10. Chapter 10
I t was the night of the dance at Raven Hall, and I couldn’t tell if I was more anxious or excited.
The emotions were so interchangeable it was hard to discern.
And it was difficult to know if the feelings churning in my stomach were from the thought of making my first public appearance as the Duchess of Severton, meeting my neighbors, or introducing my brothers-in-law to society with the little time they’d had to practice their new social skills.
As I made my way to the Cedar drawing room, the other concerns were pushed aside when I thought about presenting myself to my husband in a beautiful gown he’d never seen.
The tension and awareness between us had grown over the past couple of weeks and I sensed that whatever held him back was becoming harder for him to fight.
We waltzed together in the music room every night, but the atmosphere in a ballroom almost always intensified—everything.
I longed to have Ames return my affection, to love and be loved. And even though I’d agreed to a business partnership with him, I wanted our marriage to be so much more.
As I pushed open the door into the drawing room, I took a deep breath.
Mr. Holderness had finished his work that very morning and had boarded a train for London.
In his wake, he’d left five new wardrobes fit for a duke and his brothers.
And just in time. As I suspected, I had received four letters of acceptance for our house party, and three who had declined because of previous engagements.
The four young ladies coming would arrive in one week’s time.
Two would bring their mothers, one was bringing an older sister, and the fourth was bringing her aunt as chaperone.
The drawing room had been one of the first rooms finished by the laborers, since it needed the least amount of work, and it was the most often used.
The paneled walls were freshly polished, the carpets replaced, and the furniture updated.
But it could not hold my attention when I saw what was waiting for me.
Brant, Collins, Davis, and Everett were lined up, wearing their evening tailcoats, freshly shaved, hair combed, and their handsome faces grinning at me.
I paused in the doorway, my clasped hands coming up to my chest, more pleased than I could describe.
“Well?” Brant asked, touching his lapels and lifting his chin. “Will this do?”
“I even washed my fingernails,” Everett said, holding up his hands for me to inspect. “I scrubbed so hard, I almost took off my thumbnail.”
The others laughed as I approached them, too happy to pretend to be serious.
“You all look wonderful,” I said. “Truly. Remember everything I’ve taught you and you will have a marvelous time.”
Pride lifted their chests as Ames appeared at the door. He was also dressed in his evening clothes, and when he caught sight of me, he let his gaze linger.
My gown was well made and would probably be the nicest one at the dance, but it was a little understated for the evening, since it was a simple country gathering.
It was made of soft green silk, with long sleeves and a slight bustle.
There were few flounces or trimmings, but it hugged me well at the waist and had a flattering neckline.
I wanted to represent the Welby family properly, without putting anyone out.
“Lily looks pretty,” Collins said, approaching Ames and punching him lightly on the shoulder. His unruly curls had been tamed tonight—but for how long? “Doesn’t she?”
The other brothers waited for his response.
“Lily always looks pretty,” Ames said.
His brothers teased and chided him as they walked past him out the door, leaving Ames and me alone in the drawing room.
“You look very nice yourself,” I said to him. “Your aunt will be so pleased with all of you.”
His soft expression tightened into a scowl, as if he’d forgotten what was about to happen and I’d just reminded him. “The last place I want to be at is a dance.”
I walked toward him, offering him a flirtatious smile as I lowered my lashes. “It’s a good excuse to hold your wife close.”
His hands slipped up to my shoulders, drawing my gaze to his face as everything inside me went still.
“I don’t need an excuse to hold her.”
My chest rose and fell as I swallowed my apprehension. “Then why don’t you, Ames?”
He stared at me, all teasing gone, and slowly lowered his hands. “Because this was a business arrangement.” His voice was low, gravelly. “You didn’t sign up for a love match.”
“Why can’t it be both?” I wasn’t sure where my courage came from, but the thought had been on my heart for almost a month.
His cheek muscles jumped as he studied me. “Is that what you want, Lily?”
“What is taking so long?” Brant asked, stepping into the room. “The carriages are waiting and the staff is ready to go.”
I tore my gaze from Ames’s. “Coming.”
Brant didn’t leave this time but impatiently waited for us.
Ames didn’t speak as he offered me his arm.
I wanted to tell Ames that marriage in name only was not what I wished. But we were late and there would be time to speak of it later. Instead, I slipped my hand around his elbow and allowed him to escort me out of the castle, so much uncertainty between us.
The sun was already low in the western sky as the horses impatiently shook their heads and the staff waited in a nearby wagon. Since the dance was open to everyone, several of the maids and footmen had asked if they could attend, Molly included.
After I was seated in the carriage, Ames stepped in and took the spot next to me—something he hadn’t done on the trip from London.
As Brant entered next, Ames leaned close to me and whispered, “We’ll finish our conversation later.”
A delicious thrill spiraled in my stomach as I settled the folds of my skirt, trying not to let my nerves show.
Brant sat across from us, glancing from me to Ames and back again, a knowing smile on his face.
The carriage ride to Raven Hall was the first glance I had of the landscape outside Pickering Castle’s walls during the daylight.
Part of the castle’s ramparts were built into the side of the cliff, and according to Ames, they were designed that way for defensive purposes.
The sea was breathtaking as the road followed the shore.
Ames sat stiff beside me, though our legs pressed together in the tight confines of the carriage and every time we hit a bump or the carriage was jarred, we ended up closer than before.
It was a quick ten-minute ride to Raven Hall, and when I saw it on the cliffside, I was both surprised and delighted. The home was much newer and more stylish than Pickering Castle.
“It’s beautiful,” I said to no one in particular.
“It was built around the time of the American Revolution,” Ames said to me as I stared at the magnificent, Gothic Revival home with its stone facade.
“But it was redesigned by each owner, with my late uncle doing the most work on it about thirty years ago. He had the cliffside terraces built and the gardens expanded.” Ames pointed to a shimmering bay where the setting sun danced on the waves. “That’s Robin Hood’s Bay.”
“Named after the infamous outlaw?” I asked.
“No one knows for sure,” he said, “but there are many legends about him and his men hiding out on the Yorkshire coast.”
“This coastline is famous for smuggling activity,” Brant added, “and some people link it to the legend of Robin Hood because of that.”
“Smuggling?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“This area was one of the most active for smuggling until about ten years ago or so.” Brant’s voice filled with excitement. “There is a lot of lore surrounding it. We grew up hearing stories all the time.”
“What made it so common here?”
“The coastline has rocky inlets, steep cliffs, and caves that were perfect for signaling ships and hiding the smuggled goods.” Brant leaned forward.
“And because Ravenscar is so scarcely populated, there wasn’t a lot of law enforcement along here.
You can still find hidden paths all along the coastline that were used in the smuggling trade. ”
Ames stared out the window at the bay. “It was a dangerous business, and many people were hurt, killed, or sent to prison because of it.” He did not seem to share Brant’s enthusiasm about the subject.
“Why did it end?”
“It hasn’t ended,” he said, bringing his gaze back into the carriage, “but the large-scale operations have died out because customs enforcement has increased and the payoff isn’t worth the risk anymore.”
“Why did they smuggle goods to begin with?”
“To avoid paying importation taxes on things like tea, coffee, silk, lace, tobacco, and spirits.” He sighed. “There are better things to talk about.”
“Like a dance and the pretty women who will be there,” Brant said with a roguish grin.
I returned the smile, and when I glanced at Ames, he was looking at me.
Raven Hall was just as dazzling inside as it was outside. The dance was already underway as we entered the main foyer, where Aunt Eliza greeted us. Though our staff would be in the ballroom later, they would enter the house through the servants’ entrance.
“You came!” Aunt Eliza cried as she grinned at Ames and put her hands on his forearms.
“Hello, Aunt,” he said in a dry voice.
“And you brought Lily.” She smiled at me. “I’m so happy you’re here, my dear.” Her eyes grew wide and then a bit teary as Brant, Collins, Davis, and Everett came in behind us. “Everyone is here. How marvelous.” She turned to the man standing at her side. “George, your cousins have arrived.”
George, the 12th Earl of Torrington, was a handsome man, in his early-thirties, with a muscular build and a formal, almost military bearing. His blue eyes were piercing as he gave his full attention to our group, assessing me with a quick glance before looking at Ames.
“Torrington,” Ames said, extending his hand to his cousin. “It’s good to see you again. I don’t think we’ve been to Raven Hall since—” He paused.