Page 87 of A Duke for Adela
“Don’t they look handsome,” Adela remarked, nudging Syd to join them in staring out the window.
Syd chuckled. “Yes, Adela. They are obviously the most gorgeous men in the world. My heart is thumping and bumping. Fetch my smelling salts, for I am in danger of fainting from the rapture of their magnificence.”
She gave her friend a playful poke. “No sarcasm allowed today. They are handsome, and you know it. Especially Ambrose. He does look stunning, as always. It is quite irritating, don’t you think? He doesn’t even try to look good. It just flows naturally out of him.”
Her friends giggled and began to tease her, neither of them holding back their good-natured jests. “I overheard the upstairs maids in my home playing a game one day. Do you want to know what it is?” Syd said, her grin quite broad.
Gory nodded. “Is it something bawdy? Then yes, absolutely.”
Adela’s eyes widened. “You cannot tell us now. Ambrose and his brothers are walking toward our carriage.”
Syd laughed. “All the better. The game is calledAbove the Waist or Below the Waist.”
Adela gasped. “Syd, what exactly does that mean?”
“Honestly, Adela. This is no time to be prim. Isn’t it obvious? On your wedding night, does he kiss you above the waist or move lower to–”
“Not another word! Syd, you are wicked!” Adela felt her face turn to flames. “Ambrose would never do such a naughty thing. He is a gentleman and will be my husband!”
Her friend waggled her eyebrows. “You cannot pretend to be calm about your wedding night. But the other part of the game is to wager on how faryouwill go when kissing him. Above the waist or below?”
“Oh, good heavens! I would never! It simply isn’t done. Have you always been so wayward?” Adela buried her face in her hands and laughed. “Stop! My face is on fire and Ambrose will think I am ill if he sees me like this.”
The three of them dissolved into snorting laughter. Of course, none of them had any experience with men so they had no idea what it all meant beyond what they overheard in whispered conversations or read in gothic novels innocent girls were never supposed to read.
Adela supposed it was harmless fun.
But really, her friends were too forward. However, it did her heart good to know Syd was back to herself and the three of them were behaving like silly girls. Since they rode alone in Ambrose’s ducal carriage, no one could hear what they were giggling about, and she was glad her last few moments before becoming Ambrose’s wife were spent in good humor with these friends she considered sisters.
Eloise’s carriage followed just behind them carrying Eloise, Phoebe, and Adela’s parents who were certainly having a far more serious conversation.
But Adela was glad to have this time alone with her friends, and quite relieved there had been no trouble from Syd’s family after Octavian had abducted her.
Syd assured her there would be no arrest or further problems, but Adela thought her friend might have said this so as not to upset her honeymoon plans.
It had calmed them all when Syd appeared cheerful and much at ease this morning, and Adela hoped it was not merely an act on her part. Then again, even though Syd was not pleased with Octavian’s interference in her parents’ plan to ship her out of London, she also seemed greatly relieved by it.
Adela sighed, for her friend was quite complicated.
She stopped straining her mind about it and went along with their silly chatter.
Gory giggled again. “Can you believe it, Adela? Just look at us, all dressed up and looking quite splendid ourselves, if I do say so myself. I don’t think I have ever looked this good. I’ll have to ask Eloise’s maid how she did up my hair. I almost feel like a diamond.”
“You are one, Gory.” Adela gave her a quick hug.
“So are you and Syd,” Gory said. “In fact, we all look dazzling. Let the Lady Victorias and the Felicity Roses of the world bow their heads and weep.”
They said no more as Ambrose and his brothers stepped forward to assist them out of the carriage. Julius winked at Gory as he helped her down. “Don’t you look fetching? You’ll have all your cadavers ogling you.”
Gory’s eyes lit up. “Why, thank you.”
Syd groaned. “Only Gory would take that as a compliment. All right, me next. Here comes the beast,” she muttered as Octavian stepped forward to assist her. “I really ought to be nicer to him, but he’s just so…arrogant.”
Adela smiled. “There’s a bit of arrogance in all the Thorne men, but can you blame them? Women have been fawning over them throughout their lives. Don’t scowl at him. He was sincerely worried about you last night.”
“I know. He probably saved me from a dire fate, but don’t you dare tell him I told you so or he will be insufferable forever more.”
She hopped out with Octavian’s assistance before Adela could ask what she meant by the remark.
