Colin wasn’t in the mood to accommodate his brother. His mind was occupied thinking about all the things that could still go wrong.
And then the Duke of Williamshire escorted Alesandra into the salon. She held on to his father, but Colin didn’t give him any notice. His gaze was centered on his bride. The closer she came, the more his composure returned. A feeling of contentment rid him of his need to worry, and by the time she reached his side he wasn’t scowling at all.
She was going to belong to him.
Alesandra was so nervous she was shaking. She wore an ivory-colored satin gown. The cut was simple, yet elegant. The neckline wasn’t overly revealing, but it was still provocative. Alesandra wasn’t wearing any jewels. She didn’t carry flowers in her hands, and her hair wasn’t confined with pins. The dark curls that gently swayed around her shoulders when she moved were all the adornment she needed.
Dear God, she pleased him. He smiled over her shyness. She wouldn’t look at him, but kept her gaze downcast, even when her guardian kissed her cheek. She didn’t want to let go of him, either. He had to pry her hand away and place it on Colin’s arm.
The crowd of family and friends gathered around them. Alesandra almost bolted then and there. She felt trapped, overwhelmed, and terrified that both she and Colin were making a mistake. Her trembling increased until she could barely stand still, and she couldn’t seem to catch a proper breath. Then Colin took her hand in his and tightened his hold on her. Odd, but his touch made her trembling ease a little.
Caine’s four-year-old daughter helped Alesandra get rid of the rest of her fear. The little girl couldn’t see what was going on and squirmed her way through the crowd to stand next to Alesandra. She pretended she didn’t see her mother frantically shaking her head at her and reached up to take hold of Alesandra’s hand.
The minister had just opened his book of prayers when he happened to glance down and see the child. He immediately coughed to cover his amusement.
Alesandra wasn’t as disciplined. She took one look at the dark-haired, green-eyed imp and burst into laughter. Olivia had obviously been having the time of her life and whoever was suppose to be watching her hadn’t done his duty. The child was a disaster. The lower part of her skirt was smudged with dirt, indicating she’d spent some of her time running in the garden, and there was another spot the color of the red punch the duchess planned to serve after the ceremony, indicating she’d gotten into the kitchen too. The sash was hanging down around her hips, but what made Alesandra completely lose her composure was Olivia’s fat pink bow. It was precariously perched over her right eye, and while she smiled up at Alesandra, she kept trying to bat the thing back on top of her head.
Jade was probably having heart palpitations over Olivia’s appearance. Caine bent down and tried to reach behind both Colin and Alesandra to grab hold of his daughter. She wiggled back and giggled with delight.
Alesandra took charge. She couldn’t do anything about the smudges on Olivia’s dress, but she could straighten her appearance. She pulled away from Colin’s hold, retied Olivia’s sash, then repinned the bow on top of her head. Olivia suffered through the minute of fussing, and when Alesandra finished, she took hold of her hand again.
She straightened back up and turned to the minister. She still wouldn’t look at Colin, but she reached over and brushed her fingers against his. He took the hint and held her hand again.
She was in control now. Her voice barely shivered when she answered the minister’s questions. She noticed that as soon as she agreed to become Colin’s wife, he visibly relaxed. She looked up at him then and found him smiling at her. The sparkle in his eyes made her heart pound a bit quicker.
It was finally over. Colin gently turned her to face him and leaned down to kiss her. Everyone cheered, and Colin had only just brushed his mouth over hers when he was pounded on his back and pulled away to be congratulated.
He took Alesandra with him. He wasn’t going to let her out of his sight . . . or his touch. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her up against his side.
Alesandra didn’t remember much of the celebration that followed the ceremony. She felt as though she were walking around in a fog. Toasts were given before, during, and after the supper, but she couldn’t remember anything that was said. She was surrounded by Colin’s family and friends, and their immediate acceptance of her was both pleasing and overwhelming.
Sir Richards insisted on having a word with Colin and his brother in the library, but Colin kept putting him off. The director wouldn’t be denied, however, and finally, after Alesandra promised to stay within sight of her guards, Colin agreed. He and Caine followed the director up the stairs. They had their conference and were back downstairs less than fifteen minutes later.
Colin found his bride in the salon. She was trying to listen to three different conversations at the same time. Marian Rose was demanding permission to go home with her, Catherine was asking her when she would see her again, and Colin’s father was telling anyone who would listen an amusing childhood story involving his sons.
Alesandra looked overwhelmed by it all. Colin decided it was time to take her home. She didn’t argue with his decision and, in fact, seemed relieved.
It took twenty minutes to say thank you and farewell, and just when Colin’s patience was all used up, they were in the carriage and on their way back to his town house.
The silence inside the carriage was a stark contrast to the chaos they’d just left. Colin stretched out his long legs, closed his eyes, and grinned.
He was thinking about the wedding night.
Alesandra sat across from him. Her posture was rigid and her hands were tightly folded together in her lap.
She was also thinking about their wedding night.
Colin opened his eyes and saw her frown. He noticed she was wringing her hands together, too.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, already guessing what that might be.
“Tonight . . . ”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to insist I share your bed?”
“Yes.”
Her shoulders slumped. The color left her face and, damn, she looked forlorn. He almost laughed. He caught himself in time, and he felt like a cad for finding any amusement at all in her distress. She was innocent, obviously frightened of the unknown, and it was his duty to help her get over her fear, not increase it.
He leaned forward and captured her hands in his. “It’s going to be all right,” he told her, his voice a husky whisper.
The look she gave him told him she didn’t believe him. “Then you aren’t interested in renegotiating?”
“Renegotiating what?”
“Your benefits.”
He slowly shook his head. She pulled her hands away from him. “Alesandra, everything will be fine,” he told her again.
“So you say,” she countered in a bare whisper. “But I don’t have any information to prove you’re right. Do you happen to have any material on the subject I could read before going to bed?”
He leaned back, propped his leg against the opposite seat, and stared at her. To his credit, he didn’t smile. “What kind of material?”
“I thought you might have a manual . . . or something,” she explained. She was trying to stop herself from twisting her hands together so he wouldn’t notice how nervous she was. “Just something that would explain what’s going to happen,” she added with a deliberate shrug. “I’m only mildly curious, you understand.”
He understood she was completely terrified. He nodded so she would think he believed her lie, then asked in a casual tone of voice, “Didn’t you say that the mother superior told you everything you needed to know?”
She didn’t answer him for a long while. Colin patiently waited. Alesandra turned to look out the window. It was dark outside, but the moon was bright enough for her to recognize the street they were on and to realize they were almost home. She wasn’t going to panic, she told herself. She was a fully
grown woman and it was ridiculous to get so upset.
“Alesandra, answer me,” Colin ordered.
She tried to hide her embarrassment and sound nonchalant when she finally explained. “Mother Superior did have a private talk with me, but now I realize she didn’t give me sufficient information.”
“Exactly what did she tell you?”
She didn’t want to continue with this topic and was sorry she’d ever brought it up. “Oh, this and that,” she whispered with a shrug.
Colin wouldn’t let it go. “Exactly what this and that?”
The carriage came to a stop in front of his town house. She all but lunged for the latch. Colin grabbed her hand and held it. “You haven’t answered me yet,” he reminded her.
She stared at his hand on top of hers. It was at least twice the size of her own and, dear God, why hadn’t she paid attention to his size before? She hadn’t thought she’d be sharing his bed, she reminded herself. At least not for years and years, until she’d grown comfortable with the idea . . . and, Lord, how naive that ignorant belief was. Alesandra suddenly felt like a complete fool.
She really should have insisted on becoming a nun after all, she decided.
“Mother Superior said I wasn’t suited for the holy order.” She blurted that thought aloud, then let out a sigh. “I’m not humble enough. She told me so.”
She was deliberately trying to turn the topic. Colin knew exactly what she was up to, of course. “And what did she tell you about the marriage bed?”
She turned her gaze back to his hand when she finally answered. “She said that a woman’s body is like a temple. There, I’ve told it. Now will you let go of me? I wish to get out.”
“Not yet,” he countered. The tenderness in his voice cut through some of her embarrassment.
“You’re going to make me tell it all, aren’t you?”
He smiled over the disgruntled look on her face. “Yes,” he agreed. “I’m going to make you tell it all.”
“Colin, you probably haven’t noticed, but this topic embarrasses me.”
“I noticed.”
She heard the thread of amusement in his voice but refused to look up at him, for she knew that if she saw him smiling, she would probably start in screaming.
“Are you embarrassed?” she asked.
“No.”
She tried to pull her hand away from his again. He held tight. Lord, he was stubborn. She knew he wasn’t going to let her out of the carriage until she explained.
“Men will want to worship there,” she blurted out.
“Where?” he asked, his confusion obvious.
“At the temple,” she told him in a near shout.
He didn’t laugh. He let go of her hand and leaned back. His leg effectively blocked her exit in the event she still wanted to bolt. “I see,” he replied. He kept his voice as neutral as possible, hoping his casual attitude would ease her distress.
The color had come back into her face with a vengeance. She looked like she was suffering from sunburn now. Colin found her innocence incredibly pleasing.
“What else did she tell you?” he asked.
“I mustn’t let them.”
“Worship?”
She nodded. “I mustn’t let anyone touch me until I married. Then Mother Superior assured me it was all right because the result of the union was worthy and noble.”
She glanced up to see how he was reacting to her explanation, noticed his incredulous expression, and thought he didn’t quite understand. “A child is the worthy result.”
“I gathered as much.”
Alesandra sat back and turned her attention to straightening the folds in her gown. A long minute passed in silence before Colin spoke again. “She left out a few details, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” Alesandra whispered. She was relieved Colin finally understood her lack of knowledge. “If there was a book or a manual I could read . . .”
“I don’t have anything on the topic in my study,” he told her. “I don’t even know if there is such a thing in print.”
“But surely . . .”
“Oh, there are books around, but not the kind I would ever allow you to read,” he said with a nod. “They aren’t sold on the open market, either.”
Colin reached over, flipped the latch up, and pushed the door open. He kept his gaze on his blushing bride all the while.
“What do you suggest I do?”
She asked her lap that question. He nudged her chin up and forced her to look at him. Her blue eyes were cloudy with worry. “I suggest you trust me.”
It sounded more like an order than a suggestion to her. She decided she was going to have to trust him, however, for the simple reason that she didn’t have any other options available to her. She gave him a quick nod. “All right then. I’ll trust you.”
Her immediate agreement pleased him. Colin understood why she wanted to know beforehand exactly what was going to happen. It was a way for Alesandra to gain control. The more she knew, the less afraid she would be.
It was usual and customary for a young lady to get the needed information from her mother, of course. At least, Colin thought that was how it worked. He assumed his mother had spoken to his sister Catherine about the marriage act. Regardless, Alesandra’s mother had died before her daughter was old enough to need such knowledge.
And so one of the nuns had tried to take over the duty. “Exactly how old is this mother superior?” he asked.
“She looks eighty, but I imagine she’s probably younger,” Alesandra replied. “I never dared ask her. Why do you ask?”
“Never mind,” he said. He turned the topic back to her worry. “Alesandra, I’m going to explain everything you need to know.”
The tenderness in his voice felt like a soothing stroke against her cheek. “You will?”
“Yes,” he promised almost absentmindedly. His mind was occupied trying to picture the ancient nun explaining the facts of life to Alesandra, using such descriptive words as temple and worship. Lord, he wished he’d been there to hear the private discussion.
Alesandra saw the sparkle in Colin’s eyes and immediately jumped to the conclusion that her naivete amused him.
“I’m sorry I’m acting so . . . inexperienced.”
“You are inexperienced,” he gently reminded her.
“Yes, and I’m sorry.”
Colin laughed. “I’m not,” he told her.
“You’ll really answer all my questions?” she asked, still not certain she believed him. “You won’t leave anything out? I don’t like surprises.”
“I won’t leave anything out.”
She let out a sigh. She quit twisting the wrinkles in her gown, too. Colin’s promise had just helped her regain control of her fear. She didn’t even mind that he found her embarrassment amusing. He was going to give her the necessary information and that was all that counted. Her relief made her weak with gratitude.
“Well, then, it’s going to be all right,” she announced. “Shouldn’t we get out of the carriage now?”
Colin agreed. He jumped out first, then turned to assist Alesandra. Both the guards were frowning with obvious concern for their princess. They wanted her under lock and key.
Flannaghan hovered in the doorway, waiting to greet his new mistress. He took her cloak from her, draped it over his arm, and then gave her his heartfelt congratulations.
“If you would like to go upstairs now I’ll prepare your bathwater, Princess,” he suggested.
The idea of a long hot bath after the stress-filled day appealed to her. It would be her second today, but Mother Superior had told her that cleanliness was next to godliness, so she didn’t feel at all decadent.
“Colin’s going to have a talk with me in the study,” she told Flannaghan. “I’ll have my bath after.”
“Have your bath first,” Colin suggested. “I have some papers to look over.”
It was a lie, of course. Colin didn’t have any intention of working on his
wedding night, but he thought a bath might help relax Alesandra, and she looked in need of the diversion.
It had been one hell of a wedding day for her, and even though she appeared to be a little less worried and a little more in control of her emotions now, he knew her nerves were still frayed.
“As you wish,” Alesandra agreed. She turned to follow the butler up the steps. Colin was right behind her.
“Was it a beautiful wedding?” Flannaghan asked.
“Oh, yes,” Alesandra answered, her voice filled with enthusiasm. “Everything went quite well. Didn’t it, Colin?”
“You were almost kidnapped,” he reminded her.
“Yes, but other than that, it was wonderful, wasn’t it?”
“And terrorized.”
“Yes, but . . .”
“They destroyed your wedding dress.”
She stopped on the top step and whirled around to glare at him. She obviously didn’t want to be reminded of those incidents.
“Every bride wishes to believe her wedding was perfect,” she announced.
He winked at her. “Then it was perfect,” he announced.
She smiled, satisfied.
Flannaghan waited until he and Alesandra were alone in her bedroom to nag the details out of her. Raymond and Stefan carried in additional buckets of hot, steaming water to fill the oval tub. The butler had thoughtfully unpacked her clothes and had placed a white gown and wrapper on her bed.
She took her time in the bath. The hot water relaxed her and helped ease the tension out of her shoulders. She washed her hair with the rose-scented soap, then sat by the hearth to dry it. Alesandra didn’t worry about hurrying because she knew Colin was busy working and had probably already lost track of the time.
At least an hour had passed before she decided to interrupt him. Her hair was completely dry, but after she put on her robe, she took another ten minutes or so brushing the curls again. She was yawning every other minute. The hot bath, added to the heat radiating from the fire in the hearth, made her drowsy, and she didn’t want to fall asleep during Colin’s explanation.
She went down the hallway to the study. She knocked on the door, then walked inside. Colin wasn’t at his desk. Alesandra wasn’t certain if he’d gone into his bedroom or downstairs. She decided to wait in the study for him, assuming he would want to have his talk with her there, and went over to the desk to collect a sheet of paper. She was just reaching for the pen and inkwell when Colin appeared in the doorway to his bedroom.
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