Page 101 of The Moonstone Marquess
“If you keep looking at me that way,” he said, a broad grin on his face, “I’m going to undress us both, and we’ll be right back where we started.”
She sighed. “You are right. We cannot tarry this morning. I’m sure your nieces are eagerly awaiting us downstairs.”
He wrapped his hand around hers, and they walked down together. Chloe had stopped by with presents for the girls, so their farewell was not as sad as it might have been. “Open them once you are on your way home,” she told Cormac’s nieces as they all sat around the breakfast table.
Afterward, Cormac spent ten minutes hugging his nieces, for neither girl wanted to let go of him.
“Come along, girls. We have a long ride home and need to get an early start,” John said, coaxing his daughters away from Cormac. Then John, Charlotte, and the girls climbed into their carriage for the trip back to London.
Chloe waited for her horse to be brought around so she could return to Malvern House. “By the way, Cain and Hen would love you to join us for supper tomorrow night. Cain has invited Lieutenant Brennan and several of his superiors up for more discussions on the hospital plans.”
“We’ll be there,” Cormac said after exchanging a glance with Phoebe and seeing her nod.
A few minutes later, they were finally on their own.
The sky was overcast, so they returned indoors. While Cormac retired to his study to review the work piled on his desk, Phoebe met with Melrose and their cook, a local woman by the name of Bessie Angel, to plan out the week’s chores and menus. This task did not take very long, since the pair had all well in hand. She was soon knocking on Cormac’s study door. “Come in.”
She stepped in and shut the door behind her. “Would you mind if I hired a housekeeper? It needn’t happen right away. There’s no rush. But I will be resuming my charitable activities with Hen and Chloe, and I’m sure I will be asked to host several functions. In any event, if we have children—”
“Whatever you think best, love. This house is as much yours as it is mine.” He came around to the front of his desk and wrapped his arm around her. “As for children, perhaps we had better work on those right now.”
“Here? In your study?” Her eyes widened in panic. “Don’t you dare unlace me here! I’ll never get my corset tied once you undo it. I—” She inhaled sharply. “I’m sorry. I… But I can’t run about the house with my gown falling off me. I’m so sorry…”
“Phoebe, just breathe. I am not angry or frustrated. I would have summoned your maid to assist you. But I suppose that is just as bad. She’ll know you’ve been taken by your husband in the middle of the day in his very study. Why, it is quite shocking. You’ll be forever considered a wanton.”
“Now you are mocking me.”
“No, love. Just some gentle teasing. We’ll save our escapades for the bedroom. Melrose will never forgive me if I corrupt your morals. Besides, it will be a refreshing change for me to be considered respectable. I have no problem with it.” He kissed her with a hungry ardor. “I still have a little work to do. Care to stay with me? It’s starting to rain anyway.”
“I’ll choose a book from your library.”
She selected one about Italian gardens and settled in one of the big leather chairs by the hearth to read it.
The thud as it slipped from her fingers startled her awake. She realized she’d fallen asleep while reading.
She blinked her eyes open and saw Cormac settled in the chair beside hers. He was thoughtful as he watched her. “Oh, my snores must have disturbed you.”
“No, love. You weren’t snoring. You just looked so beautiful, I couldn’t resist watching you.” He rested an elbow on his knee as he continued to regard her. “I love you, Phoebe. I love us together. I never thought I could feel this way. We’ve been married little more than a day, and already I cannot remember a time without you. Is that not ridiculous? But it’s true.”
She picked up her book and set it aside. “Do you know what moonstones represent?”
“They have a meaning?”
“Yes, most gemstones do. The moonstone represents marriage and fertility. Flourishing. I think I am going to dub you my moonstone marquess, because this is what this place seems to have done for you—made you flourish.”
“And also had me marrying the prettiest girl in existence.”
“Thank you. But you did that all by yourself.”
“No, I’m sure it was those moonstones guiding me.”
“I’m sure it was all you. I shall never forget your drunken words to me on the day we first met.Marry me.My first thought was, what idiot says that to a woman he’s only just met? Then you cleaned yourself up a few hours later and I knew I would marry you. There could never be anyone else for me.” She rose and held out her hand for him. “What do you say we go upstairs and watch the moonstones on the water? You can see them shimmer beneath the surface on rainy days when the tide is low.”
He took her hand. “You thought I was an idiot?”
She giggled. “Yes, my love. You thought even worse of yourself.”
“That is true. Turns out I was a lot smarter than either of us gave me credit for. I married you, didn’t I?”
