by Cameron May
Sarah rose from her knees, groaned softly and straightened, her hands on her back. “I might have just the thing,” she said. “I do like that scent you add to the bath and hair rinse.”
“Yes, so do I. I’ve always used it.” Winnie smiled, suddenly knowing what gift to give Sarah at Christmastime. Winnie stood in the tub and allowed Sarah to dry her off, then stepped onto the waiting towel while Sarah finished and put the robe back on. Upstairs in her old room, Winnie sat at the little desk with its mirror and waited until Sarah was done. “It looks beautiful, Sarah. Thank you.” No one but milady ever thanked her, and Sarah gave a nice little curtsy to her mistress. “You may be excused now.”
Sarah nodded and left the room to go upstairs to the servants’ quarters, nicer than those at home. If milady didn’t set about improving them, Sarah just might give a hint or two, though, really, she oughtn’t. It would be just like milady to start there first, excepting their own bedroom at home. Sara frowned. Did they sleep in separate beds here, too? Though she wasn’t strictly sure they slept apart at home. Milady was always up early, usually before Sarah, and the little bed in the valet’s quarters was always made, though the master’s bed was not. Sarah sighed and continued upstairs, stopping halfway on hearing the carriage. Ah, the master was home. Should I go back down or to bed? I don’t know what I ought to do. Sarah shrugged and continued the rest of the way upstairs. It wasn’t her problem, though the master might wish something warm to drink. But the milady, imagine, milady a cook, would do the thing much better.
Lance strode from the carriage, his head a little woozy from drink at the tavern. He’d been celebrating with Winston, whose situation with Lady Caroline was resolved. First, however, Lance was obliged to upbraid the fellow for the quite serious flirtation with Winnie, and once that was settled, the two men went for a drink together. It turned out that the slap Winnie delivered knocked some sense into Winston, who had gone to his cottage at the edge of town for some serious thought. Lance found him there, after having visited Blackwater. Winston was distraught because his friends, if they had not abandoned him altogether, had spent many awkward moments trying to come to terms with his behavior. Everyone who was anyone knew by now what the situation was with Lady Caroline. Even Mistress Goodwill had been cold and unfeeling. Lance found Winston in a disturbing state of disarray, nothing like the bandbox dandy who had showed up at their house last Christmas holiday, all full of confidence and hubris. Winston was worn down, well aware of being in the wrong, was desperately in love with Caroline, and she with him, but Blackwater refused a dowry. This sent Lance, after scolding Winston, to Blackwater again to see what could be worked out. Wait until Winnie heard. She will be so pleased, having another loose end to her peace of mind tied up, rather neatly, Lance thought. After their marriage, which was to take place in two days, the wedded couple would hie to Caroline’s godmother’s estate to live in a cottage there nicer than Winston’s, and there would be no rent charged.
Grudgingly, with Lance’s threat to Blackwater never to welcome him in his home if he didn’t comply, though Lance was nice enough to make it not seem an ultimatum, and though it would deplete the man’s own capital somewhat, the man gave into Lance’s request of a dowry for Caroline. With that and the sale of Winston’s cottage or its rental, they would have just enough to live on if they were careful. And there was the prospect that the good godmother’s estate might go to Lady Caroline in the end. Ah, Lance sighed, as he came through the kitchen, about to ascend the steps to his bedroom. He hoped beyond all measure Winnie might be waiting for him. But perhaps not. There was still that trace of opposition, that little bit of defiance, of her wanting to be independent. He would tread very carefully in the next days, staying on here and trying his best to please Winnie in hopes she would become his wife in earnest.
Lance raised his eyes up the stair case and couldn’t help the start that made him freeze with one foot on the first step. “Winnie!” He stared at her in wonder, then climbed the steps in a daze. She ducked her head, a little smile crossing her mouth, the sequins on the splendid, wonderful nightdress and peignoir flashing tiny lights on her serene, lovely face. “What does this mean?” he asked once his tongue came unstuck.
“I trust it will mean what you wish it to, Lance,” she replied softly, raising eyes that met his, eyes that didn’t waver.
“Please tell me, Winnie,” he said, quickly striding to her side.
“When I was a young girl, like any other I wondered what it might be like to fall in love, based on the tales of knights and their damsels. Love would come as a lightning bolt to sweep me away. But, it didn’t, Lance. Love came in small stages, in odd moments when least expected, and it changed me…”
“I know exactly what you mean, Winnie,” Lance said, almost choking with emotion. “It happened that way for me too…”
“And when you said you loved me, d’you know no one has ever said it to me before? When you said it, I knew….”
“Someday I’ll tell you about the moments I was falling in love with you, Winnie. I’ve been thinking about you all day and into the evening. I have loved you for quite a long time now, though I’ve not always been aware of it.” His head already swimming in the familiar sweet scent of her, he bent to touch his lips gingerly to hers, which she raised without hesitation. She’d bathed and her hair had been washed, was beautifully done, lifted to the top of her head in shining curls, her face pink and glowing, the most beautiful thing he’d seen, ever, in his life.
“I didn’t make it easy for you, did I, Lance.? I’m sorry for that. But I wish you to know that I love you, too.”
“Truly?” If only it weren’t some dream, or that he was sleepwalking again, he thought.
“Truly,” she replied.
He grinned. “I know what I was looking for all those times I was walking around in sleep,” he said. “I was looking for you, Winnie, for you, for home. You are home, Winnie.”
“You’ve been drinking,” Winnie said, lightly admonishing him.
“It’s been a hell of a day, Winnie, but I’ve come home to heaven. You’ll be pleased to know all is resolved between Lady Caroline and Winston. But,” he added, putting a finger on her open mouth, “we’ll talk about it in the morning. And as for drinking, except for that and the perfume on your hair and skin, my mind is clear as a bell.” He reached for and deftly removed a pin from her hair. The lock fell alongside her face and he bent and kissed her cheek where the tress touched. Winnie held her breath as more pins came out and were dropped on the floor, punctuated by more kisses. She closed her eyes against the blatant desire in his eyes, with all her hair tumbling beside her face, over her shoulders, and down her back, he reached for the hair and arranged it, tickling her cheeks and throat with gentle fingers, then giving a satisfied nod, he reached for her as her eyelids fluttered open. Winnie wound her arms around him as he lifted her to him. “Yes, it’s going to be a hell of a night, too, Winnie,” he said, voice dropping, already laden with raw desire.
Winnie laughed softly. “The first of many, I trust.” He kissed her then, deeply, then he carried her over the threshold of their bedroom.