Chapter Ten
Gwendolyn changed into one of her more casual gowns, a lavender muslin that was practical rather than fashionable because it was so plain. No silk trim or lace at the cuffs or squared collar. No need for a fichu either, since the lace might yellow if exposed to salt water and sunlight.
No adornment whatsoever, and the sleeves themselves were not full length but ended just below the elbows. She completed the simple outfit with a pair of soft leather walking boots and a straw sun hat adorned with a lavender ribbon to match her gown.
Since the gown was so plain, she also donned the teardrop necklace. It was a simple adornment and would go nicely with the gown.
Of course, she would never wear it while actually swimming. But she wasn’t going into the water today, since she had no bathing costume to wear.
“The boys will be ready to eat the basket,” Milbury joked as they made their way down to the beach.
He carried a large basket laden with food over his right shoulder and a sack that held bottles of lemonade in his left hand.
Those bottles clanked as they walked along the path of trampled grass.
“They’re usually famished after a swim.”
Gwendolyn had offered to carry the sack, but he would not hear of it.
“You are my guest and your sole duty is to enjoy yourself. I do this all the time. The boys or Alfred will help me carry the basket down the beach steps.” She had made no more fuss about it, since he seemed to be managing his burdens with ease.
The man had muscles.
In truth, her heart was fluttering because he looked quite splendid plainly clad in buff trousers and linen shirt. His shoulders looked massively broad, and she could see nicely formed biceps along his arms as the fabric of his shirt molded to his body.
He had a manly body, fully filled out but nicely firm.
“Do you think we might take a ride into Brighton tomorrow?” she asked.
“To acquire bathing costumes for yourself?” He spared a glance at her as she scampered by his side to match his long strides.
“Of course. We can take care of ordering engraved invitations for our house party, too. Let’s finalize the list tonight over supper.
Fiona will have a word or two, or twenty, to say about which locals to include on the guest list.”
She laughed. “Yes, she does have strong opinions. That’s a good plan.”
“I’ll leave the boys at home tomorrow. They’ll delight in spending their time on the beach and won’t miss us at all.
However, we ought to bring Agatha with us to Brighton to fend off any gossip that might arise around you.
She can visit her family while we run our chores—that ought to be safe enough for your reputation. ”
“Perfect,” she said, now feeling excited about their excursion.
Milbury called down to his sons once they reached the top of the beach stairs. The two of them had just come out of the water, their shirts off but wearing trousers, thankfully.
Gwendolyn realized their father must have warned them not to swim naked. They were both skinny boys, all lanky arms and legs, and their shoulders merely held the promise of muscles to come, but they had to maintain some covering while she was with them.
Since they resembled their father, she expected they would develop manly bodies in the coming years and be just as handsome.
She inhaled sharply.
Did Milbury make it a habit to swim naked, too?
Of course he did. This was their private cove, and they could swim as they wished.
The butterflies in her stomach began to flutter wildly.
Oh dear.
She was losing all sensibility. Why else would her heart be in palpitations over the possibility of seeing his unclad body?
Perhaps it had been a mistake to come to Milbury Hill with him, because this beautiful estate and surrounding seacoast countryside was his territory as much as Duchess Square was hers.
He ruled here. There was no mistaking he was in command.
And she felt drawn to him in a shockingly powerful way.
A large blanket had been set upon the sand and a canopy of gossamer linen provided shade above it. “Here come my little heathens,” he said with a merry chuckle as his sons stomped up the stairs to assist him. “I warned you this would be casual, Gwen.”
“I don’t mind.”
She grinned as the boys ran to them wearing only their wet trousers.
They spared her barely a greeting before grabbing the basket from their father and tearing back down to the beach.
Neither lad was in the least bit bashful about remaining shirtless.
In fact, their shirts were blowing along the sand and threatening to fly into the water.
“I’ll retrieve those,” Gwendolyn said, wanting to be helpful when they reached the bottom of the stairs.
But she had never walked in soft sand before, so it took her a few steps before she learned how to maintain her balance because her feet kept sinking into the shifting sand.
Walking on a beach was far different from walking on firm ground.
“You cannot fight nature, Gwen,” James said, taking her hand to guide her through those first few steps. “You ought to remove your walking boots and let your toes curl in the warm sand.”
“Then you’ll see my feet.”
He shrugged. “Do you have six toes?”
“No,” she replied with a light laugh.
“Then no one will care or find it shocking. We are not in London and do not need to abide by their foolish rules.”
Once she had retrieved the shirts, all four of them settled on the large blanket. The boys wasted no time digging into the basket with both fists.
“Mind your manners,” Milbury intoned. “There’s a lady present.”
Both of his sons cast her adoring smiles before ignoring their father and continuing to forage in the basket.
He sighed in exasperation. “I’ve raised wild monkeys.”
His footman, Alfred, approached. Milbury dismissed him so that he could return to the house for the staff’s midday meal. “Shall I come back here afterward, my lord?”
“No, Lady Gwendolyn and I will stay with the boys. Thank you for watching over them.”
“My pleasure, m’lord.”
That it was to be only the four of them pleased his sons to no end.
It pleased Gwendolyn, too. Warmth flooded through her to be so accepted by these Milbury men, although it did give her a moment’s concern that they were too eager to include her as part of their family, and this might cause future problems.
For now, it was delightful.
“Will you swim with us, Papa?” Robert asked between bites of his cold chicken.
“Yes, son.”
Both boys cheered.
“He’s going to show off to you, Gwendolyn,” Jordan teased. “He’s a very good swimmer.”
Milbury laughed. “A necessity, since you two imps seem to find new ways to get yourselves into trouble in the water.”
“It was only the once,” Robert insisted. “We’ve been careful ever since.”
Jordan turned to Gwendolyn. “I’d show you my scar, but that would require me to take off my trousers.”
Gwendolyn coughed as she laughed. “I’ll take your word about it.”
After finishing a meal comprising bread, cheese, cold ham, roast chicken—that seemed to be Robert’s favorite—and a lemon seed cake, she and Milbury strolled along the sand while the boys built a remarkably realistic sandcastle by the shore. “What do you think of this place, Gwen?”
“I am appalled that I have never been to the seacoast before.”
“Never? But were you not raised in Devon?”
“Yes, but inland. Still, it is unforgivable that I never bothered to explore the Devon seacoast. But I’m glad to be here, near Brighton. It is a whole new world for me and I love it so far. I am truly grateful to you for bringing me here.”
“You must know that you are welcome to stay for as long as you wish.”
She shook her head. “Oh, I do not think your new bride will want me around once you choose her.”
“Right. That business,” he muttered.
When they returned to the blanket, his sons ran over and began to tug on their father’s arm. “Come swim with us, Papa,” Robert pleaded.
“All right. I’ll be right there. Give me a moment to remove my boots.”
The boys ran into the water ahead of him.
Milbury sat on the blanket and took off his boots, then paused and cleared his throat. “Gwen, I’ll keep my shirt on if you will feel uncomfortable with my tossing it off.”
Dear heaven. She had been praying he would take it off.
Was this sinful of her? After all, she was a thirty-two-year-old spinster. She had no intention of going to her grave without ever seeing a man’s body. There were other things she wished to do with a man, but this was not the time to dwell on that.
“No, do whatever you ordinarily do. Do not let me interfere with your usual routine.”
“Our usual?” He arched an eyebrow. “We undress completely when it is just the three of us. But my sons have strict instructions to keep their trousers on whenever you are with us. We’ll probably keep shirts on, too, once our party guests arrive.”
“That does not sound comfortable. It cannot be pleasant to swim fully dressed.”
“It isn’t, but that’s what we’ll do if we cannot figure out a workable swimming schedule for the men.”
“Papa! We’re waiting!” Robert called out with marked impatience.
“Join your boys, and take off your shirt, if you wish. My delicate sensibilities will not be offended.”
“Thank you, Gwen. I won’t stay in the water too long. Take off your walking boots and dip a toe in the water. You’ll enjoy it.”
She nodded.
And almost swooned when his shirt came off to reveal broad shoulders, exquisite arm muscles that stole her breath, and the flat, rippling planes of his stomach that would have her salivating if she did not look away this very moment.
Of course, she could not look away if her life depended on it.
She was fascinated by the physical beauty of his body, and had to consciously restrain herself from running her fingers through the spray of dark curls that stretched across his chest. There was some gray sprinkled in amid the dark hairs, but those only added to the majesty of his torso.
Would Andrew be as handsome?