“Not today.”
But it made her imagine that perhaps he would come to accept her as his wife. She took his arm, and a flutter of happiness settled within her heart. In spite of Margaret’s absence, there were so many reasons to be thankful. She was now married to a handsome man who trulywasa hero, though he’d hidden his true nature for so many years. He was wonderful at kissing, and she found herself dreaming of what it would be like if he consummated their marriage tonight. He hadn’t said no, and it gave her a reason to hope. This was a new beginning for both of them, and nothing would diminish it.
They said their farewells to her parents and sisters, and the earl escorted her back to his carriage. Amelia let him help her inside, and they began the short drive to his town house.
For a time, he appeared to be bothered by something. She wanted to ask him what it was, but decided he would tell her when he was ready. Within minutes, they were arriving at his house. “When we go inside, I’ll introduce you to our staff. They should provide you with everything you need.”
Then the earl met her gaze and revealed the reason for his discomfort. “I would ask that you…not change the way the rooms are decorated. Katherine made them as they are, and it would bother Christine greatly to see them altered when she comes to visit again.”
“I understand,” Amelia said softly, but she strongly suspected that this was about his own desire for the rooms not to be altered, not his daughter’s. She prayed they weren’t decorated in black or a garish gold that would give her nightmares.
The footman opened the door, and the earl disembarked first, helping Amelia down. At first glance, his home was like any other.The town house had a white façade with large windows, and decorative balustrades rested beneath each one. Two tall Corinthian columns framed a stairway leading up to the front door.
A flutter of nerves took residence in her stomach, but she put on a brave face and tried to behave older than twenty.Behave as if you know what you’re doing, she told herself.Be stronger than you feel.
When the earl led her inside, he introduced her to many of the servants. The only name she remembered was Gus Haverford, the butler, who smiled warmly and welcomed her to the household. She liked him immediately, but the other names blurred together until she could hardly conjure up any of them.
“I’ll leave you to speak with the housekeeper,” the earl said.
She probably had met the housekeeper, but honestly, Amelia didn’t remember the woman at all. The idea of being abandoned so suddenly was intimidating, to say the least.
“I’d rather you gave me a tour of the house,” she suggested. At least, then, she could get her bearings and gather her courage.
He offered her his arm, and when they walked beyond the servants, she whispered, “I know there will be many expectations of me, as your countess. I’ll do everything I can to fit in with your life here. But for now, could we just be Amelia and David?”
David’s hand tightened over hers. “Wearefriends,” he agreed. “That won’t change.”
Amelia mustered a smile. Was it possible to change his mind and move beyond friendship? Over the past few days, she’d chipped away at the icy emotional armor he wore like a shield. She’d tempted him into kissing her and had found a very different man beneath it all. Passionate and strong, he knew just how to take apart her defenses.
She wanted so much more than he was offering. And tonight was her strongest chance at winning the first battle.
“We could have our supper upstairs,” she suggested. Away from prying eyes and anyone who might interrupt.
He guided her toward a small sitting room, and as soon as she entered the space, Amelia grew overwhelmed. Nearly every surface of the room contained curios and trinkets. Some were made of porcelain, while others were miniature marble statues in the Neoclassical style. Upon the opposite wall, she spied a portrait of a dark-haired woman. She could only guess that it must have been Katherine. At her questioning look, the earl nodded.
“She enjoyed her…collection,” he admitted.
“I can see that.” Amelia was now somewhat worried about what her bedchamber would look like. She envisioned more cluttered tabletops and possibly a dressing table that would have a hundred bottles of scent upon it. “If you don’t mind, I should like to see my room.”
And please let it not have been hers, she thought.
“Of course.” He led her up two more flights of stairs until they reached a narrow door near the servants’ quarters. “I thought you would be comfortable in here.”
A sinking sensation took hold in Amelia’s stomach. The room was far away from the other bedrooms, and when he opened it, she saw that it was hardly more than a single bed and a dressing table. Had it belonged to one of the maids?
No. He couldn’t mean this, could he? Surely he was mistaken. “I don’t think it’s at all appropriate for me to stay here,” she said quietly.
He shrugged. “The room is small, but it’s clean. There’s a nice view of London from the window.”
Amelia took a breath and closed the door behind him. Did he not see what was wrong with this? Or had he done it deliberately, to keep her at arm’s length?
“The room was not being used, so I thought there was no harm in it.” He cleared his throat, adding, “I didn’t think you would want Katherine’s room. This house is small, and there aren’t many bedrooms.”
Perhaps he thought that by putting her here, she would be far away from him, out of temptation’s way. Surely he had another bedroom for guests. And yet, he seemed determined to keep her at a distance. She had to put a stop to it right now.
“No,” she said quietly. “I cannot stay in this bedroom. It makes me feel as if I am a servant, isolated from the family.” She raised her eyes to his. “Surely there is another room closer to yours.”
He stilled, as if he couldn’t believe she’d dared to challenge him. But honestly,whywould he believe she would want to stay here, of all places? She was now the lady of the household, and yet he was treating her like a houseguest instead of a wife.
