Of course. There was no one else in the house. “What do you want?” she called.
To her horror, the door opened. She snatched up her dress from the chair and used it to cover herself decently. “What do you think you are doing?” she demanded breathlessly.
“Coming to bed,” he said. He’d removed his coat and waistcoat and his neck cloth lay untied around his neck. The top of his shirt was open.
“What? Here?”
“Yes, here.” He walked across to the large wardrobe on the other side of the room and opened a door, saying, “My clothes are here, haven’t you noticed?”
She hadn’t. “But my clothes are here,” she told him.
“That’s probably why there are two wardrobes and two chests of drawers,” he suggested. He sat down on a low chair and proceeded to remove his shoes and stockings.
“You mean both of us are to sleep here?”
“Exactly.” He stood up and then didn’t move.
“No,” she told him, wondering what he was doing. He was staring not quite at her, but at something over her shoulder.
He smiled. “Simply beautiful,” he murmured.
She glanced over her shoulder but all she could see was the fire and the looking glass. Then she realized. The looking glass! He could see her back view in the looking glass. In the transparent nightgown.
“Stop that!”
“I can’t,” he said simply.
She started to turn and then realized that either way she was exposed, so she edged her way to the bed and with some difficulty slipped between the covers. Pulling them up to her chin she ordered him to leave.
“Can’t,” he said. “We need to make this marriage legal.”
“It is legal. You said Nash arranged the license.”
“Yes, all that part is legal and aboveboard, but now we have to consummate it.”
“Consummate? But you said—”
“Yes?” His eyebrow rose quizzically.
“You said it was a paper marriage. A strategy. A—a chess maneuver.”
He raised both eyebrows. “You want to play chess? Now?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I know.” The faintly teasing look faded. “It is what I said it would be, but the count is going to try everything, I’m certain, and this is one loophole he will be sure to check. If I slept in another room, and you were asked to swear later if you’d lain with me on your wedding night, would you be able to lie convincingly?”
She bit her lip, knowing he was right. She wasn’t a convincing liar at all. “So we must consummate this marriage?” she whispered.
He sighed. “Not if you don’t want to. If we sleep together then you can tell any judge or government official who is impertinent enough to inquire that, yes, we did sleep together. They will make the assumption.”
Callie thought it over. She could do that. But they would have to share a bed. She swallowed.
The only person who’d ever shared her bed was her son and that was only since they’d fled Zindaria. Rupert had never stayed with her after his monthly marital visits. He preferred to sleep in his own apartments.
She surveyed the bed. It was big, more than big enough for two people.
“All right,” she said grudgingly. “But only to ensure the legality of this marriage. And only if you promise me you will not pounce on me.”
