“You have achieved your intentions.”
A smile of relief came to her face.
Victor walked around the room, opening doors. One led to a dressing room, where most of his belongings had already been put away, and another to a small sitting room, similar in style to his bed chamber, but with a table beside a window, and comfortable chairs for reading if he wished. A third door led to a bathing chamber that had not existed previously. Besides a large hip bath, there was also a curtained shower, similar to the one that he had put in his London home. While Victor had liked the idea of stepping beneath the water to wash quickly, the cold water had soon become a deterrent. However, there was also a large fireplace already stacked with wood. Perhaps being in a heated room would make the experience more pleasant. There was also a basin for washing and behind another curtain, a chamber pot.
“I had this room renovated with all the modern conveniences,” Charlotte hastily explained. “When you wish to bathe, or stand beneath the shower, the footmen will heat the water in here. It not only keeps the water from cooling between the time it is taken from the kitchen fires to this room, but the fireplace also helps warm the chamber.”
“Where did you find such a large hip bath?”
“I commissioned it to fit your frame,” she answered. “I did not know if you enjoyed the new curtained shower contraptions and wished for you to be comfortable.”
“I am happy with either,” he answered, then tilted his head to study her. “What of you? Which do you prefer?”
“The hip bath,” she answered. “Though, I must admit that the shower contraption is far more convenient when one needs to wash their hair.”
He supposed she was correct.
“All you need to do is let your valet know when you wish to bathe, and the footmen will see to the heating of the water. I usually use this room every evening before bed.” Her eyes widened. “But I can adjust my schedule if that is the time you prefer.”
“I have never had a schedule for bathing. It usually depended on the day and the plans that had been made,” Victor admitted.
“Of course,” she looked away. “I assume you are quite busy in London with all the entertainments, House of Lords, and whatnot. I am certain that every day is different.”
“Are the days not different here?” he asked with humor. For a moment Charlotte had been quite comfortable with him and now she was nervous once again.
“This is the country, Victor. Very little changes and most days are exactly the same.”
Except, now her husband was back in residence, and he suspected that many things would soon change.
It took a moment, but it finally sank in that Charlotte also used this bathing chamber. He did a slow turn. There were three doors for this room. One led to his chamber, the other to the hallway because of its location and the last, opposite of his.
When they had first arrived, Charlotte had chosen the room next to his. He would assume this was her former chamber, but it was too small.
Crossing to the door, he opened it. It was her chamber, and it looked no different than it had when he left four years ago other than it was smaller. The wall coverings were old and faded, except for the newest wall created to make room for the bathing chamber. The curtains were thick and dark, not allowing any light into the room. A coverlet of muted greens, not matching anything else, still covered her bed. The furniture was as mismatched as it had been when she retrieved the items from the attic storage. She had created such beauty in the other rooms of the house, why not her own? Unless she no longer slept here. “Do you sleep in a different chamber now or perhaps we will be sharing the one you just showed me?” If they were to share a bed it would be far easier to seduce her.
“No,” Charlotte hastened to answer and stepped inside her chamber. “I saw no need to do anything here. I am never in this room but to sleep.”
“I will only be sleeping in my chamber as well,” he reminded her. “Yet you created a very tranquil environment for me.”
“Yes, but that is completely different,” Charlotte began.
“Charlotte,” Victor stopped her from saying anything else. “I want you to redecorate your room.”
“It really is not necessary, nor do I see the need to go to the expense,” she began to argue.
“Then perhaps you could simply share my chamber. We are married after all.” He should insist she sleep with him until her room was complete.
She blanched and her eyes grew wide. “I will put my mind to doing as you ask,” she offered quickly. “You should not have to be cramped in your room or in that bed. That would ruin the serene atmosphere I was trying to create for you to enjoy.”
He nearly snorted. The two of them could share that large bed and not even touch, let along be cramped.
“I will go see about dinner.” Charlotte hastily changed the subject. “You should relax. Perhaps you would enjoy a bath after your travels. I will ask a footman to retrieve water and begin heating it. I am certain you are tired and have not had an opportunity to refresh from your trip.” She was rambling while almost pushing him back to the bathing chamber. Once he was within, she shut her door. “I will see you at dinner after you are sufficiently rested,” she called through the door.
Victor stood in the bathing chamber chuckling. Maidenly nerves, but in time Charlotte would be his and Victor could not wait to seduce her.
AftershehadleftVictor, Charlotte rushed to the kitchen and asked Cook to prepare a meal that would impress her husband and apologized for the short notice. She then found a footman and asked that he prepare a bath for her husband. Charlotte next hurried to the library and wrote correspondence to Althea and explained that she would visit tomorrow afternoon to discuss her governess duties. She then penned a note to Melcombe that she could not meet him tomorrow at their regular time and asked that he arrive earlier. Once she passed them off to a footman to be delivered, she raced up the stairs and into her bedchamber and rang for her maid. This was her first dinner with Victor and her appearance must be perfect. She would wear her best gown and instructed Callie to arrange her hair in a more formal manner. Perhaps if she appeared the lady from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, Victor would forget that he had seen her in her painting clothes.
It seemed to take forever before Callie finally managed to tame her hair and by the time that she returned downstairs and met Victor in the parlor, Charlotte was exhausted.
