Chapter 7 Savi
Savi
Upon waking, Savi was rather surprised to discover it was gone midday.
She went to rub fourteen hours of sleep from her eyes before remembering that there was a gold wedding band with perfect, crystalline diamonds encircling it on her finger—and she definitely didn’t want to get any of those in her eye.
The bedroom around her had been fantastically grand, even in the darkness, but in daylight it truly brought home its enormity, even if the ceiling height made her feel a little like she was falling, perhaps exacerbated by the striped wallpaper.
The striped wallpaper, however, was the last thing on her mind.
Savi hadn’t expected Alex to bid her a respectful farewell before departing for his own room across the corridor.
It had given her some time to explore her new quarters, including the truly enormous bathroom, complete with a handheld electric hair dryer and a counter of bathing products that she could only describe as smelling like bottled luxury.
The dressing room was no less elaborate, with a second vanity table residing inside. The rest of the space was occupied by matching mirrored wardrobes, chests of drawers, and tables, with the latter topped by glossy white marble.
Alex had been correct last night—although she had a moment of panic when she walked in and couldn’t find her trunk.
After searching, however, Savi discovered that it had already been unpacked and put away.
Presumably by the servants, and definitely better than she would have ever done.
Even if it did make her feel slightly uncomfortable to know that someone had gone through her things.
Out of everything, though, the thing that surprised her the most was that Alex had never returned to consummate the marriage. Every interaction she’d had with him so far suggested he was a gentleman, but even gentlemen had needs, especially on their wedding night.
Quickly dressing in one of her English-style dresses, Savi made her way out into the corridor—partially driven by the faint rumble in her stomach. Her gaze was immediately drawn to Alex’s bedroom door. Was he in there? It seemed unlikely, given the hour.
Deciding she’d get lost if she started to walk around on her own, Savi crossed the hallway and rapped her knuckles against it.
Almost immediately, heavy footsteps approached from the other side, but her hopes were dashed when a man who was very much not Alex opened the door, a half-folded shirt draped over his arm.
“Apologies, Your Ladyship,” he said, dipping his head slightly, missing Savi’s flash of surprise at the title.
His pale blond hair remained stationary, slicked back in a precise arc over his skull. “Lord Lakenheath isn’t here.”
“Do you know where he might be?”
The man—who she presumed was a servant and not a shirt thief—paused to think. “The last time I saw him, he was heading down to the northern morning room, but that was several hours ago now. He may be in the family dining room for luncheon.”
A pulsing ache of hunger stirred inside her at the mention of lunch. “How would I get there from here?” Silverburn remained a labyrinthine fortress as far as she was concerned.
“One moment, Your Ladyship.” The man stepped back to hang the shirt over something that looked like a clothes hanger crossed with a coat stand. “I’ll take you there.”
“Thank you.” Savi stepped back as she waited, falling in step with him as he led her towards the staircase Alex had brought them up last night. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Joseph, my lady, His Lordship’s valet.”
“It’s lovely to meet you, Joseph,” she smiled politely, ignoring the hungry rumbling in her stomach. “I’m Savi.”
A small spark of shock crossed his features. “It’s…lovely to meet you, my lady.”
Savi had a feeling she’d just made her first misstep.
The little she knew about servants came from bits and pieces she’d overheard from Katherine, who had hired a lady’s maid immediately after marrying Raj.
Savi gathered that a valet was the male equivalent, but surely there wasn’t nearly as much to do.
Valets didn’t have to deal with intricate hairstyling or extravagant jewels, nor were there wardrobes full of dresses that each cost more than most people made in a decade.
There were simply…suits. And perhaps shaving; that was the only additional duty she could think of.
It didn’t seem enough work to necessitate an entire member of staff, but she could be wrong. Her knowledge on the subject was limited at best.
Making no mention of her potential cock-up, Joseph took her downstairs, but headed in the opposite direction from the library.
Several times, she caught herself falling behind, too busy looking at the magnificence of the artwork on display.
Everywhere she looked, there was more beauty to behold.
Paintings, marble busts, and jaw-dropping architecture were in ample supply, and Savi wanted to study everything.
“Savi?”
She stopped looking at an oak bust of a bearded gentleman to see Alex walking towards her, his long legs eating up the distance between them. “Hello,” she said awkwardly. It was so very strange to realise that the man she hardly knew was now her husband.
He looked her up and down, sending Joseph an enquiring glance. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no. Joseph was kind enough to offer to lead me to the northern morning room.”
“Thank you, Joseph.” Alex gave his valet an amiable pat on the shoulder. “I’ll take over from here.”
“My lord.”
As Joseph’s footsteps began to disappear behind them, Alex leant in. “Were you wanting to see your father?”
Savi snorted before realising she should probably learn to control things like that whilst in Alex’s company. “Not unless it’s strictly necessary. I was actually looking for you.”
“Me?”
It did seem strange to have this conversation in a corridor next to a decapitated wooden head, but she supposed she was going to have to get used to that sort of thing in this house. Castle, she corrected herself. “I wanted to ask why you didn’t visit my bed.”
Alex blinked, his eyes flaring wide. “You’re quite an unusual woman, aren’t you?”
“Thank you, no one’s ever mentioned that before.”
A rosy hue bloomed on his cheeks as he huffed out a laugh. “I simply meant that you’re very direct—in a good way.” He looked around before dropping his voice. “I didn’t visit your bed because I didn’t think you’d want me to.”
So he hadn’t caught her gawping at his shoulders in the lake—loch—yesterday morning. That was good to know. “How considerate.”
Those vast shoulders shrugged, drawing her eye yet again. “I would consider it eminently reasonable. Few ladies would be happy bedding a man in the evening when she’d only met him in the morning, and if there’s one thing I learnt from my parents’ marriage, it’s to keep my wife happy.”
Savi automatically mirrored his personable smile, concealing her inner panic. What would his reaction be if he found out he was married to just one such woman?
Hell, she’d served one life model a cup of tea when he’d arrived and before it was cold she’d climbed him like a tree.
Some may call her a harlot, but she’d never expected to marry, let alone a man like Alex.
She was an artist, and that came with certain…freedoms.
Would he, as a member of the nobility, expect her to be untouched, even at her age? Was it something she was going to have to hide from him?
Even his hypothetical indignation rankled at her. She doubted that he had never taken a woman to bed.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a hollow gurgling from her stomach.
Alex frowned down at her. “Have you eaten?”
“Well, no, I’ve only just left my bedroom.”
“Walk with me.” His lips thinned in an apologetic pinch as he led her back down the way she came, his large hand pressing between her shoulders.
“I’m sorry. I should have explained. When you’re ready for breakfast in the morning, pull on the bell pull I showed you last night, and a maid will bring it up for you. ”
Breakfast in bed? All she could think about was the risk of crumbs in the bedsheets. “I prefer to come down for breakfast, if I’m honest. Are we heading to the North Wing?”
Alex slowed, his footsteps coming to a stop. “No, I was taking you to the family dining room. Unless you’d prefer to have luncheon in the North Wing?”
“Is everyone still there?”
“Quite a few of them, yes.”
It was a battle to keep her face neutral. “Then no.”
Alex sent her a wicked smirk as they began to walk once more. “The family dining room is just down here.”
That should be easy to remember. The turning was opposite a large mirror bordered in porcelain, of all things, complete with a bevvy of purple foxgloves in each of its four corners.
“It’s the one on the left here.” Alex paused outside the doorway, bowing his head slightly. “Ladies first.”
Her lips curved almost of their own accord as she entered the room, her stomach giving a desperate croak as the rich, heavenly scent of hot food filled the room.
Savi’s focus was immediately drawn to a spacious marble counter filled with rows of serving dishes, their mirrored surfaces reflecting her starving eyes back at her.
Alex swiped a plate and a bowl from an awaiting pile next to the serving dishes.
He opened the first dish, a small cloud of steam escaping to reveal a large bowl of creamy soup, its smooth, pale surface interrupted by a smattering of chives.
Around it lay a scattering of fluffy bread. “Would you like some vichyssoise?”
“Remind me what that is again.”