The door to her bedchamber was closed firmly behind her. He could demand his conjugal rights, but that wasn't his way. Once she had met his sisters she would understand what was expected of her so there was no point in being at daggers drawn when they were still so far from home.
The journey to the coast was uneventful. It would have been more enjoyable if he had been able to share a bed with his beloved. He enjoyed her company during the day, she was as amusing, argumentative and adorable as always but every night had some objection to them making love and he respected her wishes. His dog appeared to have changed allegiance now he was no longer needed as a guide. He spent every available minute at Sofia's side and he was glad she had someone of her own.
He observed his brother becoming captivated as the days went past, the more he saw them together the more concerned he became. He was pleased they were good friends but wished they did not laugh so much. Indeed, if he was honest, Sofia was more animated in Beau's company than she was in his.
It was with some relief that they finally reached the port and were able to board the waiting ship that would take them back to England. He had been away for over two years and so much had happened in his absence. Aubrey had got married, so had Giselle and there had been several babies born.
'I shall share with you, Beau, and let Sofia have the cabin to herself. We might be needed to help with the horses.' His brother didn't argue. 'Smith and Jenkins are going to sleep with the animals – I gather none of them enjoyed the crossing last time.'
'We must pray it will be calm. The weather is remarkably clement for October, but we have a long way to go and storms can appear out of nowhere.'
'It would be ironic indeed if after you have sent the good news of my return we all perished in the sea.'
'Tarnation take it! What the hell is the matter with you, little brother? You have a face as long as a wheelbarrow most of the time. One would have thought you would be overjoyed to be going back with a beautiful young wife on your arm. Yet you have been a veritable curmudgeon the entire journey.'
'Things are not going smoothly between us. I fear that Sofia will not settle into her new life. She has been running wild in the hills for these past two years doing God knows what, and now we expect her to behave like a young girl with no experience of the world.'
His brother slapped him none too gently on the shoulder. 'Do not include me in that sentence, Perry. Sofia is no different from our sisters apart from the fact that she has no interest in fashion. She will find her way, give her time, do not hedge her in with etiquette and protocol.'
This was an astounding thing for him to hear. His brother was an aristocrat, a duke, from his crown to his toes and expected everybody to treat him with deference and obey him to the letter. How could Beau have changed so radically? He scarcely recognised him as the brother he had left behind when he had joined the cavalry.
As it happened all four of them were needed to keep the horses from breaking free. Even if he had wanted to spend time with Sofia he wouldn't have been able to in the circumstances. He could not understand why his twin had chosen to spend the first year of his marriage on the sea. It was a hideous place to be, wet, cold and dangerously uncomfortable. Perry vowed he would never set foot in another ship as long as he lived. It was a good thing he hadn't mentioned to his wife that they take the yacht themselves when Aubrey and Mary returned from their travelling.
'I am hoping that the letter I sent will have reached Silchester in time for my instructions to be followed. I asked for rooms to be booked for the night and our valets, and a maid for Sofia, to be waiting with fresh garments. The carriage should also be there and a fresh team left at a posting station so we can make the journey without being obliged to overnight a second time.'
'I intended to travel inside with my wife so we can have an opportunity to talk. Will the servants return by common stage?'
'They will return in the same manner that they arrived. In the second coach.'
Perry wondered what his wife would think about such unnecessary expenditure. The cost of this enterprise would keep half the population of the town she had been living in for six months. Even before she had lived so simply in Spain she had not come from a wealthy family.
Bennett, second in line to Beau, had married the daughter of a cit – but she had been fabulously wealthy. Madeline had married an ex-soldier who had recently inherited the title – but he also was comfortably off. Aubrey had married a widow a few years older than himself – but again she was from an excellent family and wealthy in her own right. Finally, his younger sister Giselle had married a man much older than herself, Lord Rushton, Beau's closest friend.
He had married a girl with little connection to society, no experience of moving in the best circles and no money of her own. She had intelligence, courage, beauty and compassion – what she didn't have was the upbringing and training that would make her life easier.
