Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Matthew
Married life was definitely for him, Matthew decided, humming under his breath as Reedy helped him dress for the day.
He would very much like to go on a honeymoon, he decided.
Somewhere he and Johanna could be together without her family.
Though he did not think that she would be ready to leave them quite yet, now that they’d just been reunited.
While Reedy brushed off his jacket, Matthew quickly flipped his coin.
No, not yet.
But something to do in the future. Something they could look forward to. Would she like Paris? Maybe Greece to see some of the ruins. Or Italy. He’d always wanted to go to Venice. Or they could stay closer to home and visit Scotland or Ireland. Whatever she wanted.
He doubted she’d had the opportunity to travel before.
Oh, the things he could teach her… both in and out of the bedroom.
It was going to be very enjoyable spoiling her, then reaping his rewards in pleasure.
While he’d never really thought about bedding a virgin before, there truly was something rather titillating about being able to teach her what he liked.
Especially because she was so enthusiastic, something that had undone him when she’d put her mouth on him this morning.
Her enthusiasm was his favorite part. Matthew had known she would do her duty—she seemed a very dutiful sort—but he’d always understood that wives and mistresses or lovers were very different creatures.
While it had been clear she did not have any experience in what she was doing, she had not appeared to consider it a duty, either.
“All done, Your Grace,” Reedy said, nodding as he gave Matthew a quick, final look over. “You are looking very fine for your first day as a married man.”
“I am feeling very fine,” Matthew replied, grinning. “I ah, expect that I will be a bit late returning to my room tomorrow morning as well. Or perhaps the door might be locked when you arrive.”
“Thank you for informing me, Your Grace. Your schedule is my schedule.”
Matthew knew Reedy did have his own schedule, no matter what he said.
It might shift now that there was a duchess in residence, though.
And if he and Johanna were in his room tonight rather than hers, they would likely not have to worry about her sister knocking on his door.
Not even Bridget was that brazen. Probably. Hopefully.
Tugging on the cuff of his jacket, Matthew headed to the door. He was very hungry and eager to break his fast. Last night and this morning had helped him work up a mighty appetite.
Stepping into the hall, he almost screamed like one of the maids seeing a mouse when he was confronted with a tiny, pale, wraithlike figure.
She was holding some kind of doll that was as pale as she was.
She stared at him, watching as he jumped back, her light violet eyes as eerie as the rest of her.
Matthew managed to straighten and square his shoulders, despite the way his heart was pounding in his chest.
“Good morning, Charlotte,” he said seriously, speaking around the lump in his throat.
Giving him a long, long look as if she could see all the filthy things he’d done to her sister—and did not approve—she turned and glided away. Even though he could see her feet because she was in short skirts, she looked like she was gliding. It was entirely unnerving.
“That child is unnerving,” Reedy muttered, echoing Matthew’s thought.
At least he knew it was not just him. He supposed he was going to have to get used to having her acting like a ghost in his house, for now. Maybe if he expected it, it would be less startling in the moment.
Or she could stop being so bloody creepy, but he was not sure how to make that happen. And a little afraid of what she might do if he tried. The other siblings seemed to accept her as a matter of course. They were likely just used to her. He would have to get used to her, too.
Taking a deep breath, he gave himself a little shake, then smiled as his wife’s door opened, and she came out with her other sister.
No one could accuse Bridget of being ghostly.
Johanna’s head lifted, and their gazes met, and Matthew found himself unable to stop the grin that spread across his face.
Not that he particularly wanted to. Unlike several of his friends, he did not have an aversion to smiling.
“Good morning,” he said formally to both ladies, though his focus was wholly on his wife.
She was quite fetching in a violet and lavender sprigged muslin gown that made the most of her ivory skin and pale hair.
Bridget’s brighter coloring made Johanna appear even more ethereal beside her.
Like a fairy queen… one he was allowed to touch in any way he wanted.
One day, he truly was going to have to take her to bed while she was wearing nothing but jewels and a tiara. Last night, her dressing gown had been very nice, but he had a specific image in his head he would like to indulge in.
“Good morning,” his wife said, in a slightly lower voice than her sister, her cheeks turning that lovely shade of pink he so enjoyed.
“May I escort you ladies to the dining room?” He grinned as he held out his arms, one for each of them to take. Johanna was more sedate, more demure, while Bridget was bouncing exuberance on his arm.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Bridget said cheekily, as they began to move down the hallway. “It is very kind of you to escort us.” The manner in which she said it was more teasing than sincere, and Matthew answered her in kind.
“I know.”
Her peal of laughter rang down the hallway, though it did not delight him quite as much as the softer laugh it elicited from his wife.
Johanna
Breakfast as a married lady, officially a duchess, did not feel all that different from breakfasts before.
The largest difference was the parts of her body that were more tender than she was used to and how much more aware of them she was.
Rose kept shooting her curious glances, and she knew her cousin was dying to ask about the wedding night.
Johanna did not know how she was going to bring herself to talk about it to Rose.
Not just because it was so very unladylike, but also because some of the intimacies just did not seem right to share.
Which was unlike her because she and Rose shared almost everything.
Their burdens, their dreams, their worries…
but Johanna found herself wanting to keep last night for just herself.
Well, for herself and Matthew. It felt wrong to include someone else in it.
Though she knew she was going to need to speak with Rose about at least some of it to quell her cousin’s curiosity.
As they were finishing breakfast, a footman came in with a tray for Matthew, who glanced at the cards and coughed.
“Excuse me, ladies,” he said, wiping his mouth with his napkin and getting to his feet. His demeanor was suddenly quite a bit more serious than it had been, the smile gone from his lips. “And Micah. Some of my friends have come to call on urgent business. I will leave you to it.”
With a half-bow, he departed before any of them could truly respond, and Johanna blinked in surprise.
“What serious business could he have the day after his wedding?” Bridget asked, looking around the table as if one of them might have an explanation. Johanna only shook her head because she had no idea. She looked curiously at Lady Stark, wondering if his grandmother might have an inkling.
“Men always think all of their business is serious,” Lady Stark said, but she was frowning. She shook her head. “We have our own business to be about today. Bridget and Charlotte, your dance instructor will be here in an hour, so make yourselves ready for him.”
“How do we do that?” Bridget asked.
Lady Stark opened her mouth, then closed it. “I will accompany you to your rooms. Johanna, you and Rose are welcome to join us if you wish.”
“I will as soon as I check on Mother,” Johanna said. She was woefully aware of how long it had been since she’d danced.
“I appreciate the offer, but I do not think such lessons are necessary for someone like me,” Rose said, although she did not sound very sorry about it.
“What’s wrong with you?” Bridget asked, narrowing her eyes at Rose.
“Why would I need to learn to dance, and you do not?” Charlotte was frowning too, and she’d sat up straight, her pale eyes focused on Rose, waiting to hear her answer.
Although she had not protested taking the lessons, it was very possible that both girls would stage a rebellion if they thought they were unnecessary.
They did not truly understand how much they owed Lady Stark and the duke—and Johanna hoped they never really did. A little inkling might have been helpful right now, though.
Both Johanna and Rose glanced at each other.
They’d all been apart from Society, unable to accept any invitations until now.
Neither Bridget nor Charlotte truly understood how Rose would be viewed by Society; in their household, she had always been treated as their family because she was.
They did not understand that, because she was illegitimate, not everyone would view her that way.
Lady Stark had gone rigid, looking as though she was biting her tongue, but she gave them a sharp look as if to say explain this, or I will.
“I… you are going to be a young lady of the ton,” Rose said after a moment. “Young ladies of the ton dance.”
“Are you not a young lady of the ton?” Bridget was like a dog with a bone. “I know Johanna did not have a debut, but that was because we were poor. Now we are not.”
“Bridget, you cannot just say things like that!” Johanna was aghast, and she shot an apologetic look at Lady Stark.
“At least not in public,” Lady Stark agreed. “Young ladies are not so blunt with their words, and it is not polite to talk about finances in mixed company.”