CHAPTER 18
THE STRAINS OF THEmusic expertly coaxed from the piano by Elizabeth’s fingers floated in the air. They had all retired together to the drawing room after dinner for some tea and family time. The countess knitted nearby, while Abigail, sitting next to him, read a book.
Colin took a sip of his cognac and studied his wife out of the corner of his eye. In reality, images of his wedding night flooded his mind. They were never far from his thoughts of late. In the two days since he had bedded Abigail, making love to his wife was all he could think about.
She had become an addiction. Something he craved day and night. He had not gone to her last night again, though. It would be very bad form to abuse her welcome. She had been passionate, but reserved. He had to encourage, almost push her to surrender to pleasure.
He smiled. Her sweet submission to her own needs was the most potent aphrodisiac for him. He wanted to make her scream with release, wanted to crumble all thoughts of resistance until she craved their marital bed as much as he did. He needed to bind her to him with pleasure. That was his only hope for a happy, sustainable marriage.
As part of their bargain, he had promised not to be a very demanding husband. And he had conceded that once she provided an heir, she could choose to live apart if she so desired. That had seemed reasonable before. But now that he had bedded her, that he had held her naked in his arms and had tasted her sweet release, he wasn’t sure he could ever let her go. So his only recourse was to seduce her into wanting to stay.
For that, he must wage a campaign towards winning his own wife. He had to go slowly and be strategic. The good thing about marriage is that he had time and opportunity aplenty on his side.
The music stopped as the piece came to a gentle end and Elizabeth got up from the piano to sit on the settee in front of him.
Colin lowered his book. “Bravo, Elizabeth. You play the piano marvelously.”
His sister colored a little at the praise. “Thank you. I enjoy it.” She leaned forward in her chair. “Have you decided when we can go to London for my Season?”
The sudden change in subject left him momentarily nonplussed. He hadn’t yet made concrete plans...
“Elizabeth, stop pestering your brother,” Admonished the countess. “I have told you there is no reason to rush. You can be presented next year. In fact, it would probably be more advantageous to do so.”
“But mother!” the girl whined. “I don’t want to wait until next year. I’ll be the oldest debutante ever! All my friends would have found husbands by then. They will have snatched the best prizes in the marriage mart and all there would be left for me would be the old and decrepit lords or the fortune hunters.”
The countess fixed her with a gimlet stare as she set down her knitting, and Colin had to laugh at the girl’s reasoning. Elizabeth was beautiful, smart and accomplished. She had breeding and a good dowry. She would have her pick of husbands in whichever season she debuted. But apparently she didn’t see it that way.
Besides, there might be another advantage in moving to London. He had not made much progress in the investigation of the shots fired at them, despite reporting the incident to the authorities and even hiring a personal investigator. It might be prudent to remove themselves from the area until they found the culprit. If not, he hoped that in London they would have more resources to investigate.
“The new steward has taken the reins of the management of the estate, and I have appraised him of the plans.” He answered, coming to a decision. “I daresay we can remove to London for your presentation as soon as next week.”
“Truly? Oh, that is amazing! I daresay you are the best brother a girl could hope for.” She stood up and bobbed up and down on the balls of her feet and clapped her hands in her excitement, showing a remarkable lack of decorum. He smiled indulgently.
It was amazing how fast he had become fond of the girl, given that a month ago he had never even met her. If he had realized he had such lovely relatives, maybe he would have returned sooner. He had been alone for so long... ever since his mother’s passing. But this girl was his family now. His own blood. And he now had a wife too, and God willing, in a year or so, another little person of his own.
“Oh mama, could I retire now? I have to go write to Annalise and Julie. Let them know I’m going to London. They’ll be so excited!”
The countess nodded. “I am ready to retire, too. If you would see me out, my dear?”
“Of course mama!” The girl replied, taking hold of her mother’s chair and rolling her into the hallway, closing the door behind them in a flurry of skirts.
He didn't know who Annalise and Julie were, but surmised they were probably school friends. He sighed resignedly at the thought of the London Season, but with Abigail by his side, it would be more tolerable. Anything would be tolerable, as long as she was with him.
He turned to his wife, who had stayed quiet during this conversation. She lowered her book and smiled at him hesitantly. He remembered she had not been looking forward to the season either and felt a twinge of guilt. He had not even consulted with her before committing to go to London next week.
