Chapter Fifteen #2
“I still can’t believe the three of you have abandoned me to marriage and left me to my own devices,” Justin said glumly. “Just over a year ago, we were all free as birds, and look at you now.”
“Happier than pigs in shit,” Simon said.
“Hear, hear,” Derek said, holding up his glass.
Aubrey touched his glass to Derek’s and then Simon’s. “I’ll drink to that.”
“Maybe we can find our boy Justin a nice American girl this summer,” Derek said.
“Shut your filthy mouth,” Justin retorted. “Justin is just fine, thank you very much.”
The others laughed at his quick comeback.
Derek yawned dramatically. “I for one need to hit the hay. Lady Grace will be up before the chickens.”
“Lady Grace has a perfectly capable governess to get up with her,” Justin said. “Why don’t you just admit that you want to get naked with your wife?”
“I want to get naked with my wife,” Derek said, deadpan.
The other three howled with laughter.
Simon downed the last of his drink, snuffed out his cigar and pointed to his cousin. “What he said.”
Aubrey rose. “I’m off to bed as well. Will you be all right on your own, Justin?”
Justin waved him off. “I’ve been traveling with the lovebirds for weeks. I’ve become adept at entertaining myself.”
“Very well then. We shall see you in the morning.”
“Good night.”
For a moment, Aubrey felt bad about leaving Justin alone, but when he thought of Maeve asleep in their bed, he headed up the stairs, eager to be with her—even if she was asleep.
He let himself into the dark room and made quick work of removing his clothing before stepping into the adjoining bathroom to brush his teeth.
When he slid between the cool sheets and reached for her, he found the other side of the bed empty.
A beat of panic had him scrambling for the pull cord on the bedside light.
He looked around frantically until he found her, asleep on the window seat.
Aubrey got up and went to her, noting the odd angle of her head and neck.
She would feel that in the morning if he didn’t make her more comfortable.
Moving carefully, he slid his arms under her and lifted her to carry her to bed.
She roused when he set her down on the mattress, looking up at him with sleepy, confused eyes.
“Sorry to wake you, but you would’ve had a terrible knot in your neck if you slept like that all night.” He kissed her forehead and pulled the covers up and over her.
“I was looking out at the moon and stars and must’ve fallen asleep.”
“Close your eyes and go back to sleep.” He went around the bed to get in the other side, sliding an arm around her and breathing in the scent that drove him to distraction.
“All is well with your guests?”
“All is well.”
“You had a nice time with the men?”
“I did. They’re some of my favorite men, and as I predicted, Derek is very eager to assist with your situation.”
“Oh. You told him then?”
“I did. I hope that’s all right. We had discussed requesting his assistance.”
“It’s all right. Do you think . . .”
“What, love?”
“That he will mention it in front of your mother and sisters?”
“I’m all but certain he never would, but tomorrow I’ll ask him and the others again for their discretion.”
“That would be for the best.”
“Try not to worry. Everything will be fine. I’ll see to it.”
“What if you can’t see to it? What if you’re not with me and they find me? What if—”
“Maeve, sweetheart, please don’t think like that. I’ll spend every waking minute by your side if that’s what it takes to ensure your safety and peace of mind. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than by your side anyway, so it wouldn’t be a hardship of any kind.”
“It’s sweet of you to make such an offer, but it’s not realistic. Just this evening, you were off with your friends—”
“I didn’t have to do that. I could’ve stayed with you.”
“They have come all this way to spend time with you. Of course you should be with them. I was merely pointing out the futility of such a plan.”
“It hurts me to know you’re unsettled. I want you to be happy and at peace.”
“I don’t want you to be hurt by my concerns.”
“I can’t help it. If you hurt, I hurt.”
“I ask myself . . .”
“What?” He felt breathless waiting to hear what she would say.
“What I did to get so lucky to find such a devoted, wonderful husband.”
“All you had to do was come here where I was lucky enough to find you wielding that massive feather duster.”
“You’ll never forget that feather duster, will you?”
“How could I? It played a role in the most important moment of my life.”
“You honestly feel it was the most important moment of your life?”
“I absolutely do.”
“That is very sweet of you to say.”
He cupped her cheek and stroked her soft skin with his thumb. “I wish there was something I could say to ease your worries.”
“It helps that you’re here and that you’re trying to help. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to face this on my own.”
“You already faced the worst of it on your own. I have every confidence that you could handle any challenge that comes your way. Your resilience is admirable.”
“I like the way I look to you.”
“I would hope that someday you would see yourself as I do—strong, endlessly capable, resilient, determined, lovely, sweet.” He punctuated his words with a soft kiss. After a long, contented silence, he said, “Tell me more about your life in Ireland, before your marriage. I want to know everything.”
“I told you I have three younger sisters.”
“Bridget, Aoife and Niamh.”
“Your memory is quite good.”
“I remember everything you’ve ever said to me. Tell me more.”
“We had a lovely upbringing in Dingle, close to our extended family that included both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles and lots of cousins who were close in age.”
“That must’ve been fun.”
“It was. We were together all the time.”
“Did you like school?”
“I loved it. I did very well in all my subjects.”
“I have no doubt. What was your favorite?”
“I liked mathematics.”
Aubrey groaned. “I knew there had to be something about you that wasn’t perfect.”
“I take it you did not like maths?”
“It was my nemesis all the way through university. I just was terrible at it. But I did very well with Latin and history and I was told I was an excellent writer on more than one occasion.”
“My best subject was religion. For a time, I thought about entering into the holy order.”
“Is it all right to say I’m extremely thankful that you didn’t?”
She offered a small smile. “Sometimes I think I would’ve been better off. The fact that I’m responsible for taking another’s life weighs heavily on my soul.”
“I’m sure it does, but you should take comfort in knowing that you did what you had to in order to protect yourself from someone who would’ve thought nothing of taking your life.”
“That brings small comfort. I fear that I’ll be damned in the afterlife for breaking one of the Ten Commandments. Thou shalt not kill.”
“Maeve, sweetheart, I have to believe that God would forgive you for defending yourself. You did what anyone would do when faced with certain death.”
“I guess I’ll find out when I reach the afterlife.”
“Which will be many, many, many years from now, during which you will absolve yourself of your sin over and over again by performing acts of kindness. By the time you reach your day of judgment, there will be no doubt whatsoever about where you belong.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I’m almost always right. The longer we are married, the more you will realize that.”
She laughed—hard, which delighted him. Making her laugh had become one of his primary reasons for being. “I had no idea you had such a large opinion of yourself, Mr. Nelson.”
“Sure you did, and don’t call me Mr. Nelson. That’s my father.”
“How is he feeling? I’ve hardly seen him since the family arrived.”
“He is declining by the day. My brothers and I fear he won’t last the summer.”
“And the doctors can’t do anything?”
“Unfortunately, they believe that by the time he began showing symptoms, his illness was too far advanced to be treated. I spoke at length with my brother Anderson about it two days ago, and he and Alfie have taken on nearly all of my father’s duties within the company.
They are looking forward to my return after the Season.
Had I not invited friends to join me here, I’d be on my way back to New York now. ”
“I’m sorry to hear he’s declining so rapidly.”
“As am I, but I’m glad he could be here with us for the summer. Perhaps the sea air will prove restorative to him.”
“I’ll pray for him.”
“Thank you.” He caressed her back in small smoothing circles.
“Tomorrow the Season begins in earnest. I’ve hired Mrs. Allston’s niece, Kathleen, to be your maid.
She has extensive experience working in other Newport households during the Season and will make sure you’re properly prepared for every event. ”
“It would be fine with me, you know, to not participate in the Season. I could stay here while you accompany your friends.”
“It might be fine with you, but I’d like to show off my beautiful new wife and introduce her to friends.”
“They will never accept me.”
“We don’t need them to accept you. I accept you. That is the only thing that matters.”
“We both know that is not true.”
“Maeve, sweetheart, it’s the absolute truth.
I do not care about society. I do not care what anyone thinks of me or my choice of a wife.
We will go through the motions during the summer.
We will enjoy our time with Derek and Catherine and the others, and we will spend as much time alone together as we possibly can.
If or when it gets to be too much for you, all you have to do is look to me. I’ll be your port in the storm.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“It can be simple. No one can touch us unless we let them, and I, for one, will not let them.”
“The women will be vicious. That is how they are.”
Aubrey sighed, knowing it was true. “Stay close to Catherine and Madeleine. They will not allow anyone to disparage you.”
“That is an awful lot to ask of two women who have only just met me.”
“They like you, but they would do it for me. That is what friends are for. When Derek fell terribly ill with influenza, Justin and I were there for Catherine.”
“I didn’t know he was ill.”
“It was dreadful. We were so certain we were going to lose him.”
“Oh my goodness.”
“The night he became ill, we carried him to an icy bath that helped to lower his fever. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for any of them, and I know they return the sentiment.
When I tell you they will care for you, I’m sure of it.
Remember, too, that Catherine has no patience for the nonsense that perpetrates so-called polite society, and she will not allow anyone to be unkind to you.
She and Madeleine were not raised in the aristocracy.
Catherine wears her new title somewhat uncomfortably, going through the motions because it’s expected of her, not because she necessarily enjoys it.
When you get to know her better, you will discover that most of the time she’d much rather be curled up with her husband and daughter or a good book and a cup of tea than hobnobbing with snobs. ”
“Thank you for trying to make me feel better. No one has ever been as concerned about my well-being as you are.”
“I’ll always be concerned about your well-being, my sweet.
It’s my job as your husband to make sure you’re happy.
That is my most important job of all.” He kissed her lips, the tip of her nose and both eyelids.
“Now close your eyes and get some rest.” He kissed her button nose every chance he got now that he was allowed to.
With his arms around her and her head cushioned by his chest, Aubrey was relieved to feel her relax into sleep sometime later.
He would give everything he had to protect her from ever being hurt again.
So many of the Season’s events kept the men and women separate, which meant he couldn’t be there any time she needed him.
While he was confident that Catherine and Madeleine would be good friends to her, he couldn’t help but fear that others wouldn’t be so kind.