“If you have any questions about what will occur, you may ask them of me if you wish,” her mother said, with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.
Louisa shrugged. “It’s not necessary, Mama. Josiah explained it all to me when I was sixteen.”
Her mother gasped and then her eyes narrowed. “I am going to kill your brother.”
Louisa laughed. “To be fair, Mama, I pestered him about it. And besides, I was also witness to Lord Richmond’s ceiling, remember?” She cringed inwardly. Josiah had not only explained it to her, he had illustrated it as well!
“Oh, gracious, so you were.” Her mother blew out a breath and fanned herself with a hand. “I don’t even want to think about that. I think it best we head downstairs, then.”
The subsequent goodbyes were bitter-sweet. It occurred to Louisa that she was officially leaving her beloved home. She was excited about moving into the manor, of course, which also meant she’d be living close by.
But still.
“I understand you’ll be moving into the manor as well,” she said to Finlay a little later, as she prepared to climb into the carriage.
He cleared his throat and cast a glance at Maxwell. “Actually, I moved in two days ago. I trust there are no objections. I can take a room in the village if you prefer.”
“Goodness, no, I have no objections at all,” she replied. “I’ve been aware of the arrangements from the start.”
“I’ll be keeping an eye on things while you’re away.” He cocked his head at Maxwell. “I think my brother is worried his wee empire will founder without him at the helm.”
“As long as we don’t have any fires or workforce disruptions, there shouldn’t be any problems, Fin,” Maxwell said. “If something urgent crops up, you know where to find me.”
Louisa tried to hide her surprise. What would Maxwell define as urgent enough to cut their honeymoon short? “I’m sure Finlay can deal with any crisis,” she said.
“Quite possibly,” Maxwell replied. “But I need to be kept informed of such things in order to make that judgement.”
Finlay cleared his throat again. “I’m sure everything will be fine,” he said. “Have a wonderful honeymoon.”
“Thank you, Finlay,” Louisa replied. “I’m sure we will, won’t we Maxwell?” She looked at her new husband, willing him to assure her with a bold “yes”.
But Maxwell merely smiled and helped her into the carriage.
Chapter Ten
The room atthe White Rose Hotel, where Louisa would be spending her first night as a bride, was certainly more luxurious than she’d expected. A large, canopied bed, already turned down, dominated the space. But the room also offered a cozy sitting area by the unlit fireplace as well as a table for two by the bay window. The general feeling was one of comfort and intimacy.
“It’s a lovely room,” she said, her fingers trembling a little as she untied her bonnet. Being alone in this bedchamber with Maxwell Harlow—with herhusband—set her nerves tingling. The mere thought of his hands on her body, his mouth on her mouth, was more intoxicating than wine.
“I’m sure we’ll be very comfortable,” Maxwell replied. “Are you hungry? If so, I thought we might eat in here, unless you’d prefer to go down to the dining room.”
“In here would be fine,” she replied, doubting she’d be able to actually eat anything at all. “I’m not terribly hungry, though. Just something light, perhaps?”
“Shall I fetch a menu, or do you trust me to choose?”
“I trust you, of course.”
“Leave it to me, then.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “I’ll be back shortly.”
After he left, Louisa set her bonnet aside, shrugged off her cloak, and wandered over to the window to gaze out at thepastoral scene. The five-hour carriage ride, with one change of horses, meant they had arrived at the hotel with plenty of daylight to spare. It was a pretty place, the first of two stops on the way to their final destination: the Lakeview Hotel, on the shores of Lake Windermere, Westmorland, where they would be staying for a week. In the not-too-distant future, Maxwell had told her, the region would be serviced by rail. But for now, horse and carriage served as the only mode of transport.
Being ensconced in the carriage with Maxwell had allowed Louisa to get to know him a little better. One of the first things she’d asked was how he’d managed to beguile her grandmother.
“I wasn’t aware I had beguiled her.” he’d replied. “I didn’t fawn or cower either, nor did I try to usurp her opinions or point of view. I simply conversed with her. She’s an intelligent woman, needle sharp, and just a wee bit feisty, much like another lady I used to know.”
Louisa pondered for a moment. “Your mother?”
He nodded. “Aye.”
