Chapter Nine #2
He wished he could contact them ahead of their arrival, but they were still at sea on their way to New York and would be traveling upon their arrival.
Though he would have no chance to give them fair warning, he had full faith in how they would react to learning that Aubrey had married the Irish housekeeper.
They would see that he was delighted by her and would take up her cause. He’d stake his life on it.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Aubrey, because if you’re wrong, this is going to be a very long summer for you and your new wife.”
Maeve could hear the two men whispering, and while she couldn’t make out what they were saying, she sensed they were arguing.
Probably about her, a thought that made her stomach ache.
She couldn’t believe Mr. Nelson had offered a hundred thousand dollars to get her out of the charges looming in Ireland. What could he be thinking offering a king’s ransom on her behalf?
She couldn’t allow him to do such a thing.
But when she considered the alternative . . .
It didn’t bear considering.
He returned a few minutes later and took the seat next to her. “Matthew will do what he can to help us.”
“To help me.”
“Us. We’re in this together now.”
“You can’t give them a hundred thousand dollars.”
“I can and I will if it’ll lead to them dropping the charges against you.”
“It’s an obscene amount of money.”
“It’s worth every penny if it ensures your safety and security.”
She shook her head, her dismay obvious.
“What is it?”
“I never imagined what would transpire when I allowed Mr. Farthington to court me. He was sweet and charming and persuasive. My father urged me to marry him because his family owns a fleet of ships and are considered quite prosperous in our area. My father desperately wanted to land the Farthingtons’ account for the bank.
‘You won’t ever do better than him,’ my father said.
He was much older than me but seemed quite sincere in his affections at first. But everything about him was false, and I realized it almost immediately after we were married.
The night of our wedding . . .” She swallowed hard, wiped away a tear.
“When he tried to consummate our marriage, his . . . phallus . . . would not . . .”
“Harden?”
Nodding and mortified, she wiped away more tears. “He said it was my fault because I wasn’t attractive enough to make him want me. That was the first time he beat me.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because any man with a pulse would want you. Something was wrong with him. Not you. It happens to some men.”
“It does? Really?”
“Yes.” He brushed away her tears. “Really.”
“I have never heard of such a thing.”
“It’s not something men speak of as it’s a very embarrassing and frustrating situation. But I promise you that it had nothing whatsoever to do with you.”
“How can you know that for sure? Perhaps there is something wrong with me.”
He took her hand and placed it over the hard ridge of flesh between his legs. “Do you feel that?”
Maeve’s face burned with embarrassment as she tried to pull back her hand. “Mr. Nelson!”
He tightened his grip to keep her hand in place.
“My name is Aubrey, and this has been a problem for me from the first instant I laid eyes on you wielding the largest feather duster I’ve ever seen.
It didn’t matter to me that you were the housekeeper or that you’re Irish.
All I saw was one of the most exquisitely beautiful women I’ve ever met, and I wanted you fiercely.
” After a pause, he said, “Look at me, Maeve.”
She forced her gaze to meet his while knowing her mortification would be apparent in the rosy hue of her burning cheeks.
“He was the problem. Not you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you.” Leaning in ever so slightly, he kissed her and then released her hand to put his arms around her. “Do you believe me?”
“The evidence you presented was rather convincing.”
He laughed as he caressed her face. “May I ask you . . .”
“What?” she said, feeling breathless.
“Was he ever able to . . .”
“No, and each time he tried and failed, he was more violent toward me.”
“So that means you’re a virgin?”
Her inclination was to tell him it was none of his business, but as he was her husband now, it was his business. “I am.”
Aubrey expelled a deep breath that sounded like equal parts relief and desire.
“D-does that please you?”
“It pleases me greatly. I would like to be the one to teach you about the act of love, to introduce you to the pleasure we can find together.”
“I would like to learn.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and the heat in her face intensified when he directed a hungry look her way.
He shifted his body, drawing her attention to the bulge between his legs.
As she stared at the thick ridge of flesh, she licked her lips, fascinated by the way his body responded to their conversation.
“I believe we should retire to our chamber for the remainder of the day.”
“But there is work to be done!”
“Not by us.”
“We have so little time and much more to accomplish.”
“Tomorrow, we’ll return to work. Today, we shall celebrate our marriage.”
She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought about what he’d said and the implications of taking the rest of the day to be alone together. “The army will need supervision. They should be finishing your sisters’ rooms.”
“I’ll ask Mr. Plumber to supervise them for the remainder of the day. Where do you want them to go next?”
“The guest rooms assigned to the duke and duchess as well as the others in their party. I had them tend to the family rooms first since they will be here at the end of the week.”
“I’ll pass along your instructions and ask Mrs. Allston to serve dinner in our chamber tonight.”
At the thought of Mrs. Allston serving them dinner in their bedroom, Maeve wanted to die from the mortification.
“Go on upstairs. I’ll meet you in our suite in a few minutes.”
He got up and adjusted his coat to cover the obvious protuberance and made for the door with all due haste.
Maeve watched him go, wishing she had someone to talk to about what was going to happen. Her mother had fumbled her way through the explanation of marital relations, but Maeve still had many unanswered questions that filled her with nerves as she went upstairs to prepare for her husband.