Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Glorious.” Elizabeth repeated the word in her smitten tone. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your face shine like that. Nor would I ever think Marlow capable—”
“He is exceedingly capable, and creative too. Though I shan’t tell you more, because there must be some privacy for a husband and wife.” She giggled a bit, covering her smile. “But he…he certainly knows what to do, and August knows also, I must presume. He’s taught you half of it… Perhaps if you encourage him, and assure him he won’t hurt you, you can progress past kisses and such. Not that those activities aren’t wonderful,” she added.
“Your eyes light up when you speak of Marlow. August seems more nervous than anything when we’re intimate together. Maybe he doesn’t want to go any further. Maybe he’ll never join with me.” Elizabeth’s deepest fears came to the surface, released by Rosalind’s concern. “I’m afraid he’s unsatisfied in our marriage. We were friends before, not romantic at all. He loved Felicity all this time, and now he’s saddled with me.”
“Saddled? Oh, I’m sure he doesn’t see it that way. As for my sister, he must understand he has no chance with her now.”
“He might still pine for her. I don’t know.”
“I think you’re entertaining fears with no basis in reality,” said Rosalind drily. “Marlow’s spanked me for that in the past. The bad sort of spanking.”
Elizabeth put her head in her hands, then lifted it with a groan. “Felicity aside, he married me because he felt sorry about my broken engagements, not because he wished to. Or because he l-loves me.” Her voice cracked on the last words.
“Oh, Lisbet. I was at your wedding, remember?” Rosalind held her gaze. “August was all smiles. Everyone could see he was pleased as punch to marry you.”
“But—”
“No but’s.”
“He’s not in love with me.”
“Nor were Jane and my brother in love when they wed. Nor your brother and Ophelia, for that matter. Did Fortenbury love you?”
Her friend’s blunt scolding knocked some sense into Elizabeth. A tiny bit of sense, right there beside her newlywed insecurities.
“I’m sorry, Ros. I don’t know where my heart’s at, or my head. I’m not good company today.”
“You’re fine company. It’s not easy starting a marriage. We’ve all had ups and downs. August’s love for you, the romantic, passionate sort of love, will develop over time, with familiarity. And you can’t develop familiarity without…” Rosalind made a suggestive gesture of insertion, driving one pointing finger into the circle of her opposite hand. “I promise he’ll be glad if you bring it up, if you ask him to show you the whole of what can happen in the marriage bed.”
“Perhaps I’ll do so.” Elizabeth sighed, then stood and poured tea for her friend. “But not today. I’m miffed at how hard he spanked me. It wasn’t kind of him at all.”
“Husbands are rarely kind when they have discipline in mind. If it matters, I’m sure you would have been perfectly fine on the lake.” Rosalind selected a cream puff from the tea tray, licking her lips. “But aren’t you touched by his worrying? That’s a sign of love, isn’t it? I think he’ll be an excellent husband once you’ve got the particulars sorted out.”
Elizabeth thought about particulars as her friend consumed the creamy pastry, making pleasureful noises. She also thought about the nightly spankings both Rosalind and Jane seemed content to endure.
“At least you’re not with Fortenbury.” Rosalind munched her cream puff, responding to her friend’s doleful expression. “Perhaps you must take spankings with August, but I warrant Fortenbury would have been a worse husband. He would have made you miserable, no matter how fine and upstanding he was.”
“You’re right. I must count my blessings, not my spankings. Let’s talk about something else. How have you been, Ros? How are your sweet girls?”
“Sylvie’s a darling big sister, and you may be sure little Georgina is growing by leaps and bounds. Both of them are mischievous as Marlow ever was. I love being their mama.” Her eyes lit up as she talked about her pair of toddlers. “But I don’t know how I shall ever present them at court when they’re of age. They’re a right mess most days.”
“I’m sure by the time they’re of age, they’ll be much more manageable,” said Elizabeth.
“I pray that’s true,” she replied, laughing. “You must visit Maitland Glen soon, so you can see my little scamps. They do so love ‘auntie’ Lisbet. Oh, speaking of visits, I heard from Mama that Felicity and her family are coming from Italy this spring. They’ve been invited to a grand ball at Buckingham Palace in May, to see the king’s new renovations.”
“Oh, how exciting. How marvelous.”
Her pretended delight didn’t fool her friend. “Don’t look that way, Lisbet. It’s ridiculous to think August would care—”
“I know.”
“When she’s coming here with her husband of more than ten years, and all her children—”