Chapter 23
“Where are we going?” Bridget asked as the carriage took them away from the Redgrave London estate.
“It is a surprise,” Adrian answered with a mischievous grin.
Bridget rolled her eyes, feeling light and giddy, and turned to the window to look for any familiar landmarks.
As he had requested, Bridget had readied herself to go out with the help of Eva and Mona, who had been more than happy to join her at her new home. Mr. Conway and Farley, as well, had been found posts in the Mason home.
Her two maids had strung pearls in her long hair and braided it beautifully into a crown.
A touch of rouge was applied to her cheeks and lips, just enough to highlight her cream complexion.
For her gown, she had chosen a blue silk trimmed with silver thread—a color that most accurately matched Adrian’s eyes.
Adrian had positively beamed when he had first seen her, and murmured words of praise into her ear as he took her hand and led her to the carriage.
Even now, as they were on their way, she still felt the delightful hum those words had caused.
However, as Bridget began recognizing familiar houses, her happiness faded a little, replaced by a slight gnawing in her stomach.
“You are taking me to Katie and John’s party?” she asked, turning to him with a worried look.
She had received the invitation a couple of days ago, but had not yet felt up to returning to parties. After all, the last one she had attended had gone so horribly and had left her feeling like a mouse being pulled apart by vultures.
“I thought it was time that you were reintroduced into society,” Adrian replied, his deep voice calm. “You are no longer the Countess of Winslow.”
He paused, leaning forward to take her hand. She looked at him and found his blue eyes full of sincerity.
“You are a changed woman entirely,” he said reverently. “I have seen you shed that old version of yourself, and now you have also shed your title. It is time our peers met the Duchess of Redgrave so that they may marvel at her splendor.”
Bridget’s breath caught in her throat as she was moved so very deeply by her husband’s words.
“Are you sure this will not go terribly wrong? I mean… I would normally have been expected to still be in mourning, and now I have gotten married, and… What will people say if we begin to attend social events so boldly?”
“Have faith, dear wife,” Adrian urged, then kissed her hand. “A new day has approached.”
Once more, Bridget felt the urge to lean into the happiness that came with her new life—and once more, she stopped herself right on the precipice. This was too good, too perfect. It surely could not be real.
Still, she smiled, swallowed her fear, and as the carriage drew to a stop, she allowed Adrian to lead her into her best friend’s home.
However, that panic rose in her again as soon as she saw the faces of the ladies who had once teased her for having such an absent husband.
She braced herself, ready for another onslaught of humiliation as they approached.
“Congratulations, Your Grace!” Lady Lydia Wintour emphatically praised, as, to Bridget’s surprise, the woman leaned forward and kissed both of her cheeks.
“What a beautiful pair you two make!” Lady Petra Cornwall insisted jovially as she curtseyed low to Bridget.
“I was so very sorry to hear of your loss, Your Grace, but I am beyond ecstatic that you have found such happiness!” Lady Regina Parson said next, then leaned in to kiss Bridget’s left cheek.
She stared in silent shock for a long moment, unable to believe that the ladies giving her great praise were the same ones who were far too happy to mock her only a few weeks ago.
“My wife is taken aback by your generosity, ladies,” Adrian answered, breaking the silence. “However, on behalf of both of us, I offer our thanks for your congratulatory greetings.”
“Yes.” Bridget sputtered, shaking herself from her shock. “Thank you so much for your kind words.”
The three clucking hens all smiled at her widely, and before she could say anything else, they showered her with compliments.
“Away, you three,” Katie said a few minutes later as she joined the small group. She then squealed with delight as she saw Bridget and raised her hands in the air. “It is my turn to speak with my good friend!”
Bridget’s smile was wide and genuine as she accepted Katie’s tight hug, suddenly beyond happy that Adrian had surprised her by attending the party.
“Katie!” she exclaimed, “I am so very happy to see you! My deepest apologies for not having you over yet, though please know I have missed you! How are you? How is your precious baby?”
Katie’s smile was warm and loving as she pulled back from their embrace and adoringly stroked her still-small belly.
“The precious baby is perfect,” she sighed happily. “Though I am told in the next month to expect some nausea and strange cravings, I am not bothered. In fact, I am looking forward to experiencing every single part of this miracle.”
“Of course, you are,” Bridget replied, feeling a thrill as Katie reached for her hand and put it on her stomach along with her own. “Oh, Katie, I do not believe I properly expressed my happiness for you in the beginning. This truly is marvelous.”
“We are marvelous,” Katie replied cheekily, then swatted Bridget’s arm playfully. “And dare not apologize for your lack of invite. I know what it was like, the first time I got acquainted with John’s mother. We adore another now, but it was quite intimidating at first.”
Relieved that Katie understood, Bridget let out a light laugh.
“Oh, we have so much to catch up on,” she sighed.
“Indeed, we do,” Katie agreed, then turned her attention to Adrian. She gave him a proper curtsey, and Bridget loved that Adrian responded with a chuckle and a respectful bow.
“A pleasure to see you, Lady Harris,” Adrian said politely. “Thank you for the invitation.”
“You are quite welcome for the invitation, Your Grace,” Katie said with a smirk. “Now I must ask if I might steal your beautiful new wife for a moment,” Katie asked. “As she said earlier, we have much to discuss.”
It was only then that Bridget realized that Adrian had not left her side once since they had arrived at the party. Her heart ebbed with joy at the thought, thankful that, unlike Warren, he had not abandoned her to society to fend for herself.
Adrian swept into a dramatic bow by Bridget’s side, making her and Katie both giggle.
“I have wanted to speak to your husband anyway,” Adrian replied, then took Bridget’s free hand and brought it to his lips as he met her eyes. “I will not be far at all,” he swore, then placed a warm kiss on her hand.
Bridget blushed and watched him affectionately as he moved a few steps away to greet Katie’s husband, John.
“You look happy,” Katie whispered in Bridget’s ear.
Bridget gave her a sheepish smile.
“I do not dare admit it, Katie. It is a terrifying feeling, I must confess,” Bridget replied as a waiter offered them glasses of champagne.
She took the glass, just in case, to have something to hold on to as she swept her gaze around the party.
“Terrifying? Why?” Katie asked.
Bridget’s smile slipped a little.
“It has all just happened so very fast,” she confessed.
“Warren’s death. Victor’s pursuit. Adrian’s proposal.
I cannot imagine what the others are saying behind my back, or if what I did was the right thing.
Though I must admit, it is rather relieving to not have their true opinions said to my face. ”
“Well, allow me to put you at ease,” Katie insisted. “As for Victor’s pursuit, only you, Adrian, and I know about it. Whatever Adrian did or said to him terrified him so greatly that he has not spoken a word about it.”
Bridget’s shoulders sagged a little in relief. She had not seen Victor since he had attacked her, and she was most grateful for his absence.
“As for the gossipmongers, well, they are divided,” Katie went on.
“Some do say it is indeed rather suspicious that you married again so quickly. However, the majority are stating that no blame can be held upon you, especially when the depths of Warren’s debts and sinful behavior became more public. ”
“Should I not still be worried, though?” Bridget asked. “About those that are suspicious?”
Katie let out a sharp laugh.
“Even if they do whisper, no one will dare make an issue out of it! Do not forget that you are a duchess now, my darling, and you are above most of them socially. Myself included. We all vie for your favor now.”
Bridget’s smile returned as she wrapped an arm around her friend’s waist.
“Do not dare say such things, Katie. You are my equal in every way, and your friendship has meant the world to me.”
Katie grinned widely and placed a peck of a kiss on Bridget’s cheek.
As one, they turned toward their husbands and found them talking animatedly, not just with one another but with a small cluster of noblemen.
As he had promised, Adrian had not wandered from her, and after a moment of watching him, he glanced at her, winked, and then returned to his conversation without missing a beat.
“Your new husband seems to be able to charm men as well as women,” Katie teased.
“He is very charming,” Bridget sighed, admiring how easily her husband seemed to be able to converse with people.
“Oh, dear,” Katie said, nudging Bridget. “I sense doubt in your tone. Is there something I should know?”
With effort, Bridget pulled away from her husband’s handsome features and huddled close to her friend.
“Oh, no, he is perfectly charming,” Bridget replied, then blushed. “It is I that I am not so sure about.”
“Whatever do you mean by that?” Katie asked, her tone low so that others would not hear.
Bridget sighed, then took a long sip of her champagne for courage.
“I mean, he has done so much to try to make me comfortable and satisfied,” Bridget dared to say.
“But I… I do not know the first thing about making him feel the same in return. I fear that he will grow bored with me, or perhaps even impatient with my reticence. Warren… Warren never taught me anything… about… pleasure, and while Adrian is very quick to give me such, I do not know how to return it.”
Katie gasped, making Bridget blush and look quickly around to ensure no one was paying attention to them.
“My dear! That is what you are worried about? Giving your husband pleasure?” Katie whispered vehemently.
“Shh! Keep your voice down,” Bridget insisted, feeling her blush creep beyond her cheeks and to her ears and neck.
“Oh, darling,” Katie consoled, shaking her head. “You need not worry. Men are very simple creatures, you see. They derive pleasure from one main part of their body, as opposed to us, who can feel it almost everywhere.”
“Oh, I know that much, Katie. I just… how do I go about it?”
“Come along with me to my rooms, my dear,” Katie urged. “Where I can speak of my secrets plainly.”
“But Adrian—” Bridget began to protest, turning to look at him.
“Adrian will be just fine with the other gentlemen for a few moments,” Katie promised as she urged Bridget up the stairs. “Trust me,” she added with an impish grin. “You will want to hear what it is I have to say.”