After lunch, Baldwin chose to play the songs Dinah liked most. The day had been perfect. Something in her seemed to change after being outside. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but her countenance was brighter and the heaviness that seemed to bog her down was no longer there. Yes, she was like a flower opening up. He was looking forward to seeing how she’d be once she was in London.
He finished playing one of his songs and turned in the chair so he could face her. She glanced up from the design she was sewing. She did a lot of embroidery and ended up putting everything in a pile at the side of the room since she didn’t know what to do with it when she was done. He got the impression she really didn’t enjoy the activity. She only did it to pass the time.
“My cousin isn’t much older than you,” he said as he set the clarinet in his lap. “She’s very nice. I think you’ll like her.”
“Do you think she’ll like me?”
“Why wouldn’t she? You’re the loveliest person I’ve ever met.”
She smiled. “I’m not used to being around people. Until you came here, I forgot what it was like to be with others all the time. It’s nice. I never want to go back to being alone ever again.”
“You won’t have to.”
He glanced at the clarinet, debating whether he should play another song or talk. After a few long moments, he chose to talk. He got up and put the clarinet in the case.
“Is that all you’re going to play today?” she asked.
“I thought it might be nice to talk for a while.” He collected the sheet music and slipped it into an album. He went over to Dinah and held his hand out to her. “Would you be willing to join me at the settee? I prefer holding you while we talk.”
Looking pleased, she set her embroidery aside and took his hand. He led her to the settee and drew her to his side.
“I can’t help but wonder why you asked me if London was safe,” he said after taking a moment to choose his words. “Did you read something about it not being safe?”
“No. I just wondered if there was,” she paused, “a reason to be careful when there.”
He wasn’t sure how to best approach the subject that had been on his mind since he spoke with Donald earlier that day. As much as he tried to tell himself that Dinah didn’t believe in such things as monsters, he had recalled the way she’d kept looking at the trees that morning.
Now that he thought over it, it did seem like she expected something to come out of those trees. Since she stayed close to the manor, it also seemed like whatever she was watching for made her uncomfortable. And, if he thought through things farther, it was odd that she’d spent so much of yesterday looking out the window in the direction of those trees. Perhaps there was something to what Donald had said.
“I love you, Dinah,” he whispered. “Nothing will change that. You can trust me. Tell me whatever is on your mind, and I promise not to think less of you.”
She made eye contact with him. “I know you won’t.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “Is this because I was asking about London earlier?”
He nodded. If he expected her to be honest with him, he had to be honest with her. “I would never take you anywhere that isn’t safe. I only want what’s best for you. I am correct in understanding that you want to go to London, right?”
“Yes, you are. I’ve been asking Donald to take me there for years, but he never did.”
“You have?” He’d been under the impression she didn’t want to go to London until they married.
“He said it was because London wasn’t safe for a lady. He never explained why, even though I asked.”
That was just as strange as finding out she’d wanted to leave the manor before he even met her. Baffled, he said, “I have no idea why he wanted to keep you here. Maybe he was afraid you’d get involved in a scandal.”
“What kind of scandals could I have gotten involved in?”
“Well, if a gentleman were to kiss you at a ball, that would be highly inappropriate. It would be something the Ton would condemn, and you would be forced to marry him. Although,” he added, “there are things married people do that are far more scandalous than a kiss.”
“Like what?”
“Like spending time in bed with a person they aren’t married to.”
She gasped.
“I won’t ever do that to you,” he hurried to assure her. “You’re the only one I want to be with.”
She relaxed. “I only want to be with you, too.”
“I know.” He squeezed her shoulders. “As awful as scandals are, I wouldn’t consider them a reason to stay away from London.” He paused. “Do you think there are creatures in London?”
“Not anymore. You told me there aren’t.”
“Right. There aren’t.” He paused again. “What kind of creatures did you think were in London?”
She lowered her gaze. “They’re nothing. As you said, they don’t exist there.”
“Dinah, I told you that you can trust me. You must have had some conception of what these creatures are if you asked me about how safe London is.”
At first, he didn’t think she was going to answer, but then she said, “They’re large. Hairy. They have long, sharp teeth. They like to eat girls and ladies. They don’t eat boys or gentlemen unless they’re weak. Girls and ladies are always weak, but boys and gentlemen are usually strong.” She shivered. “A person has to be careful. A person has to know how to fight against them.”
That seemed like a pretty elaborate—not to mention gruesome—description from someone who’d only come up with this on her own. “Did you read a book about creatures like that?”
“Not exactly like that. But yes, I’ve read many books about them ever since I was a little girl. My nanny and my brother used to read about them to me when I was a child. Over the years, I read such books on my own. The monsters didn’t always look the same or do the same things, but they were always terrible.”
Now what Donald told him made sense. Donald had read her stories, thinking they were going to entertain her, and instead, they’d ended up scaring her. If it’d been him, he would have picked happier stories to read to a child, but he didn’t feel it was his place to judge what Donald had chosen to do. Besides, Donald had pretty much admitted he should have done things differently.
“Those are all fiction,” Baldwin told her. “They’re not real. Nothing like that exists in real life.”
He expected her to tell him she knew that, but he caught the flicker of doubt in her eyes and knew she believed in such things.
He sighed. Maybe Donald had been right. Maybe she was obsessed with them because she’d been alone for years and had been reading books about them. If she had convinced herself that her mother, aunt, and uncle were dead, then it was easy to see how she came to accept the reality of flesh-eating monsters.
He didn’t know what to do except get her out of the wing of this manor. She needed to be a part of the world. She couldn’t stay trapped like this. But he couldn’t just take her out of here tonight. She wasn’t ready for it.
He reminded himself that she’d gone outside that morning. That was a big leap for her. She was willing to go to London. A part of her—the rational part—wanted to escape the fantasy she was living in. There was hope for her. She hadn’t lost her mind.
He cupped her face in his hands. “Everything will be all right, Dinah. I’m with you. You’ll always be safe.”
He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw a flicker of relief cross her face. What a terrible thing it had been for her to be secluded like this for so many years. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the damage it had caused her. But with patience and love, he would help her undo all of that.
He brought his mouth to hers and kissed her. She leaned into him and returned the kiss. He hadn’t intended for the kiss to lead to more, but she got up from the settee, took his hand, and led him to the bedchamber. It wasn’t the fact that they were going to make love in the afternoon that surprised him. They had done it a couple of times before they retired for the evening. What surprised him was the fact that she was initiating the act.
He suspected she needed to make love to him more for the emotional connection that the act brought both of them than the need for physical release. For all he knew, this was a part of what she needed to feel connected to the world. Either way, he had no intention of denying her anything she wanted, and he certainly enjoyed being in bed with her.
Once they removed their clothes, he got under the covers with her and drew her into his arms. She cupped the back of his neck with her hand and rubbed it.
“I like being with you, Baldwin,” she said. “I can’t recall a time I’ve ever been this happy.”
“It’s going to get better from here,” he promised then kissed her. “It’s only going to get better from here.”
He kissed her again, and this time he deepened it. His tongue traced her bottom lip in silent encouragement for her to let him into her mouth, and she responded by allowing him to do as he wished. He brushed her tongue with his. This intimate form of kissing always sent a spark right through him, and his arousal thickened in response. He let out a low moan and continued exploring her mouth.
They spent considerable time kissing each other this way. Sometimes he grew impatient and would hurry things along, but this afternoon, he wanted to savor the moment.
Eventually, their frequent lovemaking would result in a child, but he planned for her to be in London by the time their son or daughter was born. And by then, he hoped she would be used to being around other people. But he imagined that whenever they came together as husband and wife, it would always go back to feeling as if they were all alone in the world again. And that gave him something to look forward to because it was nice to have this time with her when he didn’t have anyone else to compete for her attention.
He reached down between her legs and traced the folds of her flesh. She parted her legs farther for him, and he slipped a finger into her. She groaned and wiggled so that he was deeper inside her. He slid another finger inside her then brought his mouth to one of her breasts.
Recalling how much she enjoyed it when he teased the bud of her nipple with his tongue, he proceeded to do so while he found her sensitive nub. Once his thumb settled on it, he focused on rubbing it while stroking her core. It’d taken some time to discover how to best bring her pleasure, but the effort had been worth it.
When she reached the peak, she let out the familiar cry that let him know he’d succeeded. Satisfied, he continued stroking her until the effects of her orgasm subsided. Then he settled between her legs and slid into her. His mind unwittingly went back to the first time he’d been with her. Thankfully, ever since then, she hadn’t experienced any discomfort, but he couldn’t help but think it was unfair that she should have had to experience it at all.
She wrapped her legs around him and murmured for him to keep going. He kissed her, whispered that he loved her, and gave himself to the full pleasure of the moment. His pace started slowly and gradually grew faster as the tension built up within him. When the tension reached its peak, he gave a final thrust and released his seed. He held her close to him as wave after wave of pleasure engulfed him.
When the intensity of his orgasm ebbed, he relaxed and pressed his forehead against hers. Everything about her was so very lovely, and the best part was knowing they would always be together.
They remained in bed for a half-hour before they ate dinner. On other nights, they made it a habit of checking the rooms, closing the doors, and drawing the drapes shut. But on this evening, Dinah only checked the rooms. And he didn’t take that step forward for granted.
***
Marcy sat next to Lewis in the gentlemen’s study as they waited for Lord Reinstone. She glanced at the closed door of the room. “Don’t you think it’s odd that the footman brought us here instead of the drawing room?” she asked.
Lewis shrugged. “I don’t know. Different gentlemen like to do things differently in their homes. My brother wrote missives to me even though I was a room away from him. At least Lord Reinstone is willing to speak with us face to face.”
Marcy supposed when one compared this situation to what Lewis had been used to, this wasn’t so strange, but she couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something was wrong. She was glad she’d decided to leave their son with their friends, Stephen and Patricia. She had been hesitant to do so since he wasn’t even a year old, but she hadn’t wanted to subject him to the three-days’ journey out here. All she’d wanted to do was see Baldwin and make sure everything was all right. If he had responded to her missive, she never would have made the trip at all.
“It’s natural that you would think something bad happened to your cousin,” Lewis said. “No one can blame you after everything you’ve been through.”
She released her breath. “I probably should have given Baldwin more time to reply. I know the chance of him marrying a lady like my step-sister is rare.”
“Well, it’s better we come here so you can meet her. There’s nothing wrong with putting your mind at ease.”
“Thanks for understanding.” She kept thinking he was going to laugh at her, but thankfully, he was supportive. She leaned into him. “You’re the perfect husband.”
He smiled. “I’m far from perfect, but it’s nice you only see the best in me.”
The door opened, and her gaze went to a gentleman who wore clothes that indicated he was the earl of the estate.
She and Lewis rose to their feet.
“Lord and Lady Pruett, I am Lord Reinstone,” the gentleman said. “You can address me as Donald. The footman told me you,” he glanced at Marcy, “are Baldwin’s cousin. Since he is now my brother-in-law, that makes us family. Would you like a drink?”
“I am thirsty,” Lewis replied.
When Donald looked at her, Marcy nodded. He seemed pleasant enough, but the knot in her stomach grew worse.
“You can address us as Lewis and Marcy,” Lewis continued as Donald went to the decanter.
“Is Baldwin all right?” Marcy asked.
Despite the fact that Donald’s back was to them as he poured their drinks, she could hear him say, “He’s all right. In fact, he’s very happy. My sister, Dinah, is, too. They’re a good match.”
“Can we see them?” Marcy asked.
“Certainly. They went off to be alone right before your arrival. When they come back downstairs, we’ll all play a game of cards.”
Donald turned to give them each a glass of port wine. Marcy decided not to comment on the poor timing of their arrival. She’d thought she and Lewis had come here at the ideal time. It was after dinner, but it should be too early for bed. But then, she and Lewis had spent more time in bed than playing games after they first married. Sometimes even cleaning the townhouse hadn’t stopped them from engaging in more intimate activities. She hoped Baldwin wouldn’t be upset that she and Lewis had interrupted them.
“Have a seat,” Donald offered.
She and Lewis returned to the settee, and Donald sat across from them.
Donald sipped his wine. “Baldwin didn’t tell me much about his family. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”
“It’s nice to make yours, too,” Lewis said after he took a drink. “I know I’ve seen you in London, but I don’t think we ever spoke to each other.”
“No, I don’t think we have,” Donald replied. “Are you a member of White’s?”
Lewis shook his head. “I spend most of my time with gentlemen who like to invest their money in various endeavors. It’s really on behalf of my friend. He’s good with money. I, unfortunately, am not so gifted. I follow his lead on where to invest. I learned the hard way that things go badly if I don’t.”
“Sometimes we think we’re choosing the best path when we really aren’t.”
“Yes, well, I don’t go by my instincts anymore because when it comes to finances, I don’t have any.”
Marcy sipped her wine as they continued to make pleasantries. She scanned the room and saw a few books on the desk close by. If she was right, they were all about different philosophies. Stephen had a couple of those in his library, but he didn’t spend much time reading them. Donald, it seemed, liked the topic more.
She yawned and brought her attention back to the conversation.
“The country is nice,” Lewis said, “but I prefer London. I like to keep busy.” He glanced at Marcy and smiled. “It’s much better now that I have my wife and child.”
She returned his smile.
“I see that love motivates you,” Donald told him. “Whether it’s love for a friend or for your wife, you do what you can to make them happy.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I think you’re right. I do want the people I care about to be happy,” Lewis replied. “When they’re happy, it makes me happy.”
Donald directed his gaze to her. “And what about you? Was it love that prompted you to see how Baldwin is doing?”
Marcy finished her glass of wine then set it on the table beside her. “You’ll think it’s silly, but I worried about him. He agreed to marry your sister without meeting her first. I’m sure she’s a nice person.”
“She is,” Donald interrupted.
After a moment, she continued, “I once knew someone who wasn’t nice. At least she wasn’t after I got to know her. You go through an experience like I did, and you start to wonder if people are what they seem.” She leaned into Lewis. A pleasant warm feeling had begun to wrap its way around her, and the knot in her stomach eased.
“My sister is every bit as sweet as she seems,” Donald assured her. “She is probably the nicest person you’ll ever meet.”
Marcy yawned again and nodded. She turned her attention to Lewis, surprised he wasn’t adding to the conversation since he was more inclined to talk to people than she was. Lewis’ eyes were drooping, and his empty glass fell to the floor.
Donald set his glass down and leaned forward. “My sister has been untouched by the terrible things in this world. If you met her, you would like her.”
Marcy blinked a few times. She tried to focus on Donald, but he was beginning to blur in front of her. “You put something in the drink.”
“Yes, I did.” Donald stood up and picked up the glass Lewis had dropped. “Your instincts are better than his. You did have something to worry about. But it wasn’t my sister you should have worried about. It was me. I’m motivated by curiosity. I like to see how people react in a certain situation. Unfortunately, you and Lewis are in my way.”
Before Marcy could respond, she fell asleep.