Page 43 of An Accidental Elopement

He had found two tenant families that might be suitable. Both young families whom he knew from childhood. He had played with John Hook as a boy, while Mary Connor was the first girl that he had ever kissed. He should probably not divulge that detail to Mary’s husband if he wanted Mr. Connor to raise his bastard child, but he and Mary had parted on good terms, and he felt certain that she would be a good mother and keep his secret.

But no, he could not tell Cecilia all this. He did not want anything to shake the delicate balance that they had finally found in their marriage.

“We are not in financial trouble,” he now assured her and cupped her face. He meant to bend forward and kiss her again, but she spoke before he had the chance.

“You know that my father will release my dowry to you shortly. It is quite substantial...” she began, but Archie interrupted her. It was true that Cecilia’s dowry was substantial. He had only had little time to discuss it with Mr. Gaywood before the wedding, but even though Cecilia’s father was “only” the son of a baronet, the family was wealthier than many that held significantly grander titles. It was a stroke of luck that they had been good investors through generations.

“I am not going to spend your dowry on the estate. It is your money and I want it to go to you. I didn’t marry you for your dowry,” he purred as he pulled her close. This time she let him, and they shared a heated kiss, but when he tried to nudge her towards the bed, she broke the kiss off.

“Not tonight,” she told him with a smile and swatted his shoulder lightly. “The dining room is packed with wedding guests.”

“Then no one will miss us,” Archie countered.

Cecilia did not answer but merely wrenched out of his arms and walked towards the door. As she reached the door, however, she turned and extended a hand to him. Archie took it and was awarded with a beaming smile that made his heart flutter. No, he could never do anything to endanger this.

***

They shared a quick breakfast of buttered toast in bed the next morning since there would be a large wedding breakfast later, sharing kisses and touches whenever they could. When they had finished and Archie tried to lay her down on the bed, Cecilia resisted though.

“Not again. We don’t have the time,” she protested, even though her body was already humming with desire.

“I can be quick,” Archie murmured as he was unbuttoning her nightgown. Cecilia had only put it on for the sake of the maid bringing them toast. She had given up all pretenses of sleeping in a nightgown now since Archie would peel it off her first thing as she came to bed anyhow.

“Not that quick,” Cecilia teased him. She gave him a peck on the lips. “Besides I don’t want you to be quick,” she teased as she squirmed out from underneath him and went to the bellpull to ring for her maid before he could object.

Archie sighed but heaved himself out of bed and quickly put on his dressing gown.

“Tonight,” Cecilia promised him with a smile. He nodded and left to get dressed in Gregory’s room since Cecilia could not dress with his valet around. Her lady’s maid arrived only moments after to help her.

“The whole house is upside down this morning, my lady,” she confided with a smile.

Cecilia could vividly imagine. About a hundred guests and as many servants were staying at the estate at the moment. It had to be a very tight squeeze to help so many people dress and bathe at the same time.

After her bath, Cecilia dressed in a pale green gown. If they did go to London after the wedding, she wanted to order new dresses. They had not discussed it after they had reconciled but had been busy with other matters. She wished to experience London with Archie when she knew that he was not simply traveling there to be in the arms of his mistress.

There was a knock at the door. Her lady’s maid opened and received a letter from the young boy standing outside.

“I suppose that everything is done differently today,” she said as she placed the letter on Cecilia’s dressing table. It was addressed to Archie in what was decidedly a feminine handwriting, although appalling clumsy. Cecilia’s stomach squeezed into a knot, and she felt the toast scratch the roof of her mouth. She willed herself to be calm as she stared at the letter and tried to guess its content. There could be any number of reasons for a letter from a woman arriving for Archie. It did not have to signify that he was having an affair. Perhaps it was from one of the other guests. Cecilia had seen how fond he was of especially the youngest of the Winterbottom sisters, the dowager Baroness Granville. Or Rosie as Archie had simply called her.

“She is like the annoying, bossy cousin you never knew you always wanted,” he had said as a way of introduction. The short, brown-haired woman who was a year older than Archie had elbowed him in the ribs.

“I am very pleased to meet you, Lady Archibald,” she said with so much emphasis on Archie’s full name that Cecilia knew that it was a jibe against him. Even though he had not said so, she had learned long ago that Archie did not particularly like his first name.

“Call me Cecilia, since we are sort of family, I suppose,” Cecilia had offered. Archie had put his arm loosely around her waist and squeezed her and Cecilia had felt his gratitude and been certain that they understood each other perfectly.

But now she was not as certain. She had not sensed anything of a carnal nature between Archie and Rosie. It could simply be a brief message between them. Rosie was a young widow, perhaps she wanted to know whether she could ride in Archie and Cecilia’s carriage. If it was indeed from her.

Cecilia surveyed the missive. It was not franked, which meant that it had not been posted. She turned it over. It had been sealed though. Would Rosie have sealed a message merely asking for a ride or anything like a benign favor? It had to be from someone else then.

Cecilia looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her lady’s maid was almost done with her hair that was piled high on her head with curled tendrils around her ears. Her cheeks were slightly red with agitation, and she looked at her throat as she swallowed several times.

She should trust Archie. Whoever had written the message for him was not his mistress. He had told her that he would be faithful to her and that she should trust him.

She looked at how her teeth biting into her lower lips turned the plump flesh around it white.

“Thank you, Miss Wilkins. I will put on my jewelry on my own,” she blurted and reached for the earrings on the dressing table.

“Very well, my lady,” Miss Wilkins said and sounded a little surprised by Cecilia’s outburst.