Chapter Twenty-Two
Perry examined himself from every side and declared to his valet that he was satisfied. His measurements had been taken and they had been posted to Weston's in London where he had all his jackets made. They would make up his requirements as speedily as possible and then they would bring the almost completed articles down to him to have a final fitting.
His Hessians were so shiny they reflected the light, his neckcloth was elaborate, his shirt of the finest lawn and his jacket a deep blue that he was told matched his eye colour. He could do nothing more to impress her. His heart was skipping about as if it had become detached. He had faced a regiment of French soldiers calmer than he was feeling now.
The door opened as he approached and he was bowed in by a smart footman. 'My lord, Lady Peregrine will be happy to receive you in the yellow drawing room.'
Perry nodded and strode through the house to the smaller reception chamber that was preferred to the more formal drawing room when there was no company. The door was open and he walked in. He was not the only one who had made an effort with their dress. Sofia had on a stunning confection in pale blue with a darker blue sash and embellishments around the hem and sleeves. She had never looked more beautiful.
He had rehearsed over and over what he was going to say, how he was going to apologise again but all this was forgotten. In two steps he was beside her and she threw herself into his arms.
'I forgive you, Perry, if you will forgive me for being so silly. I agreed to marry you knowing who you were and what that would entail and I have absolutely no right to cavil now.'
'You are the most important person in my life and I will do anything to make you happy. If you want to live in Spain then that is what we shall do.'
'I will reside wherever you are – whether it's here or anywhere else. I love you and will be a better wife in future.' She smiled up at him, her eyes damp, and he was overwhelmed. Then she drew back a little. 'I said I will be a better wife but I cannot promise to be an obedient and conventional one.'
'I don't give a damn what sort of wife you intend to be, as long as you are my wife that is all that matters.'
He pulled her closer and covered her mouth with his. Only the arrival of the refreshments saved them from doing something quite outrageous.
When he told her about the house she was overjoyed. 'That is exactly what I should like. I know it is a long way from here, but we can spend Christmas at Silchester every year and your family can visit during the summer months.'
They spent a delightful two hours together until it was time for him to leave. Mary would not be able to use her sitting room until he did depart. 'Sweetheart, would you consider moving back into...'
'You will discover, my love, that Polly has already transferred my belongings. You will also see that they are in your closet as I do not intend to spend another night sleeping on my own.'
'You will have to change for dinner. Are you doing that here or next door?'
She detected his intention and smiled. 'I am not such a pea-goose as to appear in your bedchamber before it is time to retire. I have my evening gown here. Go now, my love, and I shall see you at dinner.'
He left feeling ten feet tall. He thought he would take Zorro for a long walk and return with an hour to wait before he could change for dinner.
*
Beau stood up, stretched, and tossed his pen into the fire as he had done with it. Finally, the backlog of paperwork was done and he could turn his mind to family matters. He was hopeful, no, confident that Perry and Sofia would soon be back together. He would watch carefully when they were dining tonight and see how they reacted to each other.
Things were in hand for the family house party and Rushton and Giselle would be arriving next week with their daughters as they intended to stay for several weeks. He believed Giselle was finding it hard being so far from her family and he thought that she might convince Perry that moving away would be a mistake.
Of course, he had supported this notion of moving to Derbyshire, he would do anything for any of his siblings. What he would rather they did was remain at Silchester Court. If they moved to the north of England he would be lucky to see them more than once a year, especially if they started to fill their nursery.
There was an hour before he had to change for dinner, it was already dark so too late to ride, so he would find his brother and persuade him to play a game of billiards. There was something he wanted to discuss with him before he mentioned it to the others at dinner.
Perry was reading a journal in the drawing room and was only too happy to abandon it to play a frame or two. 'I have ordered two new jackets, four pairs of breeches, half a dozen shirts...'
'Enough, I have no wish to hear about such mundane things, little brother. There is something I want to talk to you about. I would value your opinion as it was Sofia's suggestion.'
'Go on, I'm intrigued.'
His brother listened with growing incredulity to the idea that the Duke of Silchester intended to remove himself from Silchester and live incognito pretending to compose music.
'Devil take it! I thought it was I that had bats in the attic, Beau. You would hate it. You have spent your entire life being treated like a demigod, everyone bowing and scraping, being a commoner would just not suit you.'
'I was not intending to live in a hovel, Perry. The estate where I intend to live is small but profitable. I have been studying the accounts this afternoon. Elveden Hall has six bedrooms, four reception rooms and the usual servants' offices. There is also sufficient stabling for my needs and a reasonable park surrounding it.'
'You do realise, Beau, that would mean you were living in half the space that Aubrey and Mary have? A fraction of what you are used to here. I doubt it is even the most prestigious estate in the neighbourhood and you would have to allow others to have precedence when you socialised.'
'You think I could not do it for six months without scampering back here to be fêted and lauded?'
