Chapter Sixteen
Six days later
Philip hated to wake his wife, as she’d been asleep barely half an hour.
He’d discovered that making love was the only activity that sent her into a hard sleep, and since they’d practiced chapter eleven, “Sex in a Coach and other Conveyances,” on the way back to London, he wasn’t surprised she still slept.
Their days at Crestfield had been idyllic, as they spent most of their time together.
He would have delayed returning to Town, but that she was anxious to see her friends.
Georgina’s knowledge of birds had impressed him on their walks in the garden and in the nearby forest. Her kindness to the people in the village as she interacted with them had surprised him.
Not that he’d expected her to be distant, but she genuinely cared about what they said.
And their days and nights “practicing” the chapters in The Illustrated Pleasures of Seduction had been revealing.
His wife had not only a healthy appetite for food, but for lovemaking, and sometimes both.
He’d never expected to be so content with his marriage of convenience. He’d even almost forgotten he planned to move into his father’s rooms to be reminded of his guilt. Fortunately, he had remembered in time to tell his staff before they left, so he’d have no choice when he returned.
As the coach pulled in front of the townhouse in Mayfair, he knew he had no choice but to wake his wife. “Georgina, we’re here.”
Her head, resting on his shoulder, didn’t move.
Unable to resist, he turned his head and kissed her forehead. “Georgina, it’s time to wake.”
Her eyelids fluttered before she lifted her head and yawned. “Oh my. Excuse me.” She covered her mouth with a gloved hand.
He smiled. “We’re here.”
She turned her head to look out the window. “Already? Time seems to go so fast when we’re in a coach.”
He raised his brows in shock until she turned to look at him and gave him a sly smile. He lowered his brows and shook his head. “You, my dear wife, are insatiable.”
She nodded. “As you would say, husband—indeed.”
He didn’t have time to respond, as the coach door opened and his wife exited. He quickly followed and gave Georgina his arm. “Let us see what Mrs. Newman has done for us. If I remember, you bet there would be more pansies in the entryway, and I bet it would be roses.”
The door opened as they reached the top of the six steps and Haines bowed. “Welcome to Town, my lord, my lady.”
“Thank you, Haines. I assume you found all that you needed when you arrived?”
“Everything is in order, sir.”
Georgina let go of his arm and immediately walked to Mrs. Newman, who stood before the parlor doors. “Please have these letters sent out immediately. The sooner people know we’re in Town, the sooner we can entertain.”
“Yes, my lady. Would you like to rest after your long journey?”
Even as his housekeeper asked, he knew Georgina would be anxious to continue the Season as a married woman.
His wife shook her head. “I’m quite refreshed, thank you, Mrs. Newman. But I’d like tea sent to the parlor. I have many more notes to write. Husband, do you wish to join me?”
“As much as I’d like to, I must decline.
My solicitor will be arriving shortly to discuss some financial matters.
After all, I want to be sure you have all you need while here for the Season.
” Not the least of which were pin money and a new wardrobe.
He glanced at the vase by the stairs and barely kept from licking his lips. Roses.
“Very well. Then I shall look forward to dinner with you.” She gave him a quick smile before her gaze fell upon the flowers. A lovely blush filled her cheeks. “In fact, I cannot wait for dinner.” Then she strode into the parlor, her conversation continuing with the housekeeper.
So it began—separate lives most of the day. He sighed, curious why he wished to spend all day with her as they had at Crestfield. There was Parliament to attend, White’s to visit, and his family to call upon, as was expected. It was what he had envisioned.
What he hadn’t envisioned was how much he’d enjoy Georgina’s company.
She’d changed. Not drastically—there were small changes.
Less timidity and more confidence. He liked to credit himself with that, but he wasn’t sure.
She’d even won their bet that she could make Haines laugh before he could.
Maybe her newfound confidence came from her new position, or it could simply be that she was needed and wanted… very much.
As the thought crossed his mind, he determined not to visit her parents unless she insisted.
“Lord Durham?”
Jolted from his thoughts, he turned to Haines. “Yes?”
“You said you were meeting with the solicitor. Would you like him to meet you in the study?”
Since he’d been to the townhouse before, he knew where the study was, so he nodded. “That will be acceptable. Thank you, Haines.” He headed in that direction.
“My lord?”
He halted, having barely made two steps. “Yes, Haines.”
“Your hat?”
Blast. He’d been so busy mooning over his wife, he’d forgotten. He took it from his head and handed it to his butler. “Thank you, Haines.” Without another word, he strode off and into the study before he made more of a fool of himself than he already had.
Moving to the sideboard, he took in his surroundings.
It wasn’t the largest townhouse, not nearly the size of the one he’d lost, but it was acceptable.
He might make an offer on it, now that he would be coming to London with a wife and hopefully children.
At that thought, he poured himself half a glass of American whiskey he’d recently purchased.
He raised the glass to catch the light from the lamp.
“To children.” He took a sip before moving to the large desk set near the eastern wall.
He sat in the large chair and set down the glass.
If Georgina was like her mother, she might well bear him many children.
It was an odd thought. One he’d not contemplated before.
He’d never paid much attention to children, except among his tenants, so the thought of having his own was new and somewhat titillating.
To mold a child into the person he hoped they’d become was both exciting and intimidating.
Then again, his father had done that with him, and he’d disappointed not only his father but himself.
Taking another sip of whiskey, he pushed aside the thought.
He’d just married. He was barely getting used to the idea of having a wife, his fortune back, and a second chance at building his family’s reputation.
He’d not been oblivious to the fact that mothers who were anxious to have their daughters married didn’t steer the ladies toward him.
That said a lot about how the ton viewed him.
Georgina, though, didn’t seem to hold that view even upon meeting him.
He would need her help to be a role model for his children and had no doubt she’d be pleased to do what she could.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Come.” As his solicitor strode in, Philip moved his mind to finances. Those black-and-white numbers were far easier to handle than his reputation.
*
Philip felt a sense of pride and, yes, even pleasure at the stunned look upon Georgina’s face as Mrs. Bean lifted the shimmering pale green silk that changed color in the light and brought it over to place it against his wife’s skin. “This will fairly make you glow, my lady.”
Georgina looked about to touch it, but then didn’t as if afraid to, before she looked at him in question.
He smiled and gave her a nod. After a week in Town, he found her complete joy in the city gave him a new perspective on it.
As Georgina nodded to Mrs. Bean, he could see his wife was clearly overwhelmed by his generosity.
He wasn’t quite sure why he felt so damn proud of himself, but buying her a wardrobe to match her personality had him feeling like the cock of the henhouse.
It made no sense, since it wasn’t a sacrifice on his part at all.
In fact, he was enjoying himself immensely.
“Mrs. Bean, do you have anything almost completed that will fit my wife? I wish her to have a couple of new dresses as soon as possible.”
The woman, who was very happy to have them there, laid the green silk on top of eleven other bolts of fabric that would be made into dresses.
“Now, that I must check. Do I have some almost-finished dresses? Yes. But will they need little alteration, I’m not sure.
Let me look at what I have. Mary, bring those bolts back.
We will get started on these immediately. ”
As Mrs. Bean and her assistant scurried into the back, Georgina stepped down from the small platform and walked over to stand before him. “Are you sure you wish to purchase so many dresses? I have some that I can still wear.”
He took her hands and pulled her to stand between his legs. “You’re the Countess of Durham now. We have a reputation to uphold, or perhaps the better word is repair.”
Her face filled with concern. “Did marrying me cause you to be looked at poorly then?”
And just like that, she returned to the timid woman he’d first met who was so desperate to please. He hated that he had caused such a shift. “Not at all. You are, in fact, my hope at rebuilding the Durham reputation. You know that I gambled wildly.”
She nodded, her attention riveted to him, something he noticed she did when anxious to learn something new.
“Well, that and other carousing rather left my reputation to fall significantly with the ton. Not that I cared at the time, which again was poor judgment on my part. However, I feel the need to restore the Durham name…for my father’s sake.
” Knowing her curiosity, he hesitated to mention his father, but she was his wife and she deserved to know whom she’d married.
“You feel that if your father had been alive to see your gambling that he would have been disappointed in you.”