Chapter 16 #2
They were the last words she spoke for several extraordinary, exhilarating, ecstatic minutes. Eventually, he raised his head. There was a hectic flush across his cheek bones, his heart was thundering as was hers. His eyes blazed with happiness.
Her lips were tingling, and her bosom was trying to escape from its bodice.
'I shouldn't have done that, my love, when you said you loved me too, I had to kiss you.'
'I said I might be falling in love with you, but I think what just happened has made my feelings irrelevant. I've no choice but to marry you.'
'Exactly so, “might be in love with me” will have to do for the moment. I intend to spend every minute between now and our nuptials in September persuading you to love me fully.'
She sighed, closed the distance between them and rested her cheek against his waistcoat. This time his arms were gentle and she leaned into his strength, his warmth and thought that whatever her reservations she would be mad not to marry him.
His passionate kisses had dislodged half the pins she'd so carefully put in her hair. 'I can't leave here looking like this. Excuse me —.'
'I caused the damage; I insist that I repair it.' His arm was firmly around her waist and he was guiding her towards the secluded chamber.
Her heart was pounding, being alone with him after what had just taken place was foolhardy. She'd no intention of being intimate with him until they were married and she'd be unable to resist if he kissed her again so passionately.
'No, James. Please fetch the brush and mirror. I'm not going in there with you. Then I suggest that you leave me to my toilette and take the dogs for a long walk.'
For a second his expression was blank as if he didn't understand then a different flush flooded his cheeks. 'God, I'm so sorry, I've behaved appallingly. I'll go for that walk now.' He snapped his fingers and the dogs appeared at his side. 'I think I'll take a swim; I need to cool off.'
Then he was gone. Her lips curved as she remembered how he liked to swim – entirely without clothes. Unless somebody in the house possessed a spyglass there was no risk of him being seen doing something so very inappropriate.
This time she braided her hair and then made it into a coronet around her head. Doing so was easier than the more elaborate style she'd done before and she wanted to be as far away as possible from his domain before he came back.
Sofia emerged into the hall and heard voices coming from the drawing-room. If she entered through the doors in the centre of the room, avoided the main entrance, with any luck she'd reach the piano at the far end and be able to play before anybody was aware she was there.
James had the luxury of going for a naked swim, she'd have to recover by playing a sonata or two. One couldn't think of anything but the music whilst doing that which would be ideal.
She played for half an hour, so immersed in the liquid notes she was producing that she forgot where she was and who was in the drawing room with her. When she played the final note, she was rudely jerked from her reverie by a round of lively applause.
'You play superbly, Miss Brotherton, such talent, I've not heard anything better at a musical soirée,' Lady Charlotte gushed.
Was this a genuine attempt at reconciliation or had Lady Charlotte accepted the inevitable and wanted to make amends for her behaviour earlier? Sofia turned on the piano stool and smiled at her audience of six.
'Thank you, I hadn't realised there was anybody in here or I'd have asked if you minded my playing.'
Rupert beamed at her. 'Could you teach me to play? I've had a few lessons and would love to improve.'
'I'd be delighted to. My mother taught me initially and then there was an elderly gentleman in the village, who used to play professionally, and he continued after she passed.'
Annabel was equally enthusiastic but for quite a different reason. 'Can you play something we could dance to? A quadrille or a country dance perhaps?'
'I'm sure I could, but not right now. There's something I wish to tell you all.
' She spoke directly to her future sister-in-law as the information was really for her.
'James and I will be getting married. The engagement is now a genuine one – it is a love match.
We shall be wed in September or possibly sooner. '
Annabel and Lucille squealed and rushed across to hug her. Their delight was genuine and this meant a lot to Sofia. Rupert and Jonathan were grinning and patting each other on the back enthusiastically. They too were happy about this announcement.
Lady Charlotte was no longer with them, whilst the girls had been embracing her, she'd stormed off. Then she realised that another important member of the group was missing.
'Goodness, boys, where's your sister? She doesn't know this house or the grounds; she shouldn't be out of sight of an adult.'
Rupert shrugged. 'I saw her a while ago heading for the maze. I'm sure she'll come to no harm there.'
Sofia would set him straight on a few things later, but now she needed to find the child. Not because she was going to come to harm in the maze as there would now be gardeners busily snipping inside and she'd be unable to go in at all.
No, her anxiety was caused by the fact that the child might see the dogs and ran towards them and thus come face-to-face with James in his birthday suit.
To her surprise the boys were now at the french doors which had been left open to let the breeze into the drawing room. 'It's all right, Sofia, she's running this way. We'll go and meet her,' Rupert said and the two of them were gone.
Had the child been scared by what she'd seen was another reason for her haste to return? Taking a deep breath Sofia forced herself to smile.
As soon as they were on the terrace, they could see the mile long, arrow straight drive leading from the turning circle to the gate house.
'Look, there's the carriage returning. I don't know who's riding ahead of it,' Colette called out excitedly. 'I can't see from here if Lucille and our great aunt are inside.'
Sofia was torn. Then realised that even if she ran, which would be unseemly and undignified for the future Countess of Avon, Eloise's brothers would reach her long before she could and if she had seen something she shouldn't she'd have told them before she could prevent it.
'Then I must remain here to greet them. First, I'll ring for the housekeeper and see that their rooms are prepared. It will take them more than twenty minutes to arrive so I've ample time.'
Colette turned her attention from the carriage and back to what had just taken place. 'What are you going to do about your future sister-in-law? Life here will be difficult for you with her so fixed against this marriage.'
'Don't worry about it, dearest sister, I'm sure that James will deal with it. I wonder if he'd be prepared to rent them a house in the Royal Crescent? Annabel, do you think there might be anything available?'
Annabel clapped her hands – a childish but endearing habit she had. 'I know of two that are presently empty. Fortunately, they are at the far end of the row, a considerable distance away from the house that I resided in. I'd not wish anybody to live adjacent to my father and older brothers.'
'Then I'll suggest to Lady Charlotte that she might like to move there. James can still keep an eye on his family without having them under our feet.'
'Goodness, do you intend to go and find her right now?' Colette asked.
'Obviously not, even if there were time, it's not something I can offer. I'll suggest it to James, if he agrees then it will be him who makes the suggestion.'
The housekeeper, Turnbull, arrived promptly and couldn't have been more accommodating and respectful. Had word of her betrothal already spread to the servants' hall?
'My great aunt's unable to climb stairs, is there a ground floor room that can be adapted for her use? Also, she requires her own sitting room and a room for her maid adjacent to her own.'
'Yes, Miss Brotherton, the Dowager Lady Avon had exactly that before she moved to the East Wing some years ago. I can have those made ready within an hour. If refreshments are served immediately in here for the new arrivals that should allow sufficient time.'
Sofia smiled ruefully. 'Unfortunately, my great aunt's of a similar character to the Dowager. She'll expect things to be ready the moment she steps inside. She'll refuse to enter the drawing room until she's had her maid remove her bonnet and gloves in her own apartment.'
The housekeeper smiled. 'I understand exactly, Miss Brotherton, I'll have the sitting room ready even if the beds aren't made.
Forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn, but there's a delightful parlour for your use across the hall.
I don't believe you've been here long enough to have discovered it for yourself. '
'I haven't ventured to that side of the house. Thank you for telling me, I really don't want to spend my time in that vast drawing room if there's somewhere smaller I can use during the day.'
'Would you like me to tell Billy, who is on duty outside at the moment, to show you around?'
'That would be most helpful, thank you, Turnbull.'
The erstwhile cook dipped in a curtsy making it quite obvious she knew about the engagement. Then glided off, her crisp dark blue bombazine rustling as she went.
Colette and Annabel had been listening to this exchange with interest. They were as eager as she was to explore more of this magnificent building that was to be their home in future.
Hers until she died whenever that might be, for the other two only until they had houses of their own when they eventually married.