After a moment, Elinor dropped her arms and took a step back. Alden immediately missed the lack of contact.
“With my dowry, you could buy land in England,” Elinor suggested.
Alden had completely forgotten about her dowry in the chaos of the moment. “May I ask how much your dowry is?”
“Twenty thousand pounds,” she replied.
He stared at Elinor, stunned. “Twenty thousand pounds?” he repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Elinor eyed him with amusement. “I do hope that is sufficient.”
“Sufficient?” he asked, shaking his head in amazement. “You are an heiress. How did I not know this?”
“You never asked,” Elinor retorted with a shrug.
Alden cocked his head. “What other secrets are you keeping from me?” he asked, half-joking, but with a hint of genuine curiosity.
Elinor stiffened slightly, her playful demeanor fading. “Nothing,” she said, her tone more guarded.
He found himself curious by her response, but he didn’t want to press her now. He hoped that, in time, she would trust him enough to confide in him.
Bringing a hand to her stomach, Elinor asked, “Would you mind if we returned to the dining room for the feast. I am rather famished.”
“I could always eat,” Alden responded, offering his arm. “Would you be opposed if I collected my things and moved into the manor now that we are married?”
Elinor placed her hand on his arm as she said, “I shall have the guest bedchamber readied for you.”
“Unless you wish to share a bedchamber?” he asked with a flirtatious wink, unable to resist teasing her.
She withdrew her hand and took a step back, her cheeks flushing. “I… uh…” she stammered.
“I am teasing you, Elinor,” he rushed out, taking pity on her discomfort. “I’m sorry. It was too soon to do such a thing.”
“No, it is all right,” Elinor assured him.
Alden grinned, feeling a sense of relief. “This is new to both of us. I have never had a wife before.”
Elinor stepped forward and took his arm again, her touch sending a shiver down his spine. “I never thought I would have an irregular marriage in Scotland.”
“It will be a good story to share with our children when they are older,” Alden said.
“Children?” Elinor asked. “You want more than one?”
Alden started leading Elinor out of the drawing room. “I know we haven’t discussed it, but I would like a big family, assuming that is something you would like.”
Elinor grew quiet, and Alden feared that he had upset her. He glanced at her, searching for any sign of distress. Finally, after a long moment, she said, “I always wanted a large family. It was quite lonely being an only child.”
“Well, look at that, we agreed on something,” Alden joked, trying to lighten the mood. “Although, I could have done without my brother.”
“You don’t mean that,” Elinor said softly, her eyes filled with empathy.
Alden opened the door of the drawing room as he responded, “Alexander is the bane of my existence. He criticizes everything I do and say.”
“That sounds awful,” Elinor murmured.
“It is,” Alden agreed, his voice heavy from the weight of past grievances. “But that’s a story for another time. For now, let us enjoy the feast and our new beginning.”
As Alden led Elinor to the dining room, he could sense her apprehension. Her steps were hesitant, her grip on his arm slightly tense. Truth be told, he was scared, too. This marriage, though hastily arranged, was something he had wanted. But Elinor had not wanted this. She had been adamant about marrying for love, not out of necessity. Which meant he had a challenging task ahead of him- he would need to woo his wife.
