Loving the Marquess (13 page)

“The Evans cottage will be ready for tonight?”

“Of course. I can’t imagine why you would want to spend the
night there. Your rooms here would be infinitely more comfortable.”

Yes, but along with that comfort came a staff that would
notice the marquess and his new marchioness hadn’t spent their wedding night
together. He also knew that he wouldn’t be in any mood to continue the pretense
of newly wedded bliss with the few guests who would be spending the night and
departing for home sometime tomorrow.

He shrugged, hoping the movement appeared casual. “I thought
a little privacy would be nice. I am sure you understand.”

His grandmother smiled and he experienced a twinge of guilt
at deceiving her.

* * *
* *

Nicholas waited for her at the base of the stairs, but this
time Louisa was prepared for the strength of her reaction to him. He was
dressed in black, the somber color stark against his white shirt and cravat.
His dark brown hair, worn a little long, seemed to blend into the black of his
topcoat. She hadn’t noticed the slight bronze tone to his skin before, but
against his snow-white cravat it was proof that he enjoyed the outdoors. She
already knew he liked to ride. He was truly one of the most handsome men she
had ever met.

When she reached the bottom of the staircase, he held out
his arm and she took it. She knew to expect the frisson of awareness that went
through her.

He smiled down at her, but she noticed that his smile didn’t
reach his eyes. “I will be the envy of every man here.”

She knew her dress complemented her fair coloring. The light
blue silk gown, with its low bodice and skirt that flowed over her slim form,
shimmered with every step she took. She had never seen fabric quite like it,
and it was by far the most beautiful dress she had ever owned.

“And I, no doubt, will be the object of much resentment from
the single women present who had hoped to attract your attention.”

Nicholas laughed at her words, and she was happy to see that
a little bit of warmth had crept back into his face.

“I will only become more nervous the longer we delay,” she
continued.

“You’ll do well. You can take comfort in the fact that
Grandmother has given you her seal of approval.”

“She has been most kind to me,” she said, though the truth
was “kind” was a vast understatement. The Dowager Marchioness of Overlea had
welcomed her with open arms into the family. Had it not been for her aid and
tutelage over the last three weeks, Louisa feared she would be hiding in her
rooms right now.

Nicholas led the way to the ballroom. When they entered, a
hush fell over the room and all eyes turned to them. Speculation hung dense in
the air as everyone tried to get a good look at her. After what seemed an eternity,
Sommers announced them. The words “The Marquess and Marchioness of Overlea”
dropped into the room with the force of a cannon blast. There was a moment of
suspended silence, then there was a cacophony of whispers, gasps, and people
pushing forward, hoping for an introduction. It was too much, but Nicholas had
only to raise a hand and silence fell once again.

He drew her closer to him. “We are so glad you could all
come to celebrate what is the happiest day of our lives. You will all have the
opportunity to meet my lovely bride, but first I must beg your indulgence as I
promised her a dance before you all steal her away from me.”

Together, they made their way to the center of the room and
Nicholas turned to face her. With butterflies rioting inside her, she stepped
into his arms and tried to push back the knowledge that every person in the
room was looking at her. It was her first time waltzing in public since
learning the dance from the dance master Lady Overlea had hired and she sent up
a silent prayer that she wouldn’t trip. It was soon clear to her, however, that
Nicholas was not a novice to the dance. He was careful to maintain a suitable
distance between them as he glided with her across the ballroom floor, but
Louisa could not help but be aware of how close their bodies were. She
remembered, again, that first kiss she had shared with him, when he had pulled
her into bed with him, and how she had pulled away just when the kiss
threatened to become so much more. Tonight, however, she would not stop him.

Curious if he was thinking about the same thing, she looked
up into his eyes and was disappointed to see that the warmth had disappeared
again. He had asked her earlier if she regretted agreeing to marry him, but now
she couldn’t help but wonder if he was the one having second thoughts.

The music came to an end and Nicholas bowed over her hand,
brushing a soft kiss on its back. Aware that everyone was watching them, she
smiled and tried to convince herself as well as their audience that nothing was
amiss.

* * *
* *

The Earl of Kerrick stood off to the side, making small talk
with some of his and Nicholas’s mutual friends. They had all been shocked to
learn of Nicholas’s hasty marriage and more than a few had tried to prize the
details of their courtship from him. They all assumed the bride-to-be had been
compromised and that Overlea had no choice but to marry her. Kerrick knew
better, but he would never reveal the real reason behind the marriage.

It had been almost three weeks since Nicholas had laid his
shocking proposal before him, yet he still couldn’t believe that his friend was
serious. Under normal circumstances, Nicholas was not the type of man to stand
by and allow another man to bed his wife.

He was only half-listening to the conversation around him as
he watched the newly wedded couple dance. A few others joined them in waltzing,
but the majority were occupied with their speculations. He glanced toward a
group of older women, some of whom had hoped to ensnare Nicholas as a prize for
their own daughters. Their disdain for the new marchioness was plain to see.
When Nicholas’s grandmother joined them, however, their expressions changed.
They might disapprove of Nicholas’s wife, but they would never display that
disapproval to the marquess or his family.

The last notes of the song played and most of the men in his
small group broke off to claim their partners for the next dance, a quadrille.
Kerrick choose to keep his attention on the newly married couple. He knew no
one would question his interest. As the groom’s closest friend, they would
assume he was horrified at the idea of his friend having been ensnared and
forced to wed.

Kerrick was circling the dance floor, trying to see where
the guests of honor had gone, when the next dance began. As he passed the
refreshment table, however, his attention was captured by a woman who appeared
to be arguing with a young man. Their voices were low and they were partially
hidden behind a column, so their argument had not been noticed by those around
him. Kerrick was appalled at how cavalierly the man was treating the woman.

He abandoned his quest to find Nicholas and rounded the
column. The pair stopped arguing and turned to look at him. The woman bore a
marked resemblance to the bride. He’d only met them briefly earlier today, but
the arguing couple appeared to be the bride’s siblings.

The woman, Catherine Evans if he remembered correctly, was
clearly embarrassed at having been caught engaging in such unseemly behavior,
but her brother showed no sign of remorse.

Kerrick turned to the girl, who was just as beautiful as her
older sister. Pale blond hair curled becomingly around her face, her skin
creamy as silk, and her eyes… good heavens, he had never before seen eyes that
were such a vibrant shade of blue. How had he failed to notice that this
morning?

“Can I be of assistance?” he asked.

The young man answered for her.

“Thank you for your concern, but my sister and I were merely
having a minor disagreement.”

Kerrick had two sisters of his own and he still remembered
how some of their arguments had reached almost epic proportions.

“If I noticed your argument, others might as well. You
should probably go somewhere more private if you plan to continue.”

He bowed briefly before retreating. He couldn’t help but
think it was a pity Miss Evans was so young. Not yet fully out, if he wasn’t
mistaken.

The rest of the evening flew by in a
blur for Louisa. Aside from family members, she hadn’t known any of the guests,
most of whom were members of the ton who had traveled to Overlea Manor for what
they’d thought was a ball to announce Nicholas’s betrothal. Lady Overlea had
taken Louisa under her wing and introduced her to everyone. As the hours wore
on, her head began to ache from the effort of trying to remember the names of
all the people she had met.

Louisa had caught only glimpses of her husband after their
dance. She’d danced with many of the men at the ball, but Nicholas hadn’t
danced with any of the women. She wasn’t the only one who noted that fact.

She couldn’t help but be aware of the glares some of the
women cast in her direction. The worst were those who didn’t bother trying to
be discreet in examining her midsection. She knew there was speculation about
the reason behind the haste of their marriage, but no one said anything
directly to her. She would have to pretend not to notice. When no baby appeared
before the ninth month of their marriage, anyone who thought she was already
with child would know they were wrong.

By the time the late-night supper was to be served, Louisa’s
energy was starting to flag. She hadn’t been able to sleep the night before and
the nap she had taken that afternoon hadn’t been a long one. She was exhausted
and Nicholas noticed. After the supper, when everyone else returned to the
ballroom, he drew her aside.

“You’re tired,” he said.

“I’m afraid I am not used to keeping such later hours, and
the nap I took earlier was not a very long one.”

As if to give proof to her words, she yawned. The corner of
his mouth lifted as she colored with embarrassment.

“Would you like to cause a few more tongues to start
wagging?”

She wasn’t certain if she should be courting more gossip,
but the glint of mischievousness in his eyes had her curious.

“What are you thinking?”

“I think we should slip out the servants’ entrance and make
our way to your cottage.”

Louisa’s stomach turned over at the suggestion and a new set
of nerves assailed her, but there was no point in putting off their wedding
night. She nodded her assent.

He beamed at her and Louisa could see a hint of what he must
have been like as a child. She wondered if their son would have that same gleam
in his eye when he was up to mischief.

He grasped her hand in his much larger one and led the way
out of the ballroom and down to the kitchen. They passed a few servants on the
way, but he raised a finger to his lips to silence their questions. Louisa did
not miss the amused glances the servants aimed at them as she and Nicholas
escaped out the kitchen door.

Caught up in the moment, she laughed as they made their way
to the stables. Nicholas had thought ahead and a curricle had already been
prepared for their departure. It did not take long for the horses to be brought
out from their stalls and harnessed. His eyes were still sparkling when he helped
her into the conveyance and climbed in after her.

There was a blanket on the seat between them, which he
unfolded and tucked in around her. The intimacy of the act put all her senses
on high alert. He must have felt it, too, for his hands stilled and his eyes
locked with hers for an unbearably long moment before he looked away and took
up the reins.

She’d never ridden at night before. The evening was cold,
but clear, the sky filled with a thousand stars. She was filled with
exhilaration as they drove away from the Overlea Manor like two thieves.

She must have dozed during the half hour trip for the next
thing she knew the curricle was slowing to a stop outside the cottage and she
found herself pressed against Nicholas’s side. She straightened with a jolt,
embarrassment flooding through her.

Nicholas sprang down from the curricle and reached up to
help her down. His hands at her waist were warm and they remained there for
several moments after her feet were on the ground. Their gazes locked. Gone was
his playful mood. He looked down at her in silence, his expression serious. She
found herself hoping he was going to kiss her. Instead, he dropped his hands
after several seconds and took a step back. She felt the loss of his touch
keenly.

“The grooms will be busy at Overlea Manor, so I’ll see to
the horses,” he said.

Louisa could only nod before entering the cottage. She
shouldn’t have been surprised that the door was opened by a footman. She’d
thought they would be alone, but the hushed voices coming from the kitchen told
her that at least a few servants had been dispatched to see to their comfort.

Other than that, everything was still as they had left it
that morning. She made a mental note to speak to Reverend Harnick about
donating the cottage’s furniture to other families in need.

She made her way above stairs and headed to her parents’
bedroom, which she knew had been prepared for the wedding night. When she
entered the room she was amazed at the transformation. The coverlet was a rich
blue, threaded through with gold. It was turned down and she could see that the
formerly threadbare sheets had also been replaced with sheets made from a fine,
satiny material of pure white. She ran her hands over the cool fabric, then
over the new plump pillows, and sighed. She had never imagined sleeping on such
material before, but of course, sleeping was not all she would be doing on it.

She turned to take in the rest of the room. The furniture
was the same, but all the fabrics and accessories had been changed. The windows
were covered with drapes in a blue brocade that matched the coverlet. There was
even a new carpet on the floor. She took a peek inside the wardrobe, which now
housed an impressive collection of clothing for both Nicholas and herself. She
found it difficult to believe that so much work had been done for one night’s
stay and wondered if Nicholas planned to stay longer.