“This went on until my parents found Wilkerson. Here was a man with a title, which they would share vicariously, of course—our daughter’s husband, Sir Ridley Wilkerson, such a dear man—you can imagine the sort of thing. They were beyond ecstatic.”
Giles nodded, but stayed silent.
“He promised a comfortable financial marriage settlement and waived any dowry. So without any further ado, I found myself engaged to an elderly and dissolute man who had no interest in me as a person whatsoever. I was a brood mare. That was all. Looking back on it, I can say that my mother and father sold me. That is the unvarnished truth.”
“And your parents?”
“Took the settlement money and booked themselves tickets to Naples. They sold their house as well.” She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the sun warm her face. “I never saw them after that. The closure came the day before my wedding. They had come to the mansion an hour before I was to leave for the church. I was told to mind my new husband. Then they said goodbye, got into a hackney and left for the docks. The Wilkerson carriage collected me, and the one bag of my belongings. The servants shut the door of what had been my home…and I was alone.”
“You are not alone now,” reminded Giles as he opened the kitchen door.
“Here’s our lady,” said Evan, putting a dish onto a tray. “We need lunch. You have worked hard this morning, Adalyn. The body needs food.”
“Not just me,” she managed a smile. “I’m sure everyone’s been busy today.”
“They await your presence,” Giles commented. “Everyone is here to share the meal.”
“How wonderful.” Adalyn gave a little skip. “I do enjoy being with my gentlemen. But I must wash the garden dirt off my hands.” She hurried to the door. “I’ll be down in five minutes.”
“We’ll be waiting…” Evan smiled that particular smile of his.
Adalyn couldn’t help a tiny little shiver of delight.
~~~~~
Lunch was, as always when all the gentlemen were present, so much fun. And the laughter carried through to the tea Evan made for them to complete the meal.
Adalyn watched the jesting, the discussions, the easy give-and-take that these four different men had developed; a camaraderie that seemed to go deeper than she’d have believed possible. They shared similar views of the world and she knew each and every one would protect her, champion her and do all in their power to keep her safe.
And every now and again she would intercept a look, a smile, something that stirred a similar emotion inside her. There was more than honour here; she felt something deeper and more intense, something growing every day. They were warmly affectionate with her now, since over the past months they had shared so much together.
It was no longer strange to end a day talking to each or all of them while in her nightclothes, or to find herself wrapped tightly in the arms of one of them. She shared kisses that had progressed from polite to loving, and were now bordering on passionate.
She was learning their tastes too, Jeremy was sweet and tangy, Daniel tasted of man and something minty. Evan was always fresh, like mornings in a meadow, and Trick had a unique taste, a musky male tongue she’d recognise even if she were blindfolded.
Their arms, their hands, their caresses—all were becoming familiar and desirable to her. She took comfort from them, and for the first time in her life felt wanted. Needed, perhaps, as well. In fact, she had discovered that perhaps she was also feeling loved. Whatever these feelings were, they had become indispensable to her well-being, replacing as they did the void left by an empty childhood.
Her heart was opening to them…but whether that was good or bad had yet to be seen.
Lunch was barely over when a loud pounding on the front door made them all jump. Giles rose and strode from the room, frowning at the over-use of the door knocker.
They all stood, Evan moving a dish or two from the table, and Adalyn finishing her tea.
“Who could be calling, I wonder?” Daniel offered Adalyn his arm.
“It could be someone from Ditchley,” said Jeremy. “They’re supposed to send over a lad to look at the vines on the wall of the south-east corner. Giles thinks they may be threatening some of the brickwork…”
“And I want to find a certain recipe which might be in the Rose room…” Evan followed.
“I should be off,” said Trick. “One of the Little Maddington farmers has a mare that I should look over. If she foals as well as she’s been bred…”
“That sounds interesting, Trick.” Daniel turned as he and Adalyn reached the hall. “I’d like to know the result. We might consider buying a bit of new blood for our stable…”
Their conversation stopped as they heard Giles’s voice raised in argument. This was so unlike him, that everyone froze.
“And I repeat, your accusations are completely outrageous.” The repressed fury in Giles’s words made Adalyn gasp.
“I am sorry, Mr. Giles. I’m just doin’ my duty, sir.”
