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When he lifted his mouth from hers, he murmured, “Bess, this is easily the happiest day of my life—I want it to be happy for you too. We are going to steal a whole week alone together.”
“Oh, Shrew, I am happy—you've fulfilled all my dreams!”
“Once, years ago, you asked me to give you a wedding ring; you asked me to give you my name, do you remember?”
“I was being very wicked. You were married—I knew it was impossible.”
“But you'll never know how much I longed to give you those things. Bess, you are my true sweetheart. I've never been in love before. You're the first … and the last.”
She stood on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his. “I shall love you forever.”
With arms entwined they made their way along the cloisters to the adjoining manor house, all built from the same beautiful old weathered stone. Bess sighed. “This place is so romantic.”
He brushed his lips across her temple. “That's why I chose it for our honeymoon. I wish we had longer than a week.”
She looked up at him, starry-eyed. “I am only just beginning to realize that you are a romantic at heart.”
He swept her up into his arms and carried her into Rufford. It wasn't until he set her feet down on the ancient stones that she realized a score of servants had gathered in the hall to await their arrival. One by one the steward, housekeeper, cook, laundress, footmen, maids, gamekeepers, gardeners, grooms, and body servants either bowed or curtsied and said respectfully, “Welcome to Rufford, Countess.”
Bess caught her breath. “How lovely of you to welcome me. I can see you were all in on the secret. It is the best surprise I've ever had.” Bess won their hearts immediately.
Cecily came forward and curtsied. “Lady Talbot, all your things are upstairs, even your portable bathing tub.”
“How on earth did you manage to spirit everything away without my knowledge?” Bess asked, utterly confounded.
“It was simple enough,” Shrewsbury teased. “You were closeted with lawyers and couldn't see what was going on under your nose.” He dipped his head to whisper in her ear, “If you hurry, there will be lots of time for us to bathe before dinner.”
Bess decided two could play a teasing game. She blushed and reached up to whisper back, “No, no, Shrew, if we bathe together, they'll all know!”
He kept a straight face. “Nonsense. Talbot servants are trained to notice nothing of a salacious nature.”
“That's a relief.”
“That they are well-trained?”
Her laugh was sultry. “No, that you intend to be salacious!”
“I love you, Vixen.”
“You'd better, you black devil!”
Upstairs, he had chosen adjoining rooms for them so they would have extra space. Cecily had brought Bess so many clothes they took up an entire double wardrobe; then of course there was the huge bathing tub. Shrewsbury decided one of the chambers would be their bathing and dressing room, the other their bedchamber.
One of his gifts lay across the bed. Bess saw it immediately and lifted it to her cheek to caress the delicate material. It was a white silk bedgown, edged in white fox. On the breast was embroidered a gold coronet with her new initials above it: E.S.
“Shrew, it's exquisite, but woefully impractical.”
“What do you mean?” He knew she adored beautiful lingerie.
“My lover is impatient—he'll tear it to tatters.”
“Then leave it on the bed and we'll just look at it.”
“Not a chance! Perhaps my husband has more patience than my lover?”
“I doubt that, my beauty.”
But miraculously, as he began to undress her, Bess found his hands amazingly gentle. He handled her as if she were precious and fragile as porcelain. When they were both naked he lifted her tenderly and carried her into the adjoining chamber, where the bathing tub of steaming water awaited them. He stepped in first to make sure it was not too hot, then gently scooped her up and eased them down into the water, with her in his lap.
