Despite his efforts to bury himself in business matters for the past two hours, his thoughts had relentlessly returned to Victoria. She continued to surprise him. Last night, after Roberts had seen Edmund back to his room, the valet had shared his opinion of Victoria. The interaction the older man had seen between his wife and Edmund had amazed the valet.
Even more astonishing had been the fact that Victoria hadn’t been the slightest bit uncomfortable at Roberts’ appearance. That alone would have exposed Victoria as a fraud, but she’d even introduced herself to his valet. But the most surprising thing of all had been Roberts’ quiet, yet enthusiastic, support of Victoria spending time with Edmund. He trusted his valet, and it was why he’d agreed to let Roberts leave his brother in Victoria’s care. It was also the reason he’d decided to arrange a picnic for the three of them.
Now, as he watched her interaction with Edmund, he wondered how he’d ever thought she was play acting. He had no idea what had happened to his wife in the three weeks she’d been gone, but he couldn’t argue he liked the change in her. He could only hope nothing changed. He had no wish for things to revert back to the way they were.
He liked his newly changed wife very much. In particular, he enjoyed the way she responded to his touch. There was fire beneath Victoria’s surface that he had every intention of exploring. When he’d heard her say yes to him earlier this morning, it had taken an enormous amount of effort not to turn around. If he’d acted on impulse, he would have carried her to her bed and buried himself inside her.
It would’ve been a dangerous thing to do without a French letter to prevent impregnating her. Despite the danger, he knew it would be impossible to stay away from her bed. An image of her emerging from her bath filled his head and shot a lightning bolt of desire through his blood. Water glistening on her skin, she’d been softly rounded with full, lush breasts. She had the body of Botticelli’s Venus. Just the thought of her pulled his muscles tight with a need he’d never experienced with any woman before, not even Vickie. Edmund’s shout of greeting jerked him out of his thoughts as he drew near his brother and wife.
Edmund ran to meet him, and Nicholas grinned as his brother hugged him. Over his brother’s shoulder, Nicholas studied the look on his wife’s face. She quickly hid her trepidation behind a bright smile, but he could read the agitation in Victoria’s brilliant sapphire gaze. Her deliberate disregard for his authority troubled her after all. He bit back a smile as he knew he would not be able to resist teasing her.
“
Nicholas
. I showed Victoria all over the gardens,” Edmund said with excitement. “She even ate one of the apples off my tree. You really liked the apple didn’t you, Victoria?”
“I think it must have been one of the best apples I’ve ever eaten,” she said with a smile, but Nicholas could tell she was worried about his reaction to her flouting his orders. He smiled at his brother.
“Edmund, the gig should be ready by now, why don’t you run ahead to make sure our lunch is packed and ready to go.”
Edmund nodded and loped off toward the stables. Nicholas watched his brother’s lanky figure disappear through the hedges that separated the garden from the stable yard. Beside him, he could feel the tension flowing through Victoria’s body. Head bent, he clasped his hands behind his back and studied the ground for a moment. When he returned his gaze to her face, mischief crashed through him at the worried look on her lovely features. Clearing his throat, he tried to school his features into what he hoped was a severe look.
“Well, madam wife, what do you have to say for yourself?” He gave her credit for not giving ground as she faced him.
“If you’re expecting an apology, dream on.”
The defiant toss of her head sent her hair flying, and he suddenly wanted to let her silk tresses slide over his hands as he nibbled at her luscious mouth. He immediately suppressed his reaction to her then arched his eyebrows.
“You deliberately disobeyed me, Victoria.”
“Well, since I’m not your wife, I don’t
have
to obey you.” Her irreverent response aroused a devil in him.
“Does that mean you’re now retracting your earlier agreement?”
“What agreement?” She nervously bit down on her lower lip, and he immediately wanted to taste her mouth again.
“Your acceptance of my offer.” Nicholas deliberately kept his voice low as he bent his head toward her. A delicate blush crested over her cheeks.
“I don’t—”
“You said yes, Victoria. You said you’d welcome me into your bed.” He traced a line from the base of her throat down to the green silk of her bodice. She shuddered at his touch. Nicholas leaned into her, his mouth nipping at her earlobe.
“I’m not sure what pleases me the most, the fact that you said yes or how much I’m going to enjoy having you cream my cock like you did my fingers.”
“Oh, God,” she whispered as she drew in a sharp breath.
“Afraid?” he murmured.
“Not one bit.” Although her breathing was still ragged, she shook her head vehemently and glared up at him.
“Impudent minx.” He laughed, enjoying her startled expression. “It appears I was wrong about you and my brother. Edmund clearly enjoys your company.”
“He’s quite sweet,” she said cheerfully, her apprehension gone.
“Well, if I know my brother, he’ll be waiting impatiently for us at the stables. Shall we?”
He offered his arm to her and covered her hand where it rested in the crook of his arm. The pleasure it gave him to have her at his side was something he found himself savoring. He couldn’t ever remember feeling like this with Vickie. He tilted his head slightly and breathed in the sweet aroma of Victoria’s hair. The now familiar scent of lemon and honey filled his nostrils. When he glanced downward, he caught her looking up at him with curiosity. He smiled as a rose flush invaded her cheeks at having been caught staring. How often had he seen Vickie blush? He couldn’t recall a single instance.
“So tell me, what wonders did Edmund show you in the gardens?”
“Practically everything I’m sure.” Her infectious grin lit up her face. It was clear she’d enjoyed her morning. Deep inside, he realized he wanted to make her this happy everyday. The thought surprised him, but it felt right, just as so much else felt right where Victoria was concerned.
“What was your favorite part of the morning?”
“The hedge maze,” she answered with a laugh.
“The maze?” Surprised, he chuckled. “I was a boy the last time I visited the maze.”
“You should try it more often, especially with Edmund. He loves to leave you behind so you have to beg him to come find you.”
“And did you throw yourself on his mercy, and plead with him?” His soft inquiry caused fire to flash in her sapphire gaze.
“Pleading with Edmund is easy compared to others.”
“So if you were forced to plead with me, it would be more difficult?” He laughed as she grimaced. “You don’t like to be teased?”
“I have to admit, where you’re concerned, I’d rather be on the giving end than the receiving one.”
When they reached the stables, they found Edmund waiting restlessly next to a small one-horse cart. When they reached the side of the gig, Nicholas released her arm to help her up into the cart. Grinning at his brother’s eager manner, he told Edmund to get in the cart while he double-checked the harness. Satisfied with the animal’s tack, he climbed into the two-wheeled vehicle.
“Would you like to drive today, Edmund?” he asked as he saw the gleam of excitement in his brother’s eyes.
“Yes, please.” Edmund waited with restrained impatience as Nicholas seated himself next to Victoria.
“Go easy on Maribelle. She knows the way,” he said as he gestured for his brother to take up the reins and buggy whip.
“Yes, Nicholas.” Edmund’s face took on an air of intense concentration as he lightly tapped the hindquarters of the horse to propel the cart into motion.
The dog cart rolled out of the stable yard and onto one of the dirt roads that wound their way across the estate. With his brother at the helm, Nicholas sat back to enjoy the ride. With one arm stretched out behind Victoria, he tried to recall the last time he’d been so relaxed. He looked down at her and smiled as he caught her watching him. She quickly averted her gaze and shivered.
“You’re cold,” he stated as he shifted his position and reached for a jacket lying on the seat opposite them.
“I’m fine,” she said as she rejected his offer of the garment. “It’s not cold at all.”
“This is an unusual day. You should ask Molly to have your winter clothes brought down from storage until you’re able to visit your dressmaker in London.”
“London?” There was a note of fear in Victoria’s voice, and he studied her face intently. She quickly looked away. Narrowing his gaze he tilted his head to look at her profile.
“I would think you’d want new gowns for the season.”
“No, I’m good,” she muttered with a shake of her head. “I don’t want to go to London anyway.”
“I thought we’d spend Christmas at Guildford House as I have to be in town for the opening of Parliament in January.”
“Oh,” she said softly. Concentration darkened her features as if she was trying to solve a difficult puzzle. With a small shake of her head, she met his gaze. “Well, thank you, but I’ll stay here.”
“Would you care to explain that statement?” he drawled, intent on making her reveal why she’d suddenly changed her mind about going to town.
“There’s nothing to explain. I just have no intention of going to London.” She shrugged.
“I see, and yet you’ve talked about going to London since your return.”
“Well, I’ve changed my mind.” Victoria looked at him with a mutinous expression on her face. “I’m not going to London.”
“On the contrary, Victoria. When I leave for London, you
will
accompany me.”
“I’d like to see you make me,” she muttered beneath her breath as she slid away from him and pushed herself into the corner of the dog cart.
Although her mouth was thinned with rebellious anger, he saw a flash of fear in her eyes. Frustrated, he exhaled a harsh breath of aggravation. The woman was enough to drive him mad in more ways than one. Nicholas sighed with exasperation, remembering the afternoon was supposed to be one of pleasure, and here he was fighting with her. He didn’t want that. He’d looked forward to their picnic all morning, and he wasn’t about to let a small disagreement ruin their time together. With a grunt, he shook his head.
“This entire conversation began with you shivering,” he observed quietly. He lifted the coat on the seat across from them. “Do you still maintain you’re not cold?”
“I’m fine.” Victoria defiantly rejected the garment as she leaned forward to look over Edmund’s shoulder.
“Where are we going?”
“I thought we’d have our picnic near the lake at Goodman Cottage. It happens to be one of Edmund’s favorite spots.”
“I see,” she murmured. Her sapphire eyes darkened with disillusionment, and he frowned.
“You disapprove?”
“No.” She avoided his gaze. “I just thought the picnic was more of a social outing as opposed to a fact-finding mission.”
The rueful note in Victoria’s voice said his choice in destination had conveyed an entirely different meaning to her than he’d intended. She clearly thought he was interested in probing her thoughts about her return. A visceral sensation gnawed at him. He needed to make her understand he had no ulterior motive for returning to the cottage. Grasping her chin, he forced her to meet his gaze.
“This is not a fact-finding mission, as you call it, Victoria.”
The uneasy look clouding her eyes emphasized that he wasn’t the only one who was afraid to trust. Nicholas steadily held her gaze to give her time to consider his words. Slowly, her uncertainty disappeared as she nodded her acceptance of his explanation.
“Nicholas, do we go left or right at the fork?” Edmund asked.
“Go to the right. We’ll come out in front of the old oak tree just down from the cottage.”
“Can we eat as soon as we get there?” Edmund asked. “I can smell the potpies Mrs. Babcocke fixed, and my tummy is growling like those tigers you told me about.”
“As soon as we set up, we can eat,” Nicholas said with a laugh.
Moments later, Edmund guided the small cart into a glen near the cottage. He took great care pulling Maribelle to a halt, and with great attentiveness, he wrapped the reins around a small metal latch on the rim of the gig.
“How’s that?” Turning toward his brother, Edmund grinned. “I get better every time, don’t I, Nicholas.”
The strength of his love for Edmund made Nicholas’ throat close. For all his challenges, his brother had the heart of a lion and worked hard to succeed at whatever task placed before him. Bringing him back to England had been not only the right thing to do, but the best thing he’d ever done.
“Well done, Edmund,” he said, before moving to the back of the cart and unlatching the door.
He stepped out of the gig then turned to help Victoria out of the cart. As she climbed down and stood close to him, he lifted her hand to his lips. His action sent a fiery color into her cheeks and behind her, Edmund giggled with unrestrained glee from his seat in the cart. Nicholas released Victoria’s hand, and assuming a look of mock severity, he shook his finger at Edmund.
“For someone who was complaining about stomach pains a few minutes ago, you seem to be moving quite slowly.”
Edmund laughed at Nicholas’ teasing and leaped down to the ground. Accustomed to their picnic outings, Edmund opened a compartment over the wheel mount of the gig and removed several large blankets without instruction. Unlatching the large picnic basket from the opposite side of the cart, Nicholas offered his free hand to Victoria.
Charging ahead of them, Edmund spread the blankets out on the ground in a sunny spot near a huge oak tree. A short distance away, the pond glistened and danced in the sunlight. With Edmund’s help, Nicholas spread the picnic out on the blanket. There was a sense of camaraderie in their actions that comforted him. His only wish was that they could have done this as children.