Then it was onward to sundry Aubrey cousins and shirttail relations. After that, the butler and housekeeper, twoverysuperior persons, welcomed her as their new mistress and presented her with a silver bowl as a wedding gift from thehousehold.
While Sunny wondered how much the poor servants had been forced to contribute, she was paraded past ranks of maids and footmen as if she were a general reviewing troops. Finally it was time to go upstairs to prepare fordinner.
Justin escorted her to her new rooms. The duchess’s private suite was rather appallingly magnificent. Eyeing the massive, velvet-hung four-poster bed, Sunny asked, “Did Queen Elizabeth sleepthere?”
“No, but Queen Anne did.” The corner of Justin’s mouth quirked up. “I know it’s overpowering, but I didn’t order any changes because I thought you’d prefer to make themyourself.”
Sunny thoughtfully regarded a tapestry of a stag being torn apart by a pack of dogs. “I don’t care if it is priceless, that tapestry will have to go. But I can bear it for now. How long do I have untildinner?”
“Only half an hour, I’m afraid. There’s more to be seen, but it can wait.” He gestured to a door in the middle of one wall. “That goes directly to my bedchamber. Don’t hesitate to ask if there’s anythingyouneed.”
“I’m too confused to know what I need, but thank you.” Sunny took off her hat and massaged her throbbing temples. “Should you and I go down together fordinner?”
“Definitely,” he replied. “Without a guide to the dining room, you’d probably get lost foraweek.”
After Justin left, Antoinette emerged from the dressing room. “While everyone was welcoming you, madam, I had time to unpack your clothing. What do you wish to wear tonight? Surely something grand to impress therelations.”
“The butter-cream duchesse satin, I think.” Sunny considered. “I suppose I should also wear the pearl and diamond dog collar, even though it chafesmyneck.”
The maid nodded with approval. “No one will be yourequal!”
After Antoinette disappeared to prepare the gown, Sunny sank into a brocade-covered chair. It was hideously uncomfortable, which was fortunate, because otherwise she might fallasleep.
It was pleasant to have a few minutes alone. In spite of the wretched chair, she was dozing when Antoinette bustled back. “Madam, I have found something wonderful! You must come see.” Sunny doubted that anything was worth such enthusiasm, but she obediently rose and followed her maid into the dressing room. Two doors were set into the opposite wall. Antoinette dramatically threw open the right-hand one. “Voila!”
Sunny’s eyes widened. It was a bathroom that would have impressed even Augusta Vangelder. The mahogany-encased tub was enormous, and the floor and walls had been covered in bright, exquisitely glazed Spanish tiles. “You’re right! It’s the most gorgeous bathroom I’veeverseen.”
“And the next room over—” the maid pointed “—is a most splendid water closet. The chambermaid who brought in the towels said that Monsieur le Due had all this done for you after the betrothal wasannounced.”
Amused and touched, Sunny stroked a gleaming tile. It appeared that she would not have to suffer the country house horrors that Katie Westron had warned her about. “Perhaps later tonight I will take advantageofthis.”
Wanting to give credit where credit was due, she went to her bedchamber and opened the connecting door to the duke’s suite. “Justin, I have found the bathingroomand—”
In the middle of the sentence, her gaze found her husband and she stopped dead. She had caught him in the middle of changing his clothing. He had just taken off his shirt, and she blushed scarlet at the sight of his barechest.
Though his brows rose, he did not seem at all discomposed. “Having seen the wonders of the American plumbing, I knew that you would find Swindon rather primitive,” he said. “Making some improvements seemed like a more useful wedding gift than giving youjewels.”
Though she tried to look only into his eyes, her gaze drifted lower. He was broad-shouldered and powerfully muscled, which was why he didn’t have a fashionable look of weedy elegance. She wondered how the dark hair on his chest would feel to hertouch.
Blushing again, she said hastily, “Your idea was inspired. I’ve always loved long baths, and I’d resigned myself to having to make do with a tin tub in front ofthefire.”
“Speaking of fires, I decided that it was also time to install central heating.” Justin casually pulled on a fresh shirt, though he didn’t bother to button it. “It will be a long time until the whole building is completed, but I had the workers take care of this wing first, so you would be comfortable. I know that Americans like theirhouseswarm.”
Only then did she notice that the rooms were much warmer than she should have expected. “Thank you, Justin! I think you must be the most considerate husband on earth.” She crossed the room to her husband’s side and gave him aswiftkiss.
It was the first time she had ever done such a thing, and she wondered belatedly if he would think her too forward. But he didn’t seem to mind. His lips moved slowly under hers, and he raised his hand and massaged the back ofherneck.
He had a tangy masculine scent that was distinctly his own. Succumbing to temptation, she let her fingers brush his bare chest as if by accident. The hair was softer than she had expected, but she felt unnerved when his warm flesh tensed at her touch. Hastily she loweredherhand.
But the kiss continued, and she found that she was in no hurry to end it. Very gently, his tongue stroked her lips. It was a new sensation, but pleasant. Verypleasant....
The clamor of a bell reverberated brassily through the corridors. Both of them jumped as if they had been caught stealing from the churchpoorbox.
After he had caught his breath, Justin said, “The pre-dinner bell. We must be downstairs in tenminutes.”
“I barely have time to dress.” Embarrassed at how she had lost track of time, Sunny bolted to her own room. As soon as the connecting door was closed, Antoinette started unfastening her traveling dress so that the duchesse satin could bedonned.
Yet as her maid swiftly transformed her, Sunny’s mind kept returning to the kiss, and her fingertips tingled with the memory of the feel of her husband’sbarebody.
