“Ah, yes, of course. Something you ate,” Amelia’s tone was a little too conspiratorial, which Helena could not help but find amusing.
“Yes, that’s right,” she said, trying to hide her laughter.
Patricia began to brush her hair and Amelia sighed. “You have the most beautiful hair I’ve ever seen. So long and wavy, soft and black, shiny like a clear midnight sky. I just want to roll around in it.”
Helena could not help but snort. “Thank you.”
“I wager Silas liked it too, did he not?”
Helena could feel herself getting redder. “He did. I think.”
Hands in her hair, grabbing it as he pulled her face towards his, their mouths dueling, tongues tangling, trying to get closer though they were as close as they could possibly get. Desperate and hungering for more.
She sat on her fingers to stop their trembling.
“Erm, so, have you seen Silas this morning?” she asked Amelia at last.
“No, I have not. He also ate breakfast in his chambers. I guess he was tired too.” Amelia grinned at her. “Did you two sleep very late?”
Helena blushed again. “That’s… not proper of you to ask, Amelia.”
“Aha! So you did! Was it?—”
Helena had to stop her right there. “It wasprivate.”
Amelia simply gaped at her before closing her mouth and staying quiet for all of two minutes. “But are you happy that you married him?”
Helena sighed, shaking her head. “Give me more than one day to make up my mind, won’t you?”
At mid-morning, a footman came in search of Helena, much to her relief.
“His Grace has requested your presence in the parlor, Your Grace,” he said quietly.
“Oh.” Helena got up from her sofa. “I’ll be there right away.” She looked at Amelia. “You’re welcome to stay here. I shall see you later.”
Amelia just grinned. “All right. I have lessons to attend anyway. I shall see you at tea.”
“Yes, all right.” Helena said abstractedly, her mind already taken up with what Silas might want from her.
She went down the stairs two at a time in her periwinkle blue morning gown and matching slippers.
Her family had never been poor by any means, but Helena could not recall a time when she’d had so many beautiful things. The attention to detail was mind boggling. The gold ribbon laced beneath her breasts and tied in a pretty bow was the same as the gold ribbon tied in a pretty bow on her slippers. The modiste had truly outdone herself.
She walked into the parlor with a smile.
“Good morning,” she said breezily.
He got to his feet, smiling back. “Good morning to you, Duchess. And how did you sleep?”
“Soundly.” She said stoutly. “You? You must have woken up quite early. Were you not tired?”
He smirked. “I might have woken up early, but I slept quite soundly as well. One thing you will learn about me is that I’m an early riser. I hope you don’t mind that I slipped out of your bedwithout so much as a by your leave. You seemed to be sleeping too peacefully to be disturbed.”
Helena blushed at the thought of him watching her sleeping. “I suppose it’s fine. I was a little disappointed, since I thought we might have breakfast together. But your sister kept me company.”
“My apologies. I wasn’t sure if you wanted some time to yourself or not.” He huffed ruefully. “Do you enjoy riding? I thought we might take the horses out for some exercise.”
Excitement lit through Helena at the thought of riding again. “I haven’t been on a horse since my father died. I would love to go riding again.”
