tell me; would it cast you into a fever of apprehension if I removed my coat?’
‘Not at all,’ she managed carelessly. ‘It’s only when the shoes come off that I’m prone to panic.’
‘Oh? I must remember to bear that in mind.’ He shed the pearl brocade coat, followed it up with his embroidered vest and then handed her a glass of wine before raising his own. ‘To us … and a long, harmonious life.’
Adeline drank gratefully, half-inclined to think that it wouldn’t matter which of them got drunk so long as one of them did. It was manifestly unfair, she thought, that shirt-sleeves should suit him so well for she had enough problems already.
Rockliffe remained where he was for a moment, looking at her and recognising that, for possibly the first time in his life, his feelings defied logic. He had known all along that he wanted her but found himself shaken, again, by the force of it. And what utterly astounded him was the fact that it suddenly seemed ridiculously important that she should also want him. He had intended, this first time, to use all his arts to seduce her … and he knew that he could still do so. What he did not know was whether it might, after all, be better to make the ultimate sacrifice and wait.
He was torn … and, that, in itself was a novelty. The only trouble was that he was growing impatient to sample that wide, inviting mouth again; and if he did that, he suspected he would be even more reluctant than he already was to spend his wedding-night alone. On the other hand, it was possible that a little patience and temperance at this point might eventually yield rewards of unimaginable sweetness … for he did not think she was entirely indifferent to him even now. It was a gamble. The question was whether or not he wished to take it.
He sat down and, for the next hour over supper, allowed her to direct the conversation. This she did by pursuing strictly impersonal topics and maintaining her brightest, most impervious manner. Rockliffe had no difficulty at all in ascribing this to nerves and an attempt to keep him at bay with her tongue. In one sense, it was perfectly understandable; in another, he felt vaguely insulted that she didn’t seem to credit him with any self-control. He also started to notice the way she appeared to be seeking refuge in her wine-glass. He felt a twinge of something he didn’t immediately recognise … and, from there, it was a short step to irritation.
‘Are you merely trying to dull your senses or aiming at complete unconsciousness?’ he asked caustically, at length. ‘If it’s the latter, we’d better ring for another bottle.’
Adeline blinked, startled both by the unexpectedness of his attack and its accuracy.
‘N-neither.’
‘Don’t lie. If the prospect of sleeping with me strikes you as a fate worse than death, I’d prefer you to do me the courtesy of saying so.’
‘If it were true, I probably would,’ she replied. ‘As it is, I’m trying quite hard to come to terms with the fact that, married or not, we scarcely know each other.’
‘Indeed?’ He leaned back and folded his arms. ‘And how long do you suppose it will take to remedy that? Another eight years?’
‘That is both stupid and unfair! Eight years ago we met on a handful of occasions – and have hardly exceeded that score in the last ten days. Yet here we are, married. And if you were as sensitive as you think you are, you’d realise …’ She stopped.
‘I’d realise what? That you’d like me to keep my distance?’
She flushed. ‘I wasn’t going to say that.’
‘No? Well, then …perhaps you were going to observe that, since I’m clearly insensitive, I’m sitting here with every intention of presently ravishing my reluctant bride. Is that it?’
‘You tell me,’ she snapped. ‘Or am I mistaken and this intimate little scene isn’t leading to the Grand Seduction at all.’
‘That, madam, would naturally depend on exactly how reluctant you are,’ he drawled. ‘Which, my intuition suggests, is less than you’d have me believe.’
This was too close for comfort. Adeline raised her brows and said inimically, ‘You would think that, of course. Anything else would be an affront to your vanity, wouldn’t it?’
She was given ample time, before he spoke again, to regret this remark. Then, in a tone of dangerous sweetness, he said, ‘For someone who admits to hardly knowing me, you are extremely free with your judgements. It is a mistake.’
She was already miserably aware of this but was careful not to let it show.
‘I suppose you’re going to tell me why.’
He looked at her out of implacable dark eyes for a moment and then came collectedly to his feet. ‘Dear me. What a lot of traps you’re springing for yourself this evening.’
‘Meaning?’
‘That it is not my custom to justify myself – particularly when it would, in any case, be a waste of breath.’ An odd smile invested his mouth. ‘I’m sorry if it disappoints you, my dear – but I can actually manage to keep my hands off you. And that being so, I shall do myself the honour of bidding you goodnight.’
It should have been a relief but somehow it wasn’t. She watched him retrieve his coat and said tonelessly, ‘You’re going? Just like that?’
‘I’m going – just like that,’ he agreed. And making her a slight but very formal bow, he headed for the door which led to his own rooms.
Suddenly ashamed of herself, Adeline rose quickly from her chair. The years rushed back at her and, aware of nothing but the importance of making peace with him, she said, ‘Tracy – please wait!’
He stopped dead but did not turn. And Adeline, seeing only his unyielding back, had no way of knowing that he was holding his breath whilst waiting to see what she would say.
She said, ‘I’m sorry. This – this is all my fault. It seems I’ve grown so used to waging my own war of cutting remarks that I’m unable to stop.’
There was a pause and then he said remotely, ‘A war requires an adversary. Do you see one in me?’
‘No.’
‘No?’ He turned then and a vestige of humour reappeared in his eyes. ‘I am relieved to hear it
. What makes you think it was your fault?’
‘You know why. The reason you - one of the reasons you married me was because you wanted … you said you wanted …’
‘To make love to you,’ said Rockliffe helpfully. ‘Yes. Did you believe me?’
‘I don’t know,’ came the truthful reply. ‘But you were quite clear about it so I knew the bargain I was making. Only here I am now, behaving as if - oh, as if you’ve just abducted me by force, when I know perfectly well that there’s no need for it because all I ever had to do was ask you to wait for a little while. And you would have done.’
‘I’m glad,’ he said simply, ‘that you realise it. I was beginning to think you didn’t. For the rest, of course … the fault was probably mine.’
Adeline stared at him.
‘My sense of guilt,’ she remarked wryly, ‘is already thriving. You don’t need to tend it.’
‘My dear, you malign me. I am merely admitting that, originally, it was indeed to have been the seduction scene. Or so I hoped. But you need not fear another … or not, at least, until you give me reason to suppose that it will be welcome. Does that,’ he finished amicably, ‘go some way towards restoring me to grace?’
Since she had neither hoped for nor expected such an offer, it went much further. It also taught her that, in some perverse way, it was probably the last thing she wanted. She said helplessly, ‘You are more generous than I deserve.’
‘And shall doubtless, in due course, be rewarded.’ Smiling faintly, he returned to possess himself of her hands. Then, dropping a light kiss on each slender wrist, he said, ‘Once more – and in better understanding – goodnight, Adeline. Sleep well.’
And was gone.
*
Alone in his room with a book he did not read and a glass of wine he did not drink, Rockliffe spent an hour in serious thought. It was the first time, he realised, that he had actually addressed the reality of the situation facing him and the problems that might arise from it. He had been too busy ensuring Adeline’s comfort, equipping her suitably and, of course, getting married. What he had not done was to consider properly the things that might be going on in her head – so the fact that he was spending his wedding-night in solitary state was, rather annoyingly, his own fault.
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