Chelynne (2 page)

The titled name stuck in her mind and she had a picture of an aging earl, wrinkled and thin, taking her away from home. She swallowed hard and shuddered.

“His father is coming here to negotiate the dowry and have a look at you. The earl ages and you will wed the heir to that family seat. There is a great deal of wealth there. We’re most fortunate that he will even consider you.”

“Why would he even consider me?” she asked stupidly.

Sheldon smiled proudly. “Because I boasted the land I offered as your dowry to be valuable and fertile and you to be the most beautiful woman in England. Neither is even slightly exaggerated.”

“Did my father leave a dowry?”

“Your father left you only your uncle, love. I’m afraid there is nothing but that gold coin that your mother wore about her neck and this small portrait of your father.”

Some of Chelynne’s acquaintances had married even younger than this, going off to isolated manor houses in the country to bear brats for doddering old knights and barons. Even though her uncle had not described him, she could envision the groom. He would be a silly old man or imbecilic young gallant with skinny legs and a long nose. To a man like her uncle, a good match meant money and prestige. Title was all the mode.

“I imagine he is rich,” she thought aloud.

“Rich? He is richer than his own father, whose title and money he will inherit. I met him a few years ago and I gather he’s acquired much wealth since then.”

“And thin,” she guessed.

“He’s a fine figure,” Sheldon laughed. “I’ve had your best interest at heart, darling, and I don’t mind telling you it’s a great deal easier to get you wed than that fop of a son of mine. I’ll be fortunate to find a woman who will have Harry.”

Chelynne smiled at this open slander of her cousin. It was music to her ears for she had never liked him. Tolerating him was a chore she was obliged to do for Sheldon’s sake. Harry was doted upon by his mother, and Sheldon’s attentions toward Chelynne caused no small amount of chafing in this household. If she had to wed someone like Harry she would slit her throat.

She cringed unconsciously at the thought, a grimace growing on her pretty face.

“Chelynne, does the thought of marriage truly distress you?”

“I fear it does,” she said honestly. “I hadn’t thought on it and now that it’s here...it frightens me.”

He frowned. “Then perhaps you are not ready, but your years will not allow us to wait. The earl is not a patient man when he’s made his mind.”

“But he hasn’t made his mind yet, Uncle. Perhaps when he sees me he will—”

“Chelynne, when he sees you it will be all I can do to prevent him from taking you away on the spot. Now calm down, darling, there’s nothing to fear. Your mother was married at your age and she did fine.”

“Will...” The words seemed frozen in her throat but she pressed them out quickly. “Will he keep me with him from the wedding day?”

“Of course,” Sheldon answered in astonishment. Then Chelynne’s eyes went quickly to her lap and Sheldon knew what she had intended to ask. “There will be no delay in the consummation, sweetheart. I don’t think you need fear it. As I said, I met the man and he appears to be a gentleman. It has to happen sometime, Chelynne.”

She gulped and Sheldon laughed. “There will come a day, dear child, when you will laugh at yourself for this fear. I expect you’ll be round with babe in no time and wonder what you shied at.”

Oh, God, it was too much. She hadn’t even settled herself on the act and he had her delivering a child. Her complexion lightened to a pale ivory, the pink gone from her cheeks. Sheldon noticed but disregarded her reaction.

“Your mother lived in a different age when her marriage was arranged. You’ve never been to court. I purposely had you reared away from it and the reason is this: I find most of their habits morally corrupt. It is the fault of arranging marriages in which no romance is possible. I did not interest myself solely in the title of the man or his wealth. My major concern was with his character and personal habits. I would have you wed a man you could love, hold faithful to, and cherish for all time. I see those possibilities in this match. I have selected a man you should find little fault with.”

“How soon?”

“The earl will visit us within the next two months and no doubt the wedding will follow shortly. Accept this graciously, dear. You might be nervous but I trust you to conceal it well. My mind is made.”

“Yes, sir,” she murmured, feeling a little dejected now.

“You’ll have a fine title and will be presented at court, darling. There are advantages to marriage.”

Her face brightened some small bit. Yes, there were advantages, she thought. She had spent years visiting other noble families in and out of England. Grande dames filled her head with the glamorous stories of being in the company of the king and queen. As any child would, she began to turn her head to other thoughts, a handsome husband, a position at court, gowns, jewels, money...she smiled at Sheldon.

“That’s better,” he approved. “You’ll get used to the idea.”

It was a long while later that she left her uncle’s study. They had talked of other things, theirs being a relationship closer than that of most fathers and daughters. He doted on her, but in respect to her dead parents, took the responsibility of seeing her brought into womanhood with the greatest of care. She had never doubted his devotion and, because of this gentle man’s dauntless love, she had no longing for truer parents.

Welby Manor was nearly perfect for her. The only imperfection was the lack of love she had from her aunt Eleanor. And of course Harry. But Chelynne had Stella’s love and did not crave any more maternal devotion than that. She had long ago accepted Eleanor’s cool attitude toward her. The woman was always cross and insulting except when she came into contact with someone of a higher social station, and then she was unnaturally flattering and pretentious. Sheldon seemed to have a hard time controlling Eleanor’s actions, but when it came to the treatment of Chelynne, Lord Mondeloy found the limit to his tolerance. Eleanor was not allowed to abuse his young niece, not even with a harsh word.

Harry was much worse. His hostility and jealousy were open. He and Chelynne had been squabbling for years whenever they were in the same house. In deference to her uncle, Chelynne avoided that contact, keeping herself as far from her cousin as she could.

On her way to her room she saw the tall straight back of a servant as he carried a tray toward the stairs. She stopped and cleared her throat. He turned, looked her over, and a slow smile spread across his face. “So good to have you home, my lady,” he said with a slight bow.

“You’re looking fit, Gordon,” she replied.

“No longer a little girl,” he commented. “A woman now. Was your journey pleasant?”

“Not nearly swift enough.”

“Is that for my mother?” came a voice. The butler nodded to the young man just descending the stairs.

“Aye, sir. I’m taking it to her now.”

“Then do it! What’re you waiting for?”

Gordon, tall and broad with a bit of gray at his temples, nodded again. “Just a word of welcome to my lady Chelynne, sir.”

“Ah yes, her royal highness.” Harry bowed. “Come home for tidings of the match of the century.”

Chelynne stiffened. Raising her chin, she passed Gordon and maneuvered her way past Harry on the stair. “Nice to see you again, Gordon.”

“We’ve sorely missed your laughter here, my lady,” the butler murmured as she passed.

“So the pauper princess shall wed a viscount. You certainly don’t look like countess material to me,” Harry sneered.

Chelynne turned slowly on the stair, looking down at her cousin with a malicious smile on her lips. “Have you wedding plans, Harry?”

He ground his teeth and his superior smile faded. “I haven’t found the woman worthy,” he baited her.

“Well,” she said, looking over his pudgy frame with open contempt. “Should I chance to meet some fair damsel with as much to hang over her bodice as you pour over your belt, I shall bring her to you posthaste.”

The young man stiffened with indignation. His paunchy gut was a sore spot Chelynne was aware of. She lifted her chin and walked up the stairs, struggling to keep in her laughter. Gordon was on her heels, delivering a snack to Lady Eleanor. As he passed her at the top of the stairs he murmured, “It’ll be nice to have someone around to keep him in check.”

“I shall do my best,” she returned with a smile.

“Very good, madam,” he said as he hastened to his task.

Chelynne spent the remainder of the afternoon in her bedroom. She had many thoughts on the subject of marriage. She had never thought not to marry, but her first experience with love had dawned only the summer before.

It had been Sheldon’s decision to send her to other families for her training. Her education was primary and the summer before she was sent to Lord Stelanthope for his wife to take charge of some of her instruction in etiquette and court manners. In her free time, which was not much, she was allowed to ride. It didn’t take her long to learn how to quickly lose the groom who attended her on her rides, and she had quite a reputation for her mischief. Before she left she had acquired a reputation for a few other indiscretions as well.

She met a young gardener who worked daily on the manor lawns. He was twenty years old and magnificently handsome. Her young body had barely bloomed with the first flushes of womanhood, physical maturity a thing still happening within her supple young form. Reuben coerced her into a kiss. Though reluctant, she found the joining of two mouths pleasing; the sensation of their lips meeting, touching, tasting, and blending brought the first blushing yearnings of womanhood to her. Soon they became very expert at handling this pleasure. It gave her shivers to think of it even now.

She gave up losing the groom on her rides for sport and started dodging him so she could meet Reuben and spend more time alone with him. She was reprimanded by Lady Stelanthope on this misbehavior and sought other means of meeting him. She slipped out at night to be with him, alone in the manor gardens.

Reuben had long since passed pubescent experimenting, but Chelynne was not aware of his emotional maturity. She was shockingly aware of his physical attractions in a way she couldn’t understand. There was something about a simple man bent to physical chores that was so much more appealing than the mincing gallants. Reuben was muscled and lean, extremely handsome and masculine.

The pastime of kissing graduated to touching and his hands brought the most marvelous sensations when he sought out her breasts. Intoxicating delight spiraled through her at the first touch, left her weak and dizzy when they parted, and aching for their next encounter.

Neither of them was satisfied and the true trial came. Chelynne honestly never expected it and she was stunned by the possibility. He wanted her in a hungry way that was most difficult to refuse. He wanted to enter her and be a part of her. He became reckless with desire, begging to marry her and steal her away with him to any corner of the earth. She found it frighteningly impossible to accept and twice as impossible to refuse. It became torturous to be with him and torturous to be away from him.

She thought it a major crisis in her life when she returned to her bedroom one night, disheveled from her appointment with Reuben, to find Lady Stelanthope waiting for her. She was put through grueling examinations to confirm her virginity and sent home to Sheldon. The only saving grace was that the baroness did not give an unsavory explanation to Lord Mondeloy. She reported that they were due at

Hampton Court

to attend the king and queen and could not take Chelynne with them. Chelynne was simultaneously saved and destroyed.

Now at sixteen years she would be married to one of those mincing and delicate lords. Sheldon thought her distaste with the consummation was from fear. It was in truth repugnance. She couldn’t stand the thought of long cold fingers trying to titillate her. She wondered if she could bear her own wedding night. As for being ready, she was never more ready for anything. The spark had been ignited and the flame hid in waiting.

“You’re a moody one, miss,” Stella remarked some time later.

“Aye, I’ve a lot on my mind,” she sighed. “Uncle Sheldon will have me married!”

“Good, good. And when shall we know the groom?”

“Good Lord, Stella! I didn’t say I was about to have dinner. I said I’m going to be married!”

“Aye, lass, and the time is ripe.”

“Ripe? How can you say that? Just this morn you accused me of being the foulest-tempered infant you’ve ever tended.”

Stella chuckled at the reminder. “For the most part you are that,” she sighed. “It’ll take a strong hand to calm you down.”

“And that’s what I have to look forward to?”

“That and a great deal more. Look at yourself, miss. You’ve a woman’s body right enough and that’s what interests his lordship now. He has to see ye wed ‘fore ye spoil yourself.”

“Oh! What a thing to say!”

“‘Tis truth.” The old woman shrugged. “You’ve heard it before now.”

Chelynne fingered the gold coin that hung around her neck. “Was she very much like me?” she asked.