Lilliana waved her hand vaguely. “I do not know. Perhaps in the kitchens?”
Betsy laughed. “None of the maids at Willbridge Hall could read, let alone the London townhouse.”
“Oh, right. Of course. I forgot.”
Betsy narrowed her eyes at Lilliana. “Why do you ask? Did you want to read one?” She lowered her voice, coming closer. “I heard they’re very explicit about… well…” She widened her eyes meaningfully.
Lilliana laughed uncomfortably. “No, I… I mean, of course I do not want to read one. I was just wondering, that is all.”
Betsy continued to stare at her expectantly, but when Lilliana said nothing else, she went back to preparing her bath, adding rose petals as well as lavender oil to the water. She had carried out the same ritual every night since the wedding, as if just going through the motions would ensure that the marriage was consummated.
Lilliana was grateful for her silence on the matter, but also felt a little embarrassed. However, she did enjoy the luxurious baths, so she did not say anything.
And who knows? Kayden might come to me tonight.
“Thank you, Betsy. You can go now,” she told her lady’s maid once she had laid out her nightgown.
Betsy curtsied, petted Bramble, who was curled up on the mantelpiece, and then left.
Lilliana stripped bare and lowered herself into the water with a long sigh. Her entire body relaxed as the warm water lapped at her.
“Oh, that feels wonderful,” she said and took a deep breath, letting the scent of lavender soothe her.
She closed her eyes, and her hands trailed over her body like she had read in the novel, imagining it was the mysterious hero who happened to bear a strong resemblance to Kayden touching her.
It felt good, she had to admit. She wondered if it would feel different if it were Kayden’s hand instead of hers.
Would it feel better or worse?
She heard footsteps approaching and sat up with wide eyes. She looked up at Bramble. “Is he coming?” she whispered.
She looked down at her naked form and realized that she was not quite ready for him to see her like this. Scrambling out of the bath, she almost slipped as she grabbed her towel and headed to the bed. After drying herself off, she dressed in her nightgown and scrambled beneath the covers, spread her long hair over her pillow, and waited expectantly.
Her entire body was tense. She heard a door slam and jerked in surprise. It was surely a door in their corridor, but she could not tell which one. Slowly, she lay back, still listening.
She heard him rustling about in his room and conjectured that he might be changing his clothes or having a bath. Slowly, she relaxed even further into her pillows.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.
I will be patient.
9
Lilliana woke up feeling dispirited and disoriented, realizing she had not only interrupted her luxurious bath but she had also done it for nothing.
She had spent another night sleeping alone. She knew she needed to have a proper discussion with Kayden about their marriage, but she had no idea how to bring it up.
After breakfast, which she had in the breakfast hall in the hope of seeing Kayden, she found herself at a dead end. Kayden had not come into the hall until she finished breakfast. As she left the hall, he brushed past her and then paused, his lips parted. She looked up at him, lashes fluttering, butterflies in her belly.
“Good morning,” he said in his rumbling baritone.
She suppressed a shiver, taking a deep breath and nodding shakily. “G-Good morning.”
“Did ye sleep well?” He dipped his head to meet her eyes.
For a moment, she was at a loss for words, so surprised was she by his consideration. “I… slept well.”
He hesitated another moment, as if he wanted to say something else, but then he walked away.
