Because she loved, and she trusted, her fiancé. The thought calmed her. Axel knew his father. Furthermore, he wasn’t one to fool himself.
“Just nerves.”
“You’ll feel better after a hot bath and some tea. And before you know it, you’ll be happily married to your handsome viscount.”
Felicity hoped so.
She forced a smile and did her best to appreciate that this was a day she’d waited for all her life.
For as long as she could remember, she’d thought her bridegroom would be a very different man. Now, she could not imagine marrying Westerley.
Westerley was a good person, an honorable gentleman. But he’d never made her feel the way that Axel did. His kisses had been pleasant, but they hadn’t heated her blood, filled her heart with so much affection, nor her body with so many wicked urges.
She smiled and lowered herself into the scented water Susan had prepared for her. “The rose petals are a delightful touch. Thank you, Susan.”
Her maid handed her the soap. “I’ll wash your hair, and then you can sit back and soak.”
Felicity tilted her head back allowing the hot water to run down her neck and over her shoulders.
“You are acquainted with Polly, Lady Bethany’s maid, are you not?” Very often, whenever Bethany and Felicity ventured out together, their maids followed behind them.
“She is one of my closest friends,” Susan confirmed.
“Tell me, and I promise your answer stays between the two of us—is she a gossip? Has she ever revealed anything private about Lady Chaswick, or the household in general?” Last night Bethany had maintained that her servants never gossiped. This was one of the thoughts that had been bothering Felicity.
“Never. In fact, she has told me that she’d never lived in a household where their family’s privacy took such high priority. Likely has something to do with the baron’s history.”
“And what history is that?”
“You’ll not be catching me gossiping so easily, my lady.” Tsking, Susan poured another pitcher of warm water to finish rinsing her hair and then used a soft washcloth to soap Felicity’s shoulders and back. “To be honest, all I know about that is from the papers. Is it true the Baron presented his half-sisters to society?”
“With Lady Chaswick’s sponsorship. And they are lovely girls.” Felicity leaned forward, allowing Susan’s hands to massage her back and neck. Why was this important?
Somebody had said something which had made her think Bethany’s servants gossiped. Why would that matter?
Mantis pacedacross the unfamiliar chamber where he’d been told to wait. On one wall, a crucifix suspended between two dark but religious paintings. On the other, richly covered garments draped on hooks beside the bishop’s headdress. It reminded him of the costumes hanging in the dressing rooms backstage at the theatre on Drury Lane.
Mantis had woken at sunrise, despite not retiring until the early morning hours. Blackheart, along with Westerley, Greys, Chase, and Spencer, had toasted he and Felicity’s future with some of the finest whisky ever made.
Hell, they’d lifted their glasses even before the ball concluded.
Several times.
Of which his head wasn’t shy in reminding him.
After bathing, having a shave, and then dressing in his finery with Cornell’s help, he had walked to the church early. Nothing. Absolutely nothing could keep him from standing at that altar, watching Felicity walk toward him on her father’s arm.
He glanced at his watch. Only half past the hour. Doubtful she’d even left Bright Place yet.
Aside from the first set of the night, their waltz, both he and Felicity had been busy with well-wishing guests for the remainder of the night. When he’d stolen a moment to himself, she, inevitably, was being led in a dance by some relative or another. And the few times he’d spied her, hopefully looking around for him, he’d been unable to extract himself in time to claim her.
At the end of the night, when he’d emerged from the card room to find her, Louisa had informed him that her parents had already escorted her home.
He’d felt… bereft.
Likely that was why he was sitting in this vestibule with far too much time on his hands. Because he missed her and thought that waiting here would bring him closer to the moment he’d become her husband.
Her most devoted, ridiculously besotted husband.
