Chapter Fourteen
Joy turned at the knock on the dressing room door. Grace had offered her a bath, and she was looking forward to it. “Come in.”
Flora entered wearing a big smile and carrying a steaming kettle in each hand. “Sir Jansen got me back just in time to help you with your bath. Exactly as is proper.”
Three other maids followed her, each of them bearing more water meant for the grand copper tub waiting in the center of the elaborate dressing room. They emptied their kettles into the bath and filed back out without a word.
“Oh, Flora! Thank heavens you are all right. I was so worried about you and Jasper.” Joy couldn’t resist hugging the maid who had taken such wonderful care of her for the past few years.
“It did get quite scary there for a while, my lady. I shan’t deny it.” The young woman blushed as she set the kettles beside the tub. “But Mr. Jasper assured me we would be safe, and we were.”
Joy couldn’t resist pointing out the obvious. “It would seem neither of us had an appropriate chaperone last night, then, did we?”
Flora ducked her head as she emptied one of the kettles into the tub. “No, my lady.”
“Sir Jansen is leaving today to fetch a special license. Should Jasper go with him to fetch one too?” Joy didn’t wish to pry, but she couldn’t resist. After all, Flora was…well, Flora. Not just a maid but a confidante and trusted friend.
But the girl sighed and shook her head. “No, my lady. Mr. Jasper and I had quite the discussion about that, and I’d prefer if we talked about something else, if you do not mind.”
“Do I need to speak to Jasper? Does Sir Jansen need to speak with him?”
Flora’s eyes flared wide as she added another kettle of hot water to the tub. “No, my lady. Mr. Jasper and I are quite clear on what each of us wants. Now, shall we get you into this bath for a nice, long soak?”
“You know I will defend you, if need be.” Joy wanted to make certain they were clear on that.
“Yes, my lady, and I thank you for that.” Flora made a spinning motion with her hand. “Turn, please, so I can get you undone for your bath.”
Joy did as requested, hoping she hadn’t pried too much. Flora had her pride, and Joy would do nothing to take that from her.
“Good heavens, my lady, who tied the laces on your stays? They are knotted something fierce.”
Joy cleared her throat. “I shall give you three guesses.”
“The way station keeper’s wife?”
“No.”
“Did the way station keeper have a daughter or a beer wench?”
“No.”
Flora tugged harder than usual and muttered something under her breath. “I shall not use my third guess, my lady. I believe I know the answer.”
“Do not be judgmental, Flora. After all, I am marrying the man within days.”
“It is not my place to judge anyone, my lady.” But the maid’s tone said otherwise. “I may have to cut these knots and replace the laces.”
“Do what you must.” Joy refused to feel guilty about last night.
After all, as Jansen had said, had the way station been in Scotland, they would have been considered married as soon as Jansen allowed everyone to think she was his wife.
“By the way, which gowns did we bring? I would like the blue muslin when I say my vows. Did we happen to bring it?”
“We did, my lady. Along with the matching spencer, bonnet, and ribbons, but if you marry here, you’ll not have your mama’s jewels like your sisters did.”
Joy’s heart fell. She had forgotten about Mama’s jewels, which each of the Abarough girls had been promised for their wedding day. “Surely Mama would understand. I can always wear them once I get home—when I attend my first ball as Mrs. Winterstone.”
“I am sure that will be fine, my lady. Into the tub with you now. I have added your favorite oils. Her Grace provided them, and they are of the highest quality.”
Joy slid into the wonderfully hot water, leaned back against the linen-covered slope, and closed her eyes, breathing in the rose-scented steam. “Oh my. This is heaven. Why do you not get yourself a cup of tea? I intend to soak until I fully shrivel.”
Flora laughed. “I have unpacking to do, my lady, since we now have everything safely arrived.”
“Tea first,” Joy said as she closed her eyes, knowing Flora had to be exhausted from last night’s ordeal. “Then unpacking. Please? You deserve it, and I know you want to catch up with your auntie, Mrs. Perridone. I am sure she was worried sick about you.”
“Yes, my lady, and thank you.”
It was the least Joy could do. Gracie had told her how worried the housekeeper, Mrs. Perridone, had been about Flora when she hadn’t arrived with them because of the storm.
She treated herself to another deep inhale of the rose oil and slid even deeper, tempted to douse herself completely, but really not in the mood to wash her hair.
She vaguely thought she heard the door click again, but ignored it.
After all, Flora had barely had time to get downstairs, much less enjoy a cup of tea.
And then another familiar scent washed across her: sandalwood and citrus.
She opened her eyes to Jansen’s devilish smile. “You shouldn’t be in here,” she whispered sharply.
“I was offered a bath, my lady. Far be it from me to decline such hospitality.”
“Not in this dressing room. I am sure Gracie meant the one across the hall, in your dressing room!”
He ambled closer, slowly untying his neckerchief as he moved. “I prefer this one. Most definitely. We can be of great help to one another and our servants. If we wash each other, they’ll not have to do anything but dress us when we are finished.”
“Gracie said no patty fingers until we’re married!”
“And do you always listen to your sister?”
“Rarely, actually.” Joy sank deeper until her chin touched the water and everything else was properly submerged in the liquid made milky white by the scented oils.
“But in this case, in her house, I would prefer to keep her happy—just this once, anyway. After all, she and Felicity are closest to me in age.” She didn’t add that she would need the support of all her sisters if Chance heard about the Reader’s Dare Club.
He would be most disagreeable and unpleasant.
Jansen crouched beside the tub and trailed a finger along the surface of the water. “You really wish for me to leave?”
“I wish for you to be in here with me, but I am trying to be responsible and lay our foundation appropriately with my sister.” She blew a floating rose petal away from her chin before it stuck to her face.
“I do not wish you to start out on the wrong foot with any of my sisters, because if you are on the outs with one, chances are good you will be on the outs with all.”
“You truly do not wish to share your bath?”
“What did I just say?”
“When we are married, I shall commission a special tub for us. A tub for two. Agreed?”
The wicked glint in his eye sent a rush of heat through her.
If he kept speaking in such a manner, she would soon have the water boiling.
“Agreed. A tub for two, my knight. A tub for two. Now, out!” She shooed him away with a flick of her hand, splashing him with water. “Out, now, I say! Behave yourself.”
“Only if you grant me a kiss, my angel.”
“A kiss only. Nothing more. Understood?”
“Of course.”
She braced herself as she lifted her face to his, knowing the temptation would be almost impossible to bear.
And then he kissed her, transporting her back to last night and all the pleasure she had known in his arms. Oh, how she yearned to return to that ecstasy and languish in that bliss.
But she had to remain strong. She simply had to.
With a gentle shove, she pushed him away, breaking the exquisite connection. “Out. Now.”
“Well, damn and blast,” he said with a grin. “Next time, I shall work harder.”
“And I shall hold you to that, my knight in sinful armor.” She pointed at the door. “Now, out!”
*
Unable to sleep, Joy stood on the balcony overlooking the peacefulness spread out before her.
Moonlight bathed the grassy meadow, casting everything in an eerie yet soothing blue-white light.
The cool evening breeze tickled across the tops of the tall grasses, making them sway and ripple like waves in the ocean.
A heavy sigh left her. This visit had not started out well at all.
What had been planned as a pleasant introduction and attending Grace’s churching had turned into a rather strained situation in what could only be described as Abarough sisterly hell.
Grace’s churching had been Sunday past, so they had missed that.
The storm had soaked through the trunks and ruined the gifts for the twins.
The dogs still didn’t fully trust Jansen, therefore Grace didn’t trust him either.
And for some inexplicable reason, Grace had become more prudish about things than any mother launching a daughter into Society.
It was a wonder she hadn’t placed a guard at the bedroom doors.
But worst of all, Joy wanted Jansen with such a fury it frightened her. He had postponed leaving to get the special license until morning because heading out in the afternoon would have forced him to travel at night, and the roads were still too hazardous to traverse in the dark.
Besides, Grace had decided—and Joy grudgingly agreed—that they should wait to wed until the family joined them in the country.
The wedding would still be at Wolfebourne Lodge to appease Grace for being introduced last, but all the family would be present.
Even Wolfe and his siblings would return by then.
Joy knew in her heart that was as it should be, but since she had tasted a particular benefit of wedded bliss, she wanted more of that wondrous intimacy sooner rather than later.
“Thinking of me, I hope,” Jansen said from behind her.
She whirled about. “How did you get in here?” Even in the shadows, she caught the mischief in his eyes.
“I used the door, my lady.”
“You know what I mean.”