‘I shall be delighted to see how she goes on,’ said Dominique quickly.
‘Very good, madam. Now, which of these trunks is yours, and we’ll have them taken up immediately.’
‘Only one.’ They had brought only the trunk Max had sent with her to Elmwood and now Dominique met Gideon’s eyes in a mute appeal.
‘My wife is to have everything new, as befits a future viscountess,’ he said coolly. ‘She will manage with what is in the trunk and tomorrow we will set about replenishing her wardrobe.’
The housekeeper looked a little shocked.
‘Very well, sir. If you would care to come with me, ma’am, I’ll show you to your room and we’ll unpack that single trunk of yours and see what there is for you to wear tonight...’
Taking a mental review of the items she had seen in the trunk, Dominique hastily declined the offer.
‘You have more than enough to do, Mrs Wilkins,’ she said. ‘I am sure the maid you have found for me will be able to help.’
* * *
When Dominique came downstairs for dinner she was wearing one of the muslin gowns from the trunk Max had provided. The previous owner of the gown had been somewhat taller than Dominique, but Kitty had proved to be very useful with a needle and had soon taken up the hem. The unknown woman had also been more generously endowed and Dominique had had to cover the extremely low and rather loose décolletage by draping a fine muslin handkerchief across her shoulders, crossing the ends over her bosom and tying them behind her.
When she joined Gideon in the drawing room he raised his brows and she felt obliged to explain.
‘I was delighted to leave off my travelling dress, but the trunk my cousin packed up for me was sadly lacking in suitable clothes. This is the most respectable of the gowns and even this required several petticoats beneath it before I was fit to be seen.’
Gideon raised his quizzing glass and surveyed her. His lips curved into a grin.
‘Yes, I can see that.’
She fingered the skirts, chuckling.
‘It is the finest quality, as is everything in the trunk, but most of it is highly improper. I think it must have been left behind by one of Max’s less-respectable guests. He is forever filling the house with lightskirts and actresses— Oh!’ She stopped, colouring painfully. ‘I—I beg your pardon, I d-did not think...’
The cheerful camaraderie disappeared in an instant. Gideon’s grin was replaced by a polite smile. He waved one hand, as if to dismiss her words, but Dominique knew she had erred.
* * *
Gideon saw her stricken look and wished he could say something to comfort her, but the words would not come. He had never been one for dissimulation. How could he tell her it did not matter that he had married the wrong bride when it did matter, when he regretted it so bitterly? The woman he had courted, the bride he had expected, was tall and fair and buxom, with blue, blue eyes and a smoky laugh full of sexual promise. Instead he found himself married to a diminutive brunette with a damnably obstinate streak. She was pretty enough, perhaps, if you liked thin women.
Here he stopped himself. She was petite, yes—the top of her head barely reached his chin—but she was not thin. He remembered their wedding night, when they had both allowed their pent-up emotions to run away with them. He recalled how well her small breast fitted into his hand, how her tiny waist contrasted with the full, rounded softness of her hips. Their lovemaking had been as hot and passionate as anything he had ever experienced and her untutored ardour had fuelled his desire. He hoped he had not hurt her. He had always expected to take his virgin bride gently, to go slowly and teach her the pleasures of the flesh.
Instead they had tumbled into a hedonistic, lust-filled coupling and he had risen at dawn bemused and mortified by his lack of control. He remembered glancing down at his sleeping bride, seeing her hair arrayed over the pillows in a dark cloud and feeling an unexpected tenderness for the innocent, fragile girl he had married. He had wanted to protect her—from the world, from himself. He had made a vow then, that he would conduct himself with proper restraint in future.
And there could be no going back. Having consummated their marriage, he must now commit himself to it and put aside all thoughts of the actress—what had Max called her? Agnes Bennet. Gideon doubted he had truly loved her, but he had been captivated by her beauty and she had shown him a flattering attention that had put all sensible thought to flight. No, it had not been love. Gideon recognised that it was his pride that was hurt most and the woman now sharing his life had colluded in the shameful trick. For that he could never forgive her. Of course, there was no reason why they should not be happy enough and have a comfortable, civilised existence together. Many couples entered into arranged marriages and rubbed along well enough, but it wasn’t only her deceit—he could not ignore her French blood.
It was twelve years since his brother James had died at the hands of the French mob and the pain of that loss had never left Gideon. His father had trained him to take his place, to become his heir, but James had been everything Gideon was not, quiet and studious, but with a charm of manner that made him universally loved—not for him the rakehell existence of a young man on the town—and Gideon knew how unworthy he was to fill James’s shoes.
Dinner was a strained affair. They were achingly polite to each other and by the time the covers were removed Dominique was glad to leave Gideon to enjoy his port in solitary state. She realised sadly that, however friendly he might seem, Gideon could not forgive her for her duplicitous actions. It had been a cruel trick and she should never have taken part, but when she had agreed to it she had been in turmoil. Blackmailed by her cousin and half in love with the man behind whose eyes she glimpsed a sadness that set him apart from the others, while at the same time detesting the man who would run with Max and his self-seeking, hedonistic crowd. However, standing beside him while Max gloatingly explained the deceit, the hurt and humiliation Gideon had suffered was quite clear to her, if to no one else.
Sitting alone now in the drawing room, she felt thoroughly ashamed and knew she should be grateful that he treated her with any kindness at all. Thoughts of their wedding night returned and she wrapped her arms about her, as if to hold the memory close. Desire had made her reckless and she had given in quite freely to the passion that had swept them up, but she knew—from what she had overheard from the gossiping servants and her own observations at Martlesham Abbey—that it was different for a man. Gideon’s taking her that night had been no act of love, it had been simply lust, easily roused and as easily forgotten. She was not the woman he loved, merely a substitute.
Dominique wondered if she dared go to bed, but decided the proprieties must be observed and asked Mrs Wilkins to bring in the tea tray when the master joined her in the drawing room.
* * *
When Gideon came in she was relieved to see that the shuttered look was gone and he addressed her in a cheerful, friendly tone.
‘I have been thinking, Nicky, I have not yet given you a wedding present. I shall take you to Rundell’s and you shall choose something for yourself, but in the meantime I found this—my godmother’s jewel case.’ He held out a small leather box. ‘Most of Godmama’s jewellery is at the bank, but you might like these trinkets to be going on with.’
Dominique set the case on her lap and pushed up the clasp, her eyes widening as she opened the lid. The contents glittered in the candlelight. A profusion of gold and silver and coloured stones winked up at her.
‘Th-thank you,’ she murmured, bemused. She pushed her fingers gently into the tangle and lifted out a handful of the jewels, letting them fall back into the box in a sparkling cascade. ‘They are beautiful, Gideon, thank you.’
‘Some of the stones—perhaps all—will be paste,’ Gideon explained, watching her. ‘I noticed that you wear no jewellery, but I thought these trinkets might amuse you.’
‘Amuse!’ She gave a little