Page 42 of Her Unsuitable Match

They arrived in Kempston in the early afternoon, and the carriage rolled to a stop in front of a tall brick-and-timber house—an early eighteenth-century design—shortly after. The sun shone brightly, and the garden in front of the house was well crafted to appear wild and meadow-like, with a white-pebbled walkway from the drive up to the front door.

No sooner had Myles handed Pippa down from the carriage than the door of the house had opened, and several people came spilling out. Many more people than his parents and two sisters.

A stream of children came first, all of them jumping and shouting for “Uncle Myles” to greet them. After the children were three ladies and two gentlemen not old enough to be the baron and baroness. When the lord and lady of the house finally came outside, both of Pippa’s hands had been claimed by little girls in matching yellow gowns.

The children swept Pippa and Myles forward to the door, where a man with gray hair and Myles’s distinct features stood waiting for them. The woman on his arm was considerably shorter than Philippa, with silver-blonde hair mostly tucked up into a white cap.

“Welcome home, Son,” the baron said. “You must introduce us properly to your bride, before she thinks we are all as wild as these children.”

The children giggled and released Pippa so she could curtsy as Myles made all the necessary introductions.

“I didn’t know you already had guests,” Myles said after introducing Pippa to the other adults. His second-eldest brother, Winston the vicar, was visiting with his wife. The eldest sister, Mary, had come with her husband and children, too.

Myles appeared distinctly uncomfortable. Surprising, given how much he had enjoyed telling Pippa about his relatives.

“Visiting family is not at all the same as guests,” Lady Greenwood informed her son with a lofty tone. “Do come inside, Lady Philippa. Let us make you comfortable. I imagine, after that journey, you would prefer a moment of peace before we overwhelm you with our questions and conversations.”

Pippa followed happily. “I hope my bringing a maid will not put you out.”

“Not in the slightest, so long as your maid doesn’t mind sharing an attic room with one of ours.” Lady Greenwood tucked Pippa’s arm in hers as they climbed the stairs from the ground floor to the first floor. “Most of the family sleeps here, of course. The children are upstairs in the nursery, then the attic is for the servants. All except the kitchen staff, who live in the village with their families.”

The baroness started pointing at closed doors as they walked along the corridor. “That is Margaret’s room, and there is Elenor’s. You haven’t met Elenor yet, of course, but she will be home by dinner this evening. And on the opposite side, Winston and his darling Laurel are in that room, with Mary and her Mr. Fountain. Whose name is George, of course, but we all call him Mr. Fountain so as not to confuse him with our George.”

Pippa realized they were running out of bedrooms at almost the same moment Lady Greenwood pointed to one of the last two doors. “The baron and I share this room, just across the hall from where you and Myles will be staying.”

She turned her back to Pippa to push the door open. Likely a fortunate thing, as Pippa’s mouth popped open in protest. She closed it again and looked over her shoulder, hoping to make eye contact with Myles. So he could do something. Myles wasn’t there. Apparently, she alone had been ushered up the stairs, assuming others trailed behind. But what a silly assumption.

“Come in, dear,” Lady Greenwood called from inside. “We will send your maid up at once, so you can make yourself comfortable.”

With hesitant steps, Pippa entered the corner bedroom. Light streamed in from windows on two walls, and a breeze lifted the white curtains in a welcoming way. The room was painted a pale green, the rugs embroidered in blue and ivory. A small hearth on one wall would provide a fire at night, with two cozy chairs on either side of it. Much like her room in Adam’s townhouse. But smaller.

“The dressing room is through here.” Lady Greenwood opened a narrow door that Pippa vaguely noticed, as her entire attention had fallen upon the canopied bed in the center of the room against the wall, between two open windows.

One bed. Smaller than the one she slept in, alone, in the townhouse.

“We did not think you would mind the arrangement, though it is cozy, as you are newlyweds.” Lady Greenwood closed the dressing room door, her back still to Pippa. “Though I daresay, our household is not what one would normally expect of a baron’s estate.”

“It’s lovely,” Pippa burst out, hoping her new mother-in-law wouldn’t notice the way her cheeks burned. “Myles already told me all about his childhood home. He loves it so, and wanted to be certain I would find it familiar. Even though this is my first visit.”

Myles had assured her they would have their own rooms. Or at least, implied that they would. He’d seemed surprised at the additional houseguests. Had he already realized what their situation would be?

It wasn’t as though she could explain to Lady Greenwood the nature of their marriage. Not if Myles had neglected to do so.

“I am glad you both came,” Lady Greenwood said, voice soft, eyes aglow with joy. Completely unaware of Pippa’s inward anxiety. “Myles hasn’t visited in ages. It is good to have him here, and especially wonderful to welcome you into the family.”

“Thank you, Lady Greenwood.” Pippa prepared to curtsy as her mother-in-law took her leave, but the diminutive woman surprised her by enfolding Pippa in her arms instead. The maternal embrace brought a prickle of guilt to Pippa’s heart.

“He is a wonderful man, Lady Philippa. We are so glad you could look past the outside and see him for who he truly is.”

Pippa, released from the embrace, didn’t know what to say to that. So she said the first thing that came into her mind. “Please, Lady Greenwood. Call me Pippa.”

* * *

Myles spent the afternoon letting the children crawl all over him. He held nieces in his lap, allowed a nephew to ride him from one room into another, and took his sister’s youngest infant in his arms while she herded the rest of her children up to the nursery.

Winston sat with Myles while everyone else in the household disappeared. Their parents went upstairs to dress for the evening meal. Their brother-in-law stepped outside to smoke his pipe. The women would settle their children and then see to their own preparations.

Philippa remained in their room. His mother had informed him they had a delightful conversation before she left his bride to take a nap. “You picked a lovely lady, Myles,” his mother had said, her eyes brimming with tears, before she had left the room.