Chapter Three
Ellie sat beforeher dressing table admiring how the peach dinner dress gave her complexion a soft glow. It also complemented her hair, or so Sophie had told her. She did hope Sophie and the other Curious Ladies were enjoying their studies before the term break. As for herself, she planned to continue hers when not teaching the children or making important decisions about the household.
She looked forward to her first dinner alone with her new husband. Secretly, she hoped to impress him with her knowledge. She had learned he was an Oxford graduate, so she had no doubt they could have a rousing conversation about any number of topics.
“Mary, bring me the red ribbon and the pretty purple butterfly for my hair. I do love that butterfly. It reminds me of my outing with Lissa at Talley on the Green.”
Her lady’s maid came up behind her. “I already had this white ribbon and snowflake comb.”
“No, no. I want the red and purple.” Though she valued Mary’s opinion, Ellie wanted to make a very good impression on Darius.
Mary set the white ribbon and snowflake comb on the dressing table and disappeared back into the dressing room.
Ellie hoped to make her husband smile again, perhaps with an analogy of her new wedded status being much like thecaterpillar’s journey to becoming a butterfly. She certainly felt like one. She might even bring up the Greek goddess Psyche and the butterfly as the soul. There was so much to talk about regarding butterflies, if she needed a topic. Then again, there was also the cinnabar moth that flew at night, one of her favorites. She was far more familiar with night creatures because that was when the stars were most visible.
“I have them, my lady.” Mary walked up behind her. “But I’m not sure about the red ribbon. It may give you a sad pallor in this dress.”
Ellie waved off the comment. “Put it around my throat and I’ll decide.”
As Mary wrapped the ribbon around her neck, keeping the small red stone at the front, Ellie examined her reflection. It seemed to counteract all the dress did for her skin tone. As usual, Mary was correct. “Let’s try the white ribbon.”
Mary took the red off and hooked the white one, which had a tiny light-pink flower in the front.
“Yes, the white looks better. But then, will the purple comb look appropriate in my hair?”
Sophie had told Ellie that blue was actually the best to wear with her hair color. She watched in the mirror as Mary added the butterfly comb.
“Now try the snowflake.” The white comb worked better, but she couldn’t think of anything to discuss about snowflakes, except possibly one of the planets like Ceres, which would be incredibly cold.
“I will wear the butterfly.” The butterfly had so much more potential for conversation.
As soon as Mary finished, Ellie rose. It was odd how nervous she was. She’d never been so around men before, but Darius was not just any man. In addition to being darkly handsome, he was her husband, until death do they part. Their first dinner alonewould be the beginning of hundreds more, and she wanted it to go well. That must be why she felt unsure. Her expectations were too high. Her mother had always warned her about her high expectations that never materialized.
“My lady, I found a brown package in your chest. I think it might be from your classmates, as it wasn’t there when I packed your clothes. I put it on the nightstand by the bed.”
Her heart skipped a beat as she turned her attention to the paper-wrapped book at her bedside. Her cheeks heated at what was inside. At Lissa’s insistence, after the proposal was made, Ellie had finally opened the book entitledThe Education of the Feminine Species.
But that was the fake cover. Inside wasThe Illustrated Pleasures of Seduction. She’d only made it to page nine. With her knowledge of biology, which the duchesses insisted every woman know, and seeing the illustrations, the thought of how a man and woman created a child no longer made her ill. In fact, from what she’d learned so far, she’d been excited, since Lissa had told her that her betrothed was quite handsome and younger than her father. Unfortunately, she’d run out of time to read more, but had purposely left the book behind to prevent her new husband and staff from finding it. Sometimes Lissa was too forward.
She didn’t have time to hide the book, so she left it there. “Thank you, Mary. I’ll open it another time.” With that announcement, she swept from the room feeling every bit the marchioness she now was.
The confident feeling lasted all the way down the stairs, then she walked through the parlor and bumped into a table with an empty vase. She caught the copper vase and set it aright before looking to see if her husband had seen the near miss.
He was there, but not seated, nor looking her way. Instead, he stood before the tall window looking out at the darkness.
Relieved he hadn’t seen her, she slowed her walk and joined him at the window. “Good evening, Darius. What is it that has your attention in the dark?” She looked at the window but only saw their reflections in it. It was a sight she quite admired. His tall, dark frame next to her brighter one meant they complemented each other well, at least according to Isaac Newton, or so Lady Sommerset had instructed them.
“I merely ponder the dark itself.”
At his answer, she looked up at him, as he was a bit taller than her, though not so much as to make it difficult to dance or walk and converse. “I quite enjoy the dark, particularly the nights with no moon, as then the stars are far easier to see. Even some of the planets can be seen, depending on the time of year.”
He didn’t look at her. “Of course. I had forgotten that you studied astronomy.” He finally turned toward her and held his arm out toward the table. “Shall we sit?”
As she walked to the place setting at the end of a table that could easily sit twenty, she realized her predicament. When his parents had been their guests, they all ate at one end, something his mother arranged. Now the staff had obviously returned to the more formal setting. She would have to speak very loudly to hold a conversation with her husband. Luckily, she had a naturally loud voice.
After taking her seat, she studied the many dishes before her. She chose what appeared to be white soup to start. Curious as to what her husband would start with, she found him taking a piece of fish onto his plate. “Is bream your favorite fish?”
His hand froze in mid-transfer, as if he were surprised by her voice. He gave her a nod and finished putting the fish on his plate.
