Page 109 of The Language of Love

Chapter 19

As they rolled along in the well-sprung, leather-lined splendor of Henry’s traveling coach Annis reflected on the delicious evening before, an evening that had lasted all the way until first light, when Henry had woken her with loving one last time before they’d begun their first full day as man and wife.

The best part of the night hadn’t been all the physical pleasure he’d given her, or the wonder of sharing a bed for the first time. Rather, it had been the way she’d been able to give pleasure back to Henry.

Each time they’d come together, he had worked tirelessly to ensure her own satisfaction before taking his own. Watching him come apart in his passion had been the most erotic experience of her life. The sense of power she’d felt that she—hen-witted Annis Bowman—could bring this awe-inspiring man to his knees had been intoxicating.

“What are you looking so smug about, Lady Rotherhithe?”

Her head whipped up. Her new husband was watching her, the open book in his lap ignored.

“I was just thinking it was a lovely day.” That wasn’t entirely a lie. It was lovely.

His smirk told her he didn’t believe her for a minute.

While their relationship was still stiffer than it had been before that fateful day, he seemed to thaw more with every hour that passed. Annis had high hopes for their future happiness.

“What are you reading?” she asked.

He lifted the book, and she saw it was about farming methods.

“Is there a great deal of land?”

“Not as much as there used to be—thirty-thousand acres, I believe.”

“Was it entailed?”

“Yes, everything except the London house was entailed. The only reason they didn’t sell that is because it is so encumbered and dilapidated that only a fool would buy it. If I ever sold it, the new owner would probably demolish it to build a new house.”

“That would be a tragedy.”

He met her gaze with a sardonic look. “I should have taken you on a tour before we left London. It’s draughty, leaky, and it was last improved during the reign of George I.”

“You don’t want a house in London?”

“I have three—if you want to keep one, you can take your pick. If you like Rotherhithe best, we’ll keep it.”

“Three?”

“Yes. In fact, the one where we spent those lovely afternoons is one of mine.”

“You’re the gentleman who owns it?”

He gave her a raffish smile. “I know calling me a gentleman is a stretch.”

“Why did you buy it?”

“I sold a great deal of property in India and needed to invest some of the money, as I don’t care to have it sitting idle. I added several new ships to my fleet, but property is an excellent investment in the current economic climate.”

Annis could only nod.

He smirked. “See? Your husband isn’t a gentleman. He’s a businessman.”

“Can’t a man be both?”

“Not according to your beau monde.”

“They’re not my beau monde.”