Men, women, and children started coming up to them, and Frits introduced them to Adeline. He was happy to see that, as she had with their servants, she asked each person questions. Then friends of his and his parents had to meet her. Everyone who was present approved of her. After all the guests had had a chance to wish them happy, they cut the cakes.
Frits held her hand and did his best to appear to amble around. But his target was a small door tucked into the side of the house. Before opening it, he glanced around, making sure no one saw them, then whisked her inside.
Laughing, Adeline reached up and kissed him. “That was well done, my lord.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” He drew her into a longer kiss. “I think it’s time we found our chambers.”
“That in itself will be a surprise.” Her eyes sparkled. “No one would tell me what they looked like.”
Frits hoped it wouldn’t be too much of a shock. He led her up a set of secondary stairs normally used by the family to avoid having to go to the hall by the main staircase.
When they reached the second floor, she glanced around. “This is much different from the guest wing.”
“There are not as many rooms, so everything is larger.” Frits used his key to open the door.
“You keep it locked?”
“Only because of my friends, who might decide to play what they think of as a joke.” As a younger man, he’d done his share of wedding pranks and other things to a wedding chamber. “One would hope we’d all grown out of it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” He swung the door open to the large bedchamber. “This is it. Your dressing room and parlor are through the door on the right, and mine are through the door on the left.”
At first, Frits held his breath as she looked around the room, but she was taking too long. “What do you think?”
She turned around and smiled. “That I will have plenty of room for the things I like to keep in my bedchamber. It really is set up for two.”
“That’s always how I’ve seen it. I have never been able to allow myself to spread, as it were, to the other side of the room. I knew that one day it would be my wife’s.”
“Hence the empty bookshelf.” Her eyes brimmed with mirth. “And the bedside table, and wall.” She seemed more curious than upset.
He was about to open the door to her sole area when she turned her back to him. “Will you unhook me while I take down my hair?”
“Gladly.” The other parts of their apartments could wait.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Eight weeks later
Frits entered Adeline’s parlor as she finished reading a letter from her sister-in-law. “I am going to ride over to Fitzwalter’s to see how Gertrude is faring. I’d expected her back by now. Would you like to come with me?”
If her husband had not appeared so serious, Adeline would have laughed. For the past two days, he had been going to the stables every few hours to see if the heifer had arrived. “I would. Give me a few minutes to change.”
“My love, shall we take the carriage?”
“I think that would be a good idea.” She adored riding and had been indulging daily, but this morning Fendall and Mrs. Hubbold, the housekeeper, had felt they needed to tell Adeline that she was breeding. Not that she was completely astonished by the news. She simply hadn’t thought of it. Her courses had never been regular. Yet, once the women pointed out that she had all the indications of being in a delicate condition, she realized that her body had been changing. Ergo, she had to give up riding her horse for the next several months.
He had a relieved smile on his face. Had even Frits realized they were going to have a baby?
Once they arrived at Highend Hall, the Fitzwalter estate, they called on Mr. Fitzwalter and his new wife. She and Frits had attended the wedding breakfast, and been part of a few local entertainments with the couple. Both Adeline and Frits had to admit that marriage had improved Miss Tice.
They were welcomed warmly and offered tea. While the former Miss Tice poured, Mr. Fitzwalter asked, “Are you here about Gertrude?”
“I am.” Frits’s forehead creased. “Truthfully, I’d expected her back by now.”
Fitzwalter grinned. “Once we have finished our tea, I’ll take you out to see her.” He picked up a plate of seed cake. “You must try this. My wife brought the recipe with her and is the best I’ve ever tasted.”
Mrs. Fitzwalter colored with pleasure.
Indeed the cake was one of the best seed cakes Adeline had ever had. “May I have the recipe?”
The lady pulled a face. “I wish I could share it with you, but it is a family secret. I only received it when I married.”
