With His Ring (Brides of Bath Book 2) (7 page)

"It doesn't seem that you two have been
together very much," Diana countered.

"You forget the mornings when you've been
taking a tray in bed. Blanks and I have breakfasted together every
morning and have spent a great deal of time outdoors with one
another." Glee sighed happily. "I wonder what it is about the fresh
air that makes gentlemen so amorous?" She felt guilty for
misleading her sister, but there was nothing she wouldn't do for
Blanks, and he had told her to convince everyone theirs was a love
match.

Diana smiled smugly. "Then you two have
kissed?"

Glee's heart tripped. "Any number of times,"
she said casually.
Would that it were so.

"Oh, Glee," Diana exclaimed, rising from her
chair and throwing her arms around Glee. "I'm truly happy for
you."

The door to the morning room opened and the
gentlemen entered. George went to stand behind his wife and
lovingly put his hands on her shoulders. "I am, too," he said,
looking at Glee. "You've made me a very happy brother."

To her utter surprise, Blanks came to stand
behind Glee and, obviously taking a cue from George, put his hands
on her shoulders. "Me too, my love," Blanks said to her.

Glee's heart melted. She didn't know which
made her the happiest. His hands on her or hearing him address her
as
my love
. Even if such actions were nothing more than a
sham, she relished them. She fully realized, albeit with
disappointment, he didn't care a fig for her. But Glee Pembroke,
soon to be Mrs. Blankenship, had a great deal of confidence in
herself.
I will make him love me.
A pity Blanks was so very
stubborn.

"When is the date to be?" Diana asked.

"Four weeks from Sunday," George said. "In
our village church."

Diana looked puzzled but said nothing.

"In the meantime, love," Blanks said to
Glee, "you have much to do. You must select a house for us in Bath
and set about furnishing it."

"And you'll need a trousseau," Diana
reminded Glee.

Glee bit at her lip. "I don't suppose,
Diana. . ."

"Georgette will be fine with her nurse and
wet nurse," Diana finished. "I'll be delighted to accompany you to
Bath."

Bless Diana! "You're a jewel," Glee said to
her.

Blanks bent and kissed Glee on the top of
her shining auburn hair. "It pains me to tell you, love, I return
to Bath within the hour."

Really, he could have made his fortune on
the stage! He sounded so convincing. To think, he even kissed her
on the top of her head! The odious man avoided her lips! She very
strongly desired to receive a
real
kiss from her
betrothed.

* * *

That afternoon Blanks returned to Bath. The
three others paraded through the manor's impressive front doors to
see him off as the groom brought around his horse. Before he
climbed on the mount, Gregory took both of Glee's hands. "I shall
miss you dreadfully, my love."

She smiled up at him. "It won't be but three
days until we're reunited, my darling."

As Blanks stood there gazing upon her with a
decidedly forlorn look, Glee's heart fluttered. Then he bent to
kiss her, and her stomach vaulted as she rose on her toes to taste
him. The touch of his lips was magical. It was as if the birds
chorused louder when their lips came together, stopping her pulse.
She quite forgot there were any other creatures on earth, save
Blanks and her and perhaps the happily singing birds. She delighted
in his musky scent and the sturdy feel of him. The man was a
positive paradox. So very large and so excruciatingly tender.

Then she nearly unraveled when his arms came
around her. She felt unbelievably feminine. And ripe with
womanhood.

He managed to terminate the kiss but
continued to hold her—even more tightly. "I'll miss you," he said
throatily.

He sounded so convincing!
I shall miss
you too
. She wanted to say the words but found she had lost her
voice.

Then he pulled away and mounted his bay. He
tipped his hat to George. "I thank you and Lady Sedgewick for your
hospitality—and for making me the happiest of men." Then he rode
off without a backward glance at Glee.

Look out, Edmund Kean
, Glee mused.
The greatest actor in England now undoubtedly was Gregory
Blankenship. Anyone watching that parting scene would be thoroughly
convinced of his deep affection for her.

* * *

During the next few days Glee was so busy
with wedding arrangements and packing for Bath that she had little
time to dwell of Blanks. Until her last night at Hornsby Manor.
Exhausted from her preparations, she sank into bed, fully intending
to sleep, but she was unable to do so. Blanks kept intruding on her
thoughts. It was hard to believe she would be Mrs. Blankenship
before the month was out.

She was fully aware that marrying the man
she adored would not guarantee any happily-ever-afters. She knew
the road ahead would be difficult to navigate. It would be uphill
all the way. But she had confidence in her abilities to snare his
affections—given time. It wasn't as if they didn't already
like
each other. She expected Blanks would be solicitous of
her. That was a start. And he
had
said she was pretty. Which
assured her that she did not repulse him physically. Thank
goodness.

But now that she was embarking on marriage
with him, she realized her
hopes
to ensnare his heart
weren't good enough. She needed a plan. Like a general in battle.
For the unbudgingly stubborn Gregory Blankenship was a mighty
opponent.

The rest of the night she assembled in her
mind the weapons that would carry her to victory. The most
important of these was her love for him. Because she cared so
deeply for him, she wanted to learn everything she could about him.
Her mission in life would be to see to his happiness. If haddock
was what he desired at dinner, haddock he would get. If he desired
to stay out every night with his friends, nary a criticizing word
would come from her.

From little things he had jokingly said over
the years, she had come to realize that his stepmother held no love
for him. Since his mother had died at his birth, he had likely
never known the love of a woman. True love, that is. Her heart
ached for the lonely child he must have been. Glee was prepared to
swaddle him in love and drench him with affection.

She had other plans, too. Not only would she
not interfere in his pleasure pursuits, but she also meant to join
him. They would continue to be the best of friends.

Friendship, she had observed, was the
foundation of all good marriages. If her schemes came to fruition,
Blanks would grow tired of his hedonistic ways and long for his own
estate, complete with loving wife and children. Then he would know
true happiness.

Children. Surely Blanks would want them
someday. She could not imagine life without them. Somewhere down
their uneven road, she and Blanks would start a family. Even if she
had told her betrothed she would be happy without them.

If, in the coming years, he was still
opposed to fathering children, she told herself she would respect
his feelings. As much as she wanted children, she wanted Blanks
more.

She had one last weapon to employ in her
battle to win Blanks' heart, but she wouldn't use it until after
they were married.

Chapter 6

Having checked into Bath's Sheridan Arms
Hotel and overseen the unpacking of her bags, Glee now hastened to
Number 7, Diana's chambers. They had decided against staying at
Diana's brother's estate because its location three miles from the
city would be less convenient than the hotel.

Diana, now changed from her traveling
clothes, opened the door and stepped into the hallway, slipping a
shawl around her shoulders as she looked up and saw Glee. "I was
just leaving to go to your chambers," she said with a laugh.

The two women descended the stairs to the
ground floor, speaking all the while. "According to Blanks's letter
there are three prime townhouses on the market and I am to take my
pick of them," Glee said. "The Harrison's house on Queen Square, I
am sure, will undoubtedly outshine the others. You've been there,
have you not?"

"A lovely home," Diana answered, "and such
an excellent location."

Glee nodded her agreement. "Between the
Upper Assembly Rooms and the Pump Room. Even if it weren't one of
the finest houses in Bath, I believe I would choose it for where
it's located." They strolled through the opulent lobby and out the
door to High Street. Glee fastened her pelisse and braced against
the chilly wind that greeted them outside.

"Are we going there first?" Diana asked.

"Yes, I thought we'd walk since it's so
near."

Soon they walked along the pavement on
Milsom Street. Glee felt somewhat guilty that she hadn't let her
betrothed know she was already in Bath. Somehow, she had thought he
might be displeased to learn she was coming a day early. His
insistence on posting bans instead of marrying by special license
as did others of their class, told her he wished to cling to his
bachelorhood every extra day he possibly could.

A pity he was not as anxious to be with her
as she was to be with him.

She and Diana lifted their skirts as they
crossed the street where last night's rain had puddled. They barely
squeezed between a hay cart and a hansom before making it to the
other side of Milsom. Glee glanced at the front window of Mrs.
Simmons's Millinery Creations. She was surprised the crippled lad
who was always in front of the shop was not there. Then she
remembered this was the time of day he would be riding the pony
given him by Diana's brother.

Next, her thoughts turned to Blanks. Glee
decided she would not see him until that night. She would wait
until late afternoon, then send along a note to his lodgings
informing him she had come early. Her stomach somersaulted at the
thought of seeing him again. Her own Blanks. Would he hasten to the
hotel to see her? Would they go to the Upper Assembly Rooms
together tonight? Would he hold her in his arms as they
waltzed?

"I hadn't realized how much I missed Bath,"
Glee said.

Diana nodded. "I love it here. It's my
favorite place."

Glee was aware of how well traveled her
sister-in-law was. "Really? Why is that?"

"Can't you guess?"

A smile broke across Glee's face. "Let me
see, would it be because Bath is where you met, fell in love with,
and married my brother?"

"Correct answer. I can see that you come
from intelligent stock."

"Undoubtedly. And I am sure my baby niece
already is in possession of remarkable brains. As to her father,
though," Glee said with a smile, "I am not so sure."

Diana playfully swatted at Glee. "How could
you malign such a wonderful creature?"

"My brother a wonderful creature? I fear
some supernatural power has cast a besotted spell over you. What
else could explain such devotion a full year after you two began to
live as man and wife?"

Diana rolled her eyes. "If you're going to
be wed, you must be aware that many married people are devoted to
one another." Diana's voice gentled. "Like George and me."

Yes, that's the kind of marriage Glee
wanted, too.
If only
.

At that precise moment Glee saw her
betrothed and Carlotta Ennis strolling along the pavement on the
other side of the street. If she hadn't so recently crossed the
street, Glee would have come up to him face-to-face. The flamboyant
widow he was with had been acquainted with Glee's family for many
years. She and Glee's sister Felicity had accompanied their first
husbands to Portugal, where both men were killed during the
Peninsular Campaign.

"Look, Diana, there's Blanks and Mrs. Ennis!
Let's cross the street."

Diana stiffened, and her eyes went cold. Her
fingers dug into Glee's arm.

Why was Diana acting like this? Had she
taken a sudden aversion to Blanks? Glee's eyes followed Blanks and
Carlotta Ennis as they entered a tea shop. Were they going to
nuncheon there? How peculiar. "What's the matter with you, Di?"

Diana shook her head. "Nothing. It's just. .
.just that we really must hurry to Queen Square. You do have an
appointment to look at the house."

She's lying
. Why did Diana so
strongly wish to avoid Blanks? Surely he hadn't---

All of a sudden, Glee's heart thudded. And
she knew why Diana was acting so peculiarly. Diana was privy to
information that was withheld from Glee. George shared everything
with her.
Including the fact that Carlotta Ennis was Blanks's
mistress
.

* * *

Gregory had been putting off this meeting
with Carlotta for as long as he could, but with Glee arriving
tomorrow, he could postpone it no longer. He had wanted to delay
the voluptuous Carlotta's anguish, to delay the tears he knew would
come. For Carlotta clearly loved him. She had craved his every
touch at the expense of her good name.

She had lured him into her bed despite that
he had told her from the beginning he would never offer marriage.
When it became clear she could not bring him to the altar, she
banished her pride and begged to be his mistress. In the year since
she had been under his protection, there had been no occasion when
she had not eagerly welcomed him into her bed no matter what time
day or night.
I live to be in your arms, my darling,
she had
often huskily whispered to him during their heated lovemaking.

From across the small, linen-topped table,
Gregory watched the lovely Carlotta with her radiant black hair,
his eyes traveling to the rising and falling of her generous
breasts that spilled into her purple gown.

"What's the matter, my love?" Carlotta asked
with a trembling voice.