Seduce your wife, sir. Beguile and entice her, and you may find yourself in possession of the greatest prize of all, a match that provides such satisfaction that neither of you will ever be content with another. This is the promise of the nuptial night, and I adjure you to fulfill it—body, heart and soul.
There was a challenge Arthur meant to accept.
CHAPTER11
Patience watched as Arthur read the document, liking that he gave it his undivided attention. That granted her the opportunity to scrutinize him. She liked how intent he was, and how quickly his gaze flew across the lines. She liked how he returned to a passage or two, how he smiled to himself as if in anticipation of what they might do together.
She liked also how he lounged in the chair from which he had dismissed the grey cat, completely at ease with his own power. He looked both young and virile, a man whose very presence made her chamber seem smaller. She felt more aware of herself in his company, remembering not just his wondrous kiss, but the vigor of his response to her participation. She recalled the weight of his hands on her shoulders, the feeling of being swept into his arms, and understood how women were dazzled by the surety of a handsome man.
She felt herself on the cusp of being dazzled, for certain.
The cat jumped back into his lap and he was not startled. On the contrary, he stroked the beast gently, knowing its preferences so well that it closed its eyes and purred. She admired his hands, the way his gaze flicked to her when he was done, how his eyes filled with a mischief that made her smile before he spoke. He was a good companion, to be sure, but so consistently good-natured and easy-going that she wondered what he held in esteem beyond his own comfort.
He had never had a friend, but he had placed his winnings in her bookcase.
He had chosen to trust her, probably against his learned impulse, and Patience would never betray that trust.
In truth, she found it difficult to concentrate on the page she had claimed. She frowned and forced herself to read it again.
“This might have been written for my own eyes,” Arthur said, reaching to capture the other sheet from her hands.
“It is not for you!”
“But I would know what you know, or what you do not know,” he said so solemnly that she relinquished her grip. “Truly, the responsibility to do as much is mine, as this first sheet declares.” Once again, she had the luxury of watching him, though this time, he frowned. “It is cursed vague.”
“It is true that everything we are told is vague,” she agreed. “But I did consult a medical volume in my father’s collection.”
Arthur’s brows rose as he looked at her. “Your father agreed to this?”
“Of course not, but a man cannot keep inventory of all his books and his daughters at the same time.”
“I shall bear that in mind and take it as a warning of future curiosity,” he said solemnly, though she saw the twinkle in his dark eyes. “And what did you learn from that volume?”
She took a breath, feeling the heat of a blush rise from her very nipples. “That the first time a female is penetrated, she may feel some discomfort, as the protective membrane of the hymen is broken.”
“That does not put one in mind of romantic novels.”
“It does not, although the hymen is named after the Greek god, Hymen, who died on his wedding night. He was one of the sons of Apollo and a love god, who was invoked before the marriage ceremony when the bride was being escorted to the home of the groom.” As was typical when she was flustered, Patience became fulsome about details that were unlikely to hold as much interest for her companion as herself. “In fact, his attendance at a wedding was deemed crucial to the happiness of the match…”
She was almost relieved when Arthur interjected a question.
“Did we invoke him yesterday?”
She shook her head. “But we are not ancient Greeks.”
“There is that,” Arthur said with a sage nod. “But I think there are more practical means of ensuring the future of a match. And fortunately, we have all day to pursue such objectives.”
“We do,” she agreed, recalling his instructions to the butler with another flush.
“And so, we will take our leisure, as this volume advises, to begin again.” He offered his hand and Patience, uncertain what else to do, took it. He stood and raised her to her feet, setting the pages of the book aside and led her toward the adjoining door to his chamber.
“But surely this room suffices?”
“You do not have a mirror of goodly size so we must use mine.”
“A mirror?”
“I cannot grant you a map to your beguiling spot, but I can show it to you.”
