Eleanor laughed.“Honestly, Jenny.Don’t tell Mrs.Hollygirt, but I don’t mind what happened before I married Mr.Delaney.What were they like, these ladies?”
Jenny was goggle-eyed at this liberal view but not averse to gossip.“Well, there really haven’t been that many, ma’am, and all foreigners.They were all beautiful … Well, no,” the maid said thoughtfully as she recommenced her brushing.“Not really that, but fascinating.”
Eleanor thought fascinating was worse than beautiful.She knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t resist a further question.“Were they common or ladies?”
Jenny had to think about it.“Well, Mam’zelle Desirée, she was a lady sure enough, but could she scream and swear!All in French, but a body can tell what’s being said.The master hit her once to shut her up, and it was about time, too.”
Eleanor felt a tremor of nervousness at this information.She should have known Nicholas was too perfect to be real.
“Madame Amelie was very proper,” Jenny continued.“A real beauty with big dark eyes.Though,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “I heard tell she had darkie blood, and she was from over in America, so it’s very likely.She was kind, but thought a lot of herself…”
At this point Eleanor came to her senses and cut the maid off before she could continue the list.“I think it would be best to forget all these ladies,” she said firmly.
“Of course, ma’am,” said Jenny cheerfully.“And you have nothing to worry about.You’re his wife.”
“Yes,” said Eleanor rather bleakly.“I’m his wife.”
If Nicholas was tired, he still did not come quickly to bed.Eleanor was drifting off to sleep when the door opened and he came to join her.There was only a nightlight burning, but by its glow she saw him slip out of his robe.She felt him slide into bed beside her.She worked very hard at keeping her breathing slow, at not evidencing any of her apprehension.
He gently kissed her cheek, said good night, and went to sleep.Eleanor could have wept.She was prey to a welter of conflicting emotions-relief, astonishment, anticlimax, pique…
Obviously he did not desire her, and why should she be hurt or surprised at that?Could this mean, however, that she could have the comfort of his presence without…
It was surely what she wanted.On this prospect, she fell unhappily asleep.
Chapter 5
Eleanor awoke very early the next morning as the household was only just beginning to stir.The fire had not yet been lit and the chill drove her to stay under the covers, where her only occupation was to study her bedmate, who was lying with his back toward her.
His extraordinary coloring made him appear to be a statue of old gold.
His body seemed to be browned as far as she could see, which was not very far, except for the white of a scar on his shoulder.Holding her breath she edged down the blanket a little to expose it.It must have been a dreadful wound.
“A rifle ball in Massachusetts.I didn’t duck fast enough.”
Startled and guilty she snatched back her hand, but he rolled over and captured it.“Eleanor,” he said with a warm smile, “you are quite entitled to concern yourself over my body, so don’t make a fuss.I would offer you a guided tour of my scars—that is the worst—if I didn’t think it would embarrass you.”
“But I am sorry,” she said determinedly.“Inspecting you while you are asleep is rather underhand.And I have another confession to make.”
“Yes?”he said, still holding her hand and quite un-alarmed.
She swallowed.“I have found out about some of the women you have had here, by questioning the servants.I didn’t intend to, but my curiosity got the better of me.”She waited for the explosion but it did not come.
“Did you indeed?”he said in mild surprise.He studied her.“So now you know all my secrets.”
“I don’t mind,” she assured him.
Now he did seem surprised.“Why not?”
“Why should I?I was no concern of yours and you no concern of mine.”
He lay back, his face disconcertingly blank.“Very balanced thinking.Now, of course, it would be different.”
Eleanor stopped an instinctive agreement.Here was where she could repay his kindness.“Not if you are discreet, Nicholas.After all, we are not a normal couple and there is no love involved.”
He sat up sharply and looked hard at her.“Stop being so damned reasonable, woman.”He pulled her hard against him for a forceful kiss that turned her dizzy.
“Nicholas,” she gasped when she could at last speak, “I don’t understand.”
