Amelia moved closer and rested her hands upon his shoulders. “Or, if you have no other rooms, I could always share yours. My parents shared a bedroom when I was growing up.”
He could have been a statue, with no expression at all. “It may be small, but it will do, for now.”
No, it wouldn’t. And if he wouldn’t find her something more appropriate, Amelia intended to take the necessary steps to find a room of her own.
“I should…see to a few things,” the earl remarked. “You can join me in the dining room tonight for supper.”
In other words, he was seeking a quick escape. And if she did nothing or said nothing, he would continue to push her away.
“Wait a moment,” she whispered. She reached out and took both of his hands in hers. From the moment her gloved palms touched his, she sensed the hesitancy in him. Lord Castledon’s blue eyes were guarded, his posture tense. Before he could protest, Amelia embraced him, resting her cheek against his heart. Thoughhe appeared uncertain about what to do, soon enough, his arms came around her shoulders, which was a good sign.
“Don’t let’s quarrel so soon,” she said softly. “We are now husband and wife, and I want us to make a good marriage, in spite of our beginning.”
If her sisters and mother had taught her anything, it was that sweet words always got a woman what she wanted. Much more than arguing.
“I want to thank you for what you did. You didn’t have to wed me to save my family’s good name.” And that really was the truth. He’d behaved with honor, helping her out of an impossible situation.
There was a slight relaxation in his grip, and Lord Castledon admitted, “I didn’t want you to be a victim of Lord Lisford’s exploits, like your sister.”
The mention of Margaret dimmed her spirits once more, but she pushed back the fear. “Do you think Lisford will ever return to London?”
He drew back slightly. “I don’t really care. Does it matter?”
“No, I don’t suppose it does.” It was odd to realize that she no longer felt anything for the man, save pity. Once, she’d placed all of her dreams upon the viscount. Thankfully, she’d awakened from what could have turned out to be a nightmare.
He released her and stepped back. “I’ll see you this evening.”
“Lord Castledon,” she interrupted, before he could leave.
“When we’re alone, you may call me David,” he corrected. “Or Hartford.”
She liked the name David, and it suited him. “David, then.” Amelia took a breath to fortify her courage. “I won’t ever try to take Katherine’s place. But neither do I want you to treat me like a stranger or a servant. We’re married now, and…that should mean something more.”
He didn’t realize what he was doing, Amelia thought to herself. The man was utterly lost with a second wife. And whatever decisions she made in the next few days would shape her life with him.
He said nothing to that but took her hand and squeezed it. “I will see you later tonight.”
Though Amelia was inwardly terrified of her wedding night, neither did she want to spend it in the servants’ quarters. Somehow, she had to push past his expectations and make a place for herself.
David avoided Amelia for the rest of the afternoon. He knew she’d spent time talking with the servants and making arrangements for her own lady’s maid. Her presence was quiet, but he’d known she was there. In fact, it was impossible to do any work at all.
An ordinary bridegroom would have spent the day with his bride, enjoying her presence. But Amelia set him on edge, reawakening a dormant desire. He hungered for her physically, and though he told himself that time and distance would solve the problem, his body had little interest in listening to his brain.
When he arrived at the dinner table, Haverford was waiting. “My lord, Lady Castledon asked that your supper be served upstairs in your bedchamber.” The older man’s face held a trace of color, but he continued, “She wanted to surprise you.”
Did she? David wasn’t certain what to think of that, but his suspicions sharpened. He didn’t let the butler know of his discomfort, but he merely nodded and walked up the stairs.
He had no idea what Amelia was planning, but he suspected that it involved seduction. He gripped the banister, gathering his control. He wasn’t certain if he would consummate the marriage tonight. It wasn’t wise, for he hardly trusted himself right now.
When he reached the door of his room, he opened it and found his wife waiting on the floor. She had spread a blanket there and had drawn the drapes to darken the room. Candles were lit all around, casting an amber glow over the furnishings.
Although she was fully dressed, he saw that she was barefoot. The blue gown set off her skin tone, and his eyes were drawn to the pearl necklace around her throat. He’d left the pearls for her as a wedding gift and was glad she’d found them.
“I thought we could have an indoor picnic,” she said. “Victoria told me about one she had with the duke, and it sounded terribly romantic.”
The soft anticipation on her face brought up his defenses. He had to put a stop to these ideas of romance before he broke her heart. “Amelia, you shouldn’t—”
“No.” She held up her hand. “This is our wedding day and our wedding night. At least let me fulfill one dream, to have a romantic evening with my new husband.”
