She thought that was a strange thing to say, but perhaps her ladyship referred to Geoffrey now being able to take the position with Sir Charles.
Elizabeth curtseyed. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Once the ladies left, she turned to her betrothed. “What is this about our rooms?”
“We have been given the apartment my father and mother occupied when they first married. He also served as a diplomat overseas, so they were not often in residence.” Geoffrey took her hands and kissed first one then the other. “That is the tradition I referred to. Would you like to see them?”
Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. She had never before been in intimate quarters with a gentleman to whom she was not closely related. Still, she was betrothed. No one would think it was wrong for her to view her new home, such as it was. And his grandmother had suggested it. “Yes, I would like that very much.”
He led her back to the hall, up the stairs, then down the corridor to the right. “My parents have the rooms at the back of the house. My grandmother has an apartment almost identical to ours on the other side.”
They had only taken a few steps when he opened a door to what appeared to be a small hall with a round marble-topped table and a parquet floor. The walls were covered in a dark patterned silk. That would have to change. It made the room appear dingy.
Doors stood on the right and the left. Geoffrey opened the one on the left first. “This is your bedchamber.”
She stepped into the room that was decorated in different shades of medium and dark green. “Oh, dear.”
He grimaced. “It does not become you.”
“No.” Green was a color she could never wear and would not feel comfortable living in. “May I change it?”
“Of course.” He held her hand. “One of the reasons I wanted you to see the . . . our apartment was so that you could order new decorations and hangings. I daresay, once you select the colors you wish, the redecoration could be done in very short order.”
But probably not before they left. Toward the front of the chamber on the right were two doors. “Where do these lead?”
“The first one goes to your dressing room then into a shared parlor and small dining room. The second”—his eyes warmed and he got the same look he’d had when he’d kissed and fondled her—“is to a corridor leading to my chamber.”
Heat rushed into her cheeks. Her hands flew to her face. Of course he would have a bedchamber in their apartment. There was no reason for her to blush.
“Come.” He drew her into his arms. “I didn’t mean to shock you.”
“You didn’t . . . I mean, I should not have been. We will be married, after all.”
Geoffrey pressed his lips to her neck and jaw. “An event to which I am looking forward.”
His mouth claimed her, and she moaned, pressing into him. Yet, all too soon, he raised his head, breaking the kiss. “I’ll show you the parlor. It is large enough for two sofas, some chairs, a chaise, if you’d like, and two desks.”
He was right; the room was much larger than she could have imagined, and light. Long windows that opened to balconies flanked the fireplace. Even the colors—pale blue and cream—were perfect. “This is a beautiful room.”
“I’ve always thought so.” He had a wistful smile as if he was remembering being in the room with pleasure.
“Did you spend much time here as a child?”
“When I was home from school during the Season. My grandfather was still alive then.”
“Were you very close to him?” She had scarcely known her paternal grandfather. Her parents had always had their own houses.
“I can’t say we were close, but he always managed to slip me a bonbon or something I’d like, and my parents would pretend not to notice.” He walked over to a cabinet and opened the middle section. “Ha! They are still here.” He took out a set of spillikins. “I hoped I’d find them. Do you play?”
“Oh, yes. My whole family becomes very competitive over spillikins.”
His family did as well. “We shall have to play sometime.”
Elizabeth peeped into another room. “I like the dining room as well.”
The walls were covered with yellow paper that had a white pattern running down like stripes. “And the paper appears to be new. The only one we will have to change is my bedroom and the entry.”
He glanced at the clock. “The last room to show you is my bedchamber.”
