A Suitable Bride (17 page)

‘Good heavens! What a preposterous suggestion, Grace, a lady’s reputation is the most precious thing they own. Do you wish his lordship and any progeny you might have in the future to be ostracised by society? This must be put right immediately.’

‘Miss Newcomb is right, my love. I thank you for your concern, but I made my choice a week ago. I shall be married to the woman I love and my family can accept it or not. I’ll not be swayed by their disapproval.’ He reached out and brushed a finger across her cheek sending tingles to the tips of her toes.

‘I think you’re making a catastrophic error, Bennett. The duke’s a formidable man and he’ll do everything in his power to prevent us being wed. Also you’re forgetting that all those hopeful young ladies and their doting mamas will be equally enraged that a cit has stolen the prize from beneath their aristocratic noses.’

He took her hand and placed it possessively on his arm. ‘We’ll go in together and I’ll make the announcement as soon as everybody is seated. I’ll send to Doctors’ Commons in Town and obtain a special licence so we can be married immediately.’

The smile he gave her banished her reservations. His brother might be the head of the family, but Bennett was equally determined and would protect her from any unpleasantness. She’d never been so happy in her life – she wouldn’t have to hide away until she reached her majority but would be married to this wonderful man and they could live anywhere they chose.

As soon as the knot was tied he would receive her massive trust fund and would be able to replenish the Silchester family coffers. There should be ample left over to supplement whatever income he derived from his own estates to allow them to live in luxury for the rest of their lives.

Aunt Sarah slipped away to take a seat at the far end of the chamber but Bennett led her to the top table. She was uncomfortably aware of the accusatory stares burning into her back as they walked the length of the vast room.

By the time they reached the duke and his siblings she could scarcely move one foot in front of the other. Bennett smiled down at her, his eyes filled with love and this gave her the courage to take her seat despite the icy disapproval from his older brother.

When the footmen had retreated her beloved stood. He ignored the duke and raised his hand. ‘My lords, ladies and gentlemen I’m delighted to announce that Miss Grace DuPont and I are engaged to be married.’

This announcement was greeted in stunned silence. The duke got to his feet and Grace waited in terror for him to shatter her dreams.

Chapter Seventeen

The duke smiled at Bennett and Grace but his eyes remained unfriendly. ‘Might I be the first to offer my congratulations to you both? Please raise your glasses. I give you Lord Sheldon and Miss Grace DuPont.’

There was a hurried shuffle as the guests snatched up their glasses and rose to repeat the toast. Her smile was fixed, her hands were shaking – she knew this wouldn’t be the end of it. The duke wouldn’t give in so easily.

The fact that half the glasses raised were empty only served to add to her unease. This had to be a bad omen. Everybody sat down and conversation began again and she was certain the only topic would be this unexpected and unwanted betrothal of one of them to someone like her.

She scarcely noticed what was placed in front of her and was able to eat no more than a few morsels. Her future husband gave the appearance of being relaxed and happy but she was certain he wasn’t – how could he be when his entire family was against him?

The interminable meal eventually drew to a close and Lady Madeline rose gracefully to her feet indicating that the ladies should leave the gentlemen to their port. She was tempted to flee, to hide in her rooms and avoid the inevitable unpleasantness that was about to come her way.

Then her dear friend was at her side and slipped a comforting arm through hers. ‘The worst is all but over, my dear, you must just get through this evening and the matter will be settled. The announcement has been made, the duke congratulated you and Lord Sheldon cannot retract. However disgruntled these ladies might be, there’s nothing they can do about it.’

‘If I didn’t love him so much, Aunt Sarah, I’d never have agreed to this. I didn’t come here to ensnare him, certainly had no expectation of falling in love – but now I cannot envisage a life without him.’

As they entered the grand drawing room the other ladies hurried away. Despite the announcement, her scandalous behaviour in the music room had made her even more socially unacceptable. Well brought up young ladies didn’t kiss their future husbands – but if they did, it took place in private.

Grace saw Lady Madeline and her sister look her way and tentatively smiled. Her gesture wasn’t reciprocated, both girls turned away as if Grace had become invisible. She blinked away tears not wishing to show her distress. She hadn’t expected Bennett’s sisters to side with the tabbies and their desertion meant he would lose his entire family if he continued his engagement to her.

‘I can’t remain in here and be ignored, Aunt Sarah. We must go into the music room and I’ll play you something.’ She didn’t give her friend the opportunity to refuse, but turned and marched, shoulders back and head up, down the length of the room and out through the doors that led directly to the chamber she sought.

The music room was empty. ‘Kindly close the doors, I’ve no wish for an audience.’ Once this was done her anxiety lessened and her breathing slowly returned to normal.

‘That was most distressing, my dear. We cannot remain here and be ostracised in this way. As you are now going to become the wife of Lord Sheldon, surely there’s no further need for you to participate in the races and we can leave here tomorrow morning? Mr DuPont will be delighted that you’ve achieved his aim and will welcome you home – however unorthodox your departure was last week.’

‘I was thinking the same. Could I prevail upon you to set matters in motion? I must remain here until Lord Sheldon joins me so I can tell him my decision. I’ll return to my apartment as soon as I’ve spoken to him.’

They embraced fondly and then Aunt Sarah hurried away to send messages to the stables and make sure that the trunks were repacked. She settled herself at the piano but was unable to lose herself entirely in the music and therefore heard Bennett come in to join her.

She finished the passage she was playing and prepared to close the instrument and stand up. ‘No, continue to play, sweetheart. I’ll sit quietly on the end of the stool and listen.’

Once he was settled, his thigh deliciously pressed against hers, she resumed. She played another sonata, this one a recent composition by the composer Schubert.

‘That was superb. Come, my love, we must return to the others. There’s to be dancing and I’m determined to waltz with you.’

‘I’m not going back in there to be ignored and humiliated. I’m beginning to have second thoughts about our betrothal, Bennett. You’ll be ostracised by your peers and I’ll never be accepted.’

He lifted her from her feet and then sat down again placing her on his lap. ‘I don’t give a damn what anyone else says, I’m not marrying them, but marrying the woman I love. My brother has accepted our engagement, albeit reluctantly, and that’s all that matters to me.’

‘I expect the majority of your guests will leave now that you’ve made your decision.’

‘I doubt that very much. There are few people who don’t enjoy being entertained in the lap of luxury and rubbing shoulders with the highest in the land. They will be disappointed, but none of them will go.’

His arms tightened and one hand cupped her face turning it so he could kiss her. The feel of his mouth against hers, the touch of his tongue on her lips was making her forget her reservations. Her back arched and she buried her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck.

Then she was rudely ejected from his embrace and he was standing with his back to her breathing heavily. ‘What’s wrong? Are you unwell, my love?’

‘No – give me a moment to recover. Play something else, it will calm me.’

This was all very strange. She’d no idea why he’d become so agitated but was happy to do as he asked. This time she attempted to play a prelude by Bach but her fingers fumbled a few times and she couldn’t concentrate on the music. Frustrated by her ineptitude she slammed down the piano lid and marched across to stand behind him.

‘I refuse to be ignored by you as well, sir. I wish to know what I’ve done to offend you.’

Slowly he turned and his eyes were dark and there was a hectic flush along his cheekbones. ‘Do you have any idea what happens in the marriage bed, sweetheart?’

Scalding colour flooded her cheeks at his question. She turned away, too embarrassed to meet his amused gaze. ‘It’s not a subject I’ve had any interest in until now – so the answer to your question is no.’

His smile was tender and he reached out and took her hand and led her back to the piano stool. He pressed her shoulders and she sat once more. Then he fetched one of the small chairs, spun it round and straddled it a yard from her.

‘This is something that your mother should have explained. I’m at a loss to know how to begin, but until you understand things are going to be – how can I put it – difficult for us.’

‘I know that I feel a strange heat all over when you kiss me. That I yearn for something else, to be even closer…’

He smiled lazily. ‘Well, darling, that’s a start. What you’re experiencing is passion, desire, it’s part of being in love.’ He stopped and closed his eyes as if lost in thought. Then he continued. ‘I don’t know how to explain this delicately. Presumably you’ve seen what happens between your stallion and a mare in order to produce a foal?’

Her eyes widened and her mouth went dry. Surely he didn’t mean? He nodded. ‘I see you understand. The same process occurs between a man and woman when they wish to make love.’

She couldn’t stop her eyes from travelling to his nether regions and his shout of laughter at her indelicacy was enough to make her smile.

‘How extraordinary! I cannot imagine how such a thing is possible when men and women are so disparate in size.’

‘I can assure you, my love, that when a couple are as in love as we are the intimacy of the marriage bed is something to be enjoyed not feared. I was obliged to move away from you before I anticipated our wedding night.’

She shot to her feet as if stabbed by a needle. ‘Good heavens! I think the less time we spend alone the better, Lord Sheldon. We’ve already scandalised your guests by kissing – I can’t believe you’ve just suggested you intended to do something even more shocking – and in the middle of the music room too.’

‘Don’t fly into the boughs, I was teasing you. I’ve no intention of making love to you until you are my wife however much I should like to.’

The sound of the musicians tuning up interrupted their conversation. ‘The dancing is about to begin. I believe I can now return with you by my side.’

They were halfway to the door when she recalled she’d sent her companion to arrange for their departure the next morning. When she explained he was unsurprised.

‘Don’t worry, my love, I’ll send word to the stables that you’re not leaving after all. I’m glad you decided to return to your familial home as you cannot move to my estate until we’re married for the scandal would follow us for the rest of our lives. I know I rail against the restrictions of my upbringing, but I was born into one of the most powerful families in the kingdom and I want my wife and any progeny we have to enjoy the same status that I have.’

‘I thought you were prepared to throw it all away in order to be at my side.’ She stopped and clutched her bosom in a theatrical way. ‘Are you not to be my gallant protector after all?’

‘You’re an impertinent baggage and I see I shall be run ragged once we’re wed.’ He gathered her close and his kiss was hard and demanding. She melted into his arms and forgot where she was or the fact that they could be seen by anyone who cared to step into the music room.

A delightful and breathless few minutes later he released her. ‘You know I would die for you, give up my heritage and family without a second thought. However, I shall be much happier remaining part of the Silchester dynasty and you will come to love all this too. Being privileged is not just about wealth, sweetheart, it’s also about responsibility. Those privileged enough to be born into power have an obligation to take care of those less fortunate.’

‘In which case, Bennett, I’m relieved you have neither to give up your life nor your heritage for my sake.’ She slipped her arm back through his and squeezed it. ‘I’ve no wish to dance with anyone else and certainly have no intention of spending a moment with anyone apart from you. So when we’ve danced I shall retire as I intended to before.’

‘You’ll do no such thing. As we’re already so far beyond the pale as to be almost invisible, I intend to dance every dance with you and be damned to the rules of etiquette.’

She wasn’t sure this was a sensible suggestion but his enthusiasm was infectious and she didn’t demure. They walked arm in arm to the far end of the grand drawing room where the carpets had been removed for the evening. The ballroom was only used for formal occasions and Grace wasn’t sure if she was glad or disappointed she would never experience the grandeur of this chamber.

There was no sign of the duke, for which she was profoundly grateful, but his other siblings were there and appeared as eager to dance as the other guests who were milling about waiting for the quartet to begin playing.

‘As Beau has made himself scarce, I believe I’m the most senior member of the family here. Therefore, my love, we shall lead the proceedings. Come with me whilst I talk to the musicians.’

He made it quite clear that he wished for only country dances and waltzes to be played tonight – both of which involved her remaining with him and not being obliged to dance with any other gentleman.

He led her to the centre of the space and they stepped apart so they were at the head of each line of dancers. Immediately the next four places in the set were taken by his two sisters and two brothers, which meant that the remaining couples had to join the end of the lines.

Although she had been well taught and danced with other girls when she was at the seminary, Grace had never danced with a gentleman before. She curtsied to him and he bowed and then they joined hands in the centre of the set and began their promenade. She needn’t have worried as Bennett was an expert dancer and soon she began to enjoy every moment.

There was scarcely time to draw breath before the second country dance began and after two more she was ready to sit down for a while in order to catch her breath. She’d had no time to observe closely what others were saying about their scandalous behaviour but as far as she could tell from the smiling, friendly faces around her none of the younger members of the party held her in dislike.

‘Are you enjoying yourself, sweetheart?’

‘Indeed I am. I’d no idea dancing could be such fun. Have you noticed anyone giving us disapproving stares for dancing so often together?’

‘They wouldn’t dare. The rules are different at a private party, and I believe that several of the young ladies have danced more than once with my brothers.’ He stared thoughtfully at the gaggle of excited debutantes. ‘I rather think they’ve transferred their attentions to Aubrey and Perry – a younger Sheldon is better than none at all.’

‘That’s a disgraceful thing to say, Bennett.’ She tapped him playfully on the arm and his smile made her toes curl in her slippers. Now she knew what to expect in the marriage bed his every look made her heart race.

A few minutes later the opening bars of a waltz were played. ‘At last – this is what I’ve been waiting for. Come along, darling, we shall take the floor.’ He grinned and nodded towards the other dancers. ‘I don’t suppose any of them would consider taking the floor for such a
risqué
dance if they were anywhere else. In fact,’ he whispered to her as he led her to a very prominent place in the centre of the empty floor, ‘I fear we may be the only ones dancing.’