Authors: Gloria Harchar
The vicar flashed a wide smile at Falcon, and
Nicola
knew the look for what it was; that all-knowing one
that
men give when they think they know what women want.
In supplication, the vicar raised his hands.
"
O eternal God, send thy blessing upon thy servants whom we pray for in thy name as Falcon and
Nicola
live faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made.
"
His plump cheeks ruddy, the vicar said to Falcon,
"
You may now kiss the bride.
"
Falcon took her in his arms, and
Nicola
'
s head spun as his warmth surrounded her.
Her first kiss.
His firm lips
descended and then melded over hers. That kiss
rocked her to her toes—cau
sed her to shiver, then burn
, then melt with a passion for which courtesans
yearned
and nuns shunned. As he lifted his head,
Malcolm's
dark
eyes
burned w
ith intensity
. She knotted her gloved fingers togeth
er and hoped the world would stop spinning soon
.
The ceremony ended too quickly
. All the ramifications of this alliance flitted through her head. Soon she would be entering Windmere as a countess, a place in which she
'
d never before set foot. The responsibility hit her with the force of a ton of bricks. Before she quite realized what was happening,
Malcolm
had handed her into the carriage that the coachman had driven up to the dais.
Malcolm
settled
next to her, his thigh brushing
against hers.
"
To what have I agreed? I don
'
t know anything about being a countess.
"
She twisted in her seat. The jolt of the carriage as it leaped forward rocked her against his chest, bringing her face dangerously close to his.
"
I meant what I said,
Nicola
,
"
Falcon whispered, kissing the comer of her mouth.
"
You can be your own woman.
"
His actions distracted her, and her mind didn
'
t register what he said. Her face felt flushed.
She tried to push away, but a strange weakness prevented her.
"
I do have some
... experience running my father
'
s household, although his is nothing like Windmere,
"
she mumbled.
"
You can pursue your original plans. And the small changes, such as occasionally sharing my bed, will be enjoyable, if your reaction to my kisses is any indication.
"
Irritated, she pushed at his shoulders.
"
Cogs.
You are so incredibly assured that any woman would swoon in gratitude just to be in your bed.
"
"
You may not faint when you climb into it, but you will before you climb out.
"
He leaned back and gave a wicked grin.
She glared at him.
"
Don
'
t be so sure.
"
"
I
think thou dost protest too much, my lady. So soft, so responsive.
"
He traced the side of her neck with a broad finger, then tilted her chin and brushed his thumb against her lower lip. She felt as if she
'
d been struck by lightning. He was arrogant, a menace. She knew it—so why was her heart pounding and her breath coming in gasps?
The carriage ride was to
o short for them to be at Wind
mere, but already the coach began to slow. Falcon broke off the kiss.
"
Why are we stopping?
"
she asked.
"
I want to present my wedding gift to you.
"
Surprised, she lifted her brows.
"
What gift?
"
"
It
'
s a tradition in my family. I couldn
'
t bring the present to you, so I brought you to it.
"
He gestured outside.
She looked through the curtained window of the coach and was surprised to discover herself in front of the abandoned shop she
'
d coveted. The shutters had been painted a dainty pink and there were flowers in the window boxes. A sign proclaiming
Nicola
'
s
millinery
was posted above the door.
"
You bought a shop for me?
"
she asked, as he assisted her out of the carriage.
"
Of course.
"
He grasped her hand and led her to the door. When he looked at her, his expression was warm.
She touched the freshly painted doorframe, awed and confused.
"
This is absolutely incredible. So, you truly don
'
t mind my enterprise?
"
"
Not in the least. You are an independent, intelligent woman,
Nicola
, and I want to help you fulfill your dreams.
"
With slightly-
shaking fingers, she took the key he offered. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and gasped. Thick, cut-pile Wilton carpeting covered the floor. Paint
ings adorned the walls, and a Basaltware urn stood in one corn
er, giving the place a prosperous but welcoming atmosphere. Mirrored vanities had been placed artfully about the room. A group of tables with tea sets for waiting customers was strategically arranged, and a pianoforte stood in one comer. She opened a do
or and saw a spacious workroom
"
I don
'
t know what to say,
"
Nicola
whispered, overwhelmed. Already she could see how to display her hats
, a
nd for once she could be organized. On the table to the left in the workroom she could keep bolts of cloth, then cut and sew strips together in the comer. Supplies al
ready prepared and ready to adorn
the hats could be in the middle, along with the varying styles and shapes of bonnets. She could store the finished creations on the table close to the door for easy retrieval.
She brushed past Falcon and went into the salon once more,
studying
the
urn. Copper and steel washers, a brass file
,
and the filigree from the
face of an old clock had been mo
lded in with
the clay before baking, making the
centerpiece
a source of discussion. She marveled
over t
he hat stands, made from sleek, shiny steel, the branches arching gracefully from the pole. T
he rich mahogany pianoforte
begged a person to run a hand over the surface
.
"
This is absolutely marvelous—I can already envision the shop filled with customers.
"
Falcon said,
"
This will be
sufficient then, for your needs?"
"
It
'
s perfect. You have made my dream come true.
"
With that, she impulsively threw her arms around him in a fierce hug.
For a moment he froze—his arms dangling as if he didn
'
t know what to do
with such a display of affection
. Then, as if he'd never done so in his entire life or at least not in a long time,
he embraced her in return.
"
I
'
m glad I have pleased you. As I told you earlier, nothing has to change. You can pursue your dreams and I can pursue mine.
"
His dreams?
His musky scent and the supple firmness of his back distracted her. As his meaning penetrated her awed state of mind, her euphoric bubble deflated. He was simply buying her off. He didn
'
t want her. He only wanted the
dye
. Of course, he had been quite honest about
it
all along.
Tears of disillusionment stung her nose, but she sniffed them back and
pushed away from him, lifting
her head high.
"Yes
, you are very generous, my lord. Life is quite grand, don
'
t you agree?
"
"
So you will be happy now to stay in the country?
"
She ran a hand over one of the hat stands.
"
Oh, perhaps for a while. Now, now, don
'
t scowl so. I know you do not want me as your companion, and I would never force myself upon you, believe me. Besides, life is just too full of opportunities. Not enough time to pine away, wishing I had an attentive husband. I
'
m not so missish, my lord.
"
His scowl deepened.
"
The point is, I believe
I will thrive wherever I go. T
hank you for being so thoughtful. Not every woman has a husband who will indulge her every whim. Come, let
'
s join the others for the wedding breakfast. I
'
m starved, aren
'
t you?"
Smiling with as much brilliance as she could, she twirled the shop key on her finger and walked outside with a forced jaunt to her step, hoping he didn
'
t see her darkened spirit.