Page 75 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke
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Thea enjoyed exploring, even more because it was with Hal.The castle was a fascinating mixture of old and new, some of it strange, but little of it ugly.They began on the ground floor, much of which was already familiar—the Great Hall, the ballroom, the dining room, two of three formal drawing rooms.
Once away from those and the constant unobtrusive presence of the staff, Thea thought Hal might take more interest in her and less in his tour.Not that he was not attentive to her and interesting to listen to, but he did not appear to want to kiss her.
Perhaps last night was enough, she mused as she admired the New Library—which had window seats that looked as comfortable for a kiss as the one in the Old Library had.She wished there was someone she could talk to who knew about male desire.Surely he would want tomake love to her again soon?Unless she had disappointed him and he was not eager to repeat the experience.
He hadn’t seemed disappointed.
She would see at bedtime.He had not really had an opportunity to see the nightgown and peignoir, and her friends had assured her they would be very inflammatory.
* * *
When she rose from the dinner table and said, ‘I will leave you to your port,’ he followed her into the Chinese Drawing Room—the smallest and most comfortable, the one she seemed to prefer.It was ridiculous, the way every little sign that she was feeling more at home, that she had found something that she liked, made his heart lift.
‘Do not feel you have to wait up for me,’ he said.‘You must be very tired after the past few days.I will leave you in peace tonight.’
Patience, patience, he told himself.
If only he knew how fast to dare go, how the devil he would know how to let her see his feeling without them being a burden to her.
She looked up, seemingly startled.Had he spoken aloud?No, Thea just looked a little puzzled.
He did kiss her then, a quick pressure of his lips to hers, as gentle and undemanding as he could make it, even as his body screamed at him for it.Her cheek was soft and warm as he touched it.‘Good night, Thea.Sleep well.’
* * *
Thea did not sleep well.Nor did she on the next two nights when her husbandthoughtfullyleft her to rest.On the third night he did come to her, but although he seemed to be taking trouble to give her pleasure, he did not remain in bed afterwards.
Then another lonely night, and on the next, when he didcome to her door, she informed him that it was not convenient as her courses had started.
Which meant she was not with child, although he did not appear to mind about that and merely kissed her cheek and left her alone for a week.
When he did politely enquire whether he might join her, she opened the door to him with relief mixed with a strong desire to throw her book at him.
But what did she expect?she scolded herself as the door closed behind him an hour later.Hal did not love her.His visits now were as much duty as pleasure.Probably he would find a mistress in the New Year.And it was almost Christmas.Her family would be arriving on the twenty-third and on the twenty-seventh there would be the Servants’ Ball.A great deal to plan for and think about.She would not have time to be… To worry about anything else.
Chapter Twenty-Three
There had been so much to learn about the house and the household, so many courtesy visits to receive and return in the neighbourhood, that Thea had found no time to do more than glance out of the windows at the gardens.Besides, the weather had been cold and windy and unpleasant enough for her to take short, brisk walks for the sake of the exercise and to clear her head.
Then, on the nineteenth of December, the weather changed to a light dusting of snow and, by the morning of the twenty-first, to still, frosty perfection.
‘How beautiful,’ she said, standing at the window of the small breakfast room they were using now that it was so much colder.‘I shall explore the gardens this morning.’
‘You will?’Hal sounded surprised.
‘Why, yes.I am sure they will look delightful in this weather, and it really is time I looked at them properly.’
Hal cut into his bacon, looking, she thought, as though he were trying to work something out.‘I will come with you.Show you around.’
‘Why, thank you.I would enjoy that, if you are not too busy.’
‘I would never be too busy for you, Thea,’ he said seriously.
Then why not spend more time in my bed?she thought.
But she smiled.‘At ten, then, while the sun is shining?It changes so quickly at this time of year.’
