“Very well.” Charlotte stood then smoothed her skirt.
His wife wasn’t shy, but nervous. Was it because he had surprised her, or because she was afraid that he would find out her secret? Should he tell her that he had learned about her being a governess? Would that put her at ease?
Victor rejected the idea. He would wait for her to tell him, and if she didn’t, then he would confront her.
Victor pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course, she was nervous. They had not seen each other in four years and when he had left, she had not been much more than a girl. Until they became reacquainted, their conversations were likely to be awkward.
“Is all well?” she asked with concern.
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“You pinched your nose, as if your head may pain you. I can ask Cook for something to ease your discomfort.”
He smiled. “I am well, Charlotte, and anxious to see what you have done with the house.”
“Very well.” She sighed then proceeded to escort him through the manor. There was much to be admired and no room was the same in color or design. If anything, his wife was eclectic. The library was dark and masculine with a small tapestry of his family crest on the wall. Victor walked over to study it further. “Where did you come by this?” He was in awe of the detail.
“I made it,” she answered quietly.
Victor whipped around. “I did not know that you could weave a tapestry.”
Charlotte shrugged. “I did not know either until I tried.”
“I see that your talents are not only limited to painting.”
She looked away, a blush staining her cheeks. “I am glad you like it.”
Victor took in the rest of the library with the dark furniture, heavy wood, and deep red and gold upholstered chairs beside the fireplace. A desk sat in a back corner before some windows. It was a masculine room and one he could relax in without fear of a delicate seat breaking beneath his weight.
“This is where I keep the household accounts.”
She opened a door hidden in the paneling. Victor followed her inside the closet.
She indicated a stack of books. “These are the ledgers if you wish to review them.”
“Accounts can wait.” Besides, he received a thorough accounting from her monthly. He was already familiar with the costs of running the estate and had no complaint with what she had spent. “Are there changes to the upper floors as well?”
“Yes.” Charlotte turned and he followed her to the foot of the stairs where she paused and took a deep breath. She clutched the railing so tight her knuckles turned white. For a moment Victor wondered if she were going to climb them, but she finally placed a foot on the bottom step.
The next floor contained the bedchambers, and her hands shook as they drew near the set of rooms he had occupied previously.
Was she afraid of him?
No, she was afraid that he was here to claim his rights.
As much as he wished to bed her and make Charlotte his, she was not at all prepared for him to do so. Victor knew that Charlotte needed time and he would be considerate and approach the matter when they were more comfortable with each other again. He much preferred a seducible, willing woman to a wife that would lie back and do her duty without experiencing any of the pleasure that could be enjoyed by both participants.
Hesitantly she stopped in front of a door. “I promise to change anything that does not please you.” Still, she did not open the door.
Victor smiled down at her. “I am certain I will like it, as I have liked every room so far.” Reaching before her, he grasped the handle to open the door, pushed it opened and walked into a chamber he would have never designed himself, yet it intrigued him. The walls were a muted blue, not bright, but not dark either. The curtains were gold and pulled back to let the light in. A balcony looked over the garden and he could hear the water in the fountain from outside. The bed was enormous, with a matching gold and blue coverlet. Pillows of cream and gold were placed in various chairs and on the bed. The picture over the fireplace, which faced the bed, was a tranquil scene of a villa overlooking the sea. It was painted as if he were standing on shore, looking across the bay. A light breeze blew into the room carrying the scents from the garden below. The room was peaceful, soothing, and tranquil.
“It is marvelous,” he finally said in a hushed tone.
Charlotte had watched him expectantly. “You like it?”
He smiled down at her, wondering how she could even ask such a question.
“I tried to piece together clues from your letters of what you would like. I wanted to create an environment where you could relax, away from the stresses of your station and the pressures you have been under,” Charlotte quickly explained.
