Chapter Twenty-Six
Lady Amelia, Duchess of Hayesford
A slight sound woke me from a deep slumber, but I wasn’t ready to start the new day. The scent of roses drifted to me, and for a brief second, I thought I was at home. Panicked, I opened my eyes and looked up at the canopy of embossed gold brocade fabric. I vaguely remembered Oliver carrying me in here at dawn. I turned my head and spied the red rose on the pillow, along with a note. Scrawled in his bold handwriting was a simple message: with all my love, Oliver.
I stretched on the soft mattress and tried to ignore the sore muscles caused by our intense play. Despite the discomfort, my pussy ached for a repeat of my wedding night. A flush might be burning my cheeks, but I couldn’t stop smiling.
The faint rustling noises that had awoken me sounded from my dressing room. Jenny would be readying my gown for our wedding brunch. I sighed and threw my legs off the side of the bed. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t stay in bed all day. My family was still here, and I was expected to attend the festivities. Because we opted to wed in such a short time, Mother had planned the usual celebratory events after the ceremony.
Laughter sounded from outside my window, and I stood on shaky legs to look at the lawn. Noah and the boys were in the garden, the twins trying their best to remain upright. Love for them all stole my breath.
The giving man had made my wedding night even more memorable. Would he join Oliver and me again tonight? Since he was staying in the same house, it would be easy to arrange. Once we returned to London, things would change. I wouldn’t have access to him like I had in the past. However, my new home was close enough that he could stay with us every night and still return home in time to be with the boys.
I placed my forehead on the glass, uncertainty clouding my earlier jubilation. Noah had been swept up in the drama between us for longer than just last night. He’d been my confidant and Oliver’s, which put him in an untenable situation. However, Noah had benefited from our separate associations and played both sides of the fence.
Ethan tackled his father, the two of them falling to the ground. Not to be forgotten, the twins piled on, and the sound of Noah’s laughter mingled with childish screams.
By rights, I should still be peeved, but I found it hard to be mad at him when he was the catalyst that had brought us together. I was a duchess now, and although I yearned for his touch, chances were he’d object to making our arrangement permanent. The sounds from my dressing room became louder, and I turned on my heel to enter the room. I paused in mid-stride, shocked to see Mother with my wedding gown draped over her arm.
“Mother?”
“Amelia.” She put a hand to her chest and inhaled, her eyes wide. “How many times have I told you not to sneak up on people?”
“Since this is my dressing room, I believe you snuck up on me. What are you doing with my dress?” I was conscious of my thin nightgown and reached for the robe hanging on the dressing screen.
“Mydress, you mean. The one that horrible woman butchered.” She had recovered from her shock, and the cold mask she normally wore slipped into its customary place. When she’d seen the end results from the seamstress, she’d thrown a fit and refused to speak to me for a solid afternoon.
I wished that were still the case. “She altered it. Like you altered the dress after your mother handed it down to you.”
“Why aren’t you downstairs? It’s well into the morning, and you have a house full of people who require attendance.” Per usual, she ignored my comment.
My spine instantly stiffened, and I willed myself to remain unaffected. “I was coming in here to dress. I thought you were Jenny. Is everyone up? I see Noah and the boys are playing in the garden.”
Best to change the subject than to argue with her further.
“The boys are early risers.” She crossed her arms over her chest, her hair pulled back in her usual stern style. Chilliness showed in her eyes, her rigid frame erect. She glanced around the room with a cold inspection. No doubt, she’d find it lacking. Negativity oozed from her, and I couldn’t help thinking about what it must have been like for Sally in the end. She had been locked in her room with my mother as her only company. No wonder she was hysterical. “Where is the chest for the dress? It will need to be repacked to preserve the material.”
“If you leave it, I will have Jenny take care of it.”
She released a telling sniff and clutched at the gown. “Lady Gwendolyn’s maid informed me she’d be down soon, so I suggest you hurry. You shouldn’t keep the duchess waiting on you.”
“Thedowagerduchess. I’m the duchess,” I said, taking smug joy in reminding her of the fact. Petty, yes, but being around her judgmental ways made me revert back to my childhood.
“Yes, you are, and it is time you started acting the part. You have a lot of responsibility that can’t be put off on a whim.”
