Authors: Nichole Matthews
“Thank you, my lady.”
“I believe w
e can dispense with formalities,
”
Adele said.
“Parker has already asked you to call him by name. You can do the same with me. You may call me Adele or Aunt, whichever is more comfortable.” She studied
Persephone’s
reaction, seeing that she looked tangled by the request.
Persep
hone stood still for a moment feeling a little disoriented by how accepting the Peregrine’s were despite the circumstances of their meeting.
So she took a deep breath and said, “Thank you, Adele.”
The words rushed out on an almost strangled breath,
but she said it all the same.
“Well, Persephone.” Adele smiled. “Let’s get this dress altered so that you can take a proper bath.”
She reached out a
nd
squeezed Persephone’s hand.
So Persephone clamped her lips shut and endured the poking’s and prodding’s, and tugging’s and p
ulling’s, if only to please Adele
for she doubted she would ever have means enough to repay their generosity.
“Perfect.” Adele smiled. “I will leave you to finish preparing for dinner.”
Persephone stood in the doorway, her mouth open.
According to Lucy, t
he bat
hing room was
built
between the twins’ suites and
accessible through both of t
heir dressing rooms. The bright,
gleaming white marble cov
ered floor was a sharp contrast to Persephone’s grimy feet. She was almost embarrassed to be in the room.
“The l
arge
cabinets are
filled with additional linens and cakes of soap
, Miss Smith.” Lucy smiled as she pointed to different areas of the small chamber. “If you need anything, pull the chord.”
“Thank you, Lucy.” Persephone stared at the copper tub lined with linen that was
now filled with
steaming
,
sweet-smelling
bath w
ater topped with
frothing bubbles.
She inhaled deeply
,
her eyes falling closed at the
calming scent of lavender
that
hung in the air.
She
removed the blue
silk wrapper given to her by Lucy and lowered herself into the
steaming
water with a heartfelt sigh. She could feel the tension meltin
g from her shoulders as she sank
up to her chin i
n the fragrant
water,
a loud deep
moan
of pleasure
emana
ted from her throat and tears streaked
down her face. It wasn’t as if she had never bathed before, but the simple routine made her realize what she had missed over the past few month
s.
Years even.
What had been taken from her
.
She lay back, closed her eyes and all
owed peace to wrap her in its comforting
embrace.
After soaking for about a quarter-hour s
he
beg
an
to feel
marginally better.
She slid
further
down in the tub wetting her hair,
then
rising.
She enjoyed the refreshing feel of the water sluicing down her body. Lifting her arms, she wiped
the
water from her face and squeezed
the excess water from her hip length hair. She picked up the cloth lying over the lip of the tub and ran it down her left arm over her collarbone to her right arm. Her eyes closed at the soothing
feel of the warm water cascading
over her body. She was going to savor this moment. She was going to stay in the water until it cooled
and goose flesh
covered her skin.
Unknowing when she would next have opportunity to wash with warm water, let
alone soak in a heated tub.
After she bathed and was sitting in front of the fire drying her hair, a maid scratched on the door and entered.
“Pardon, miss.” She curtsied. “
M’lady
sent me to help you with your dress and hair.”
Persephone stood and sat at the vanity table. “What is your name?”
“My name i
s Nancy.” She curtsied again.
Persephone smiled as she looked at Nancy in the mirror. “I fear you are in for a chore. My hair is quite tangled.
”
“I will be gentle, miss
.”
Nancy concentrated on the
task.
She sat back trying not to openly wince as Nancy pulled the brush through the nests of tangles hidden ben
eath the heavy mass of curls, then
pinned it into an elaborate coiffure.
Persephone stared at her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t recognize herself. She felt as if she were heading to a ball and not a simple family celebration. She turned puzzled eyes to Nancy. “I thought this was an informal meal?”
Nancy blushed. “It is, m
iss
, but your hair is
ever
so beautiful and with the ladies gone, I rarely get to practice.”
“It
i
s lovely.” Persephone smiled. “I feel like a princess.”
“Pleasure, miss
.”
Persephone sat quietly for a moment biting her bottom lip contemplating if she should even voice her question with a maid, but she was curious.
“
Nancy?”
“Yes, miss?
”
“
To whom does this house belong
?”
“You don’t know
, miss
?”
“I know
this
i
s the home of Parker Peregrine
and I’ve heard him called L
ord
Ashford
, but
lord
of what?”
“Why he is the Marquis of Ashford.”
“Marquis of Ashf
ord?” she squeaked her hands flying
to her suddenly hot cheeks. “I have been rude beyond belief to a marquis and he has been nothing but kindness to me.”
“
M’lord
is always kind.” Nancy’s smile one of someone infatuated. “I wager you would be unable to fi
nd a single person that would speak
ill of him.”
“I’m sure y
ou are right,” she whispered.
The Marquis of A
shford
. She knew the name of Peregrine had sounded familiar. She was well aware of the
family’s
reputation for kindness and frivolity.
Persephone stood and Nancy dressed her in sheerest chemise
,
laced her into
a corset
and
then lowered
the emerald green high-
waisted
cotton gauze, lined with cotton broadcloth that was altered for her that afternoon
over her head.
Matching
buttons
trimmed with
matching grosgrain ribbon at the waist with long sleeves
and hem
trimmed with cream lace. The color matched her eyes p
erfectly and enhanced her red
hair.
She felt beautiful.
Persephone was rather pleased as she stood back from the vanity and twirled in front of the cheval glass
adjacent
to the vanity to have a better look at her borrowed gown. Simple, yet elegant. Exactly what she would have chosen for herself. She didn’t even care that it was
two seasons out of date. She couldn’t remember when she had ever
felt so beautiful in all of her life and just for tonight she was going to forget about what her futu
re held and enjoy the company.
“If y
ou find that hard to fathom, miss
, you should hear the rest. Lady Poppy married the Duke of
Hawksley
the summer past and Lady Piper married the Earl of Rockwell at the end of the Season. They are his
lordship’s
twin si
sters. Mischievous angels he’s been heard to
say.”
Persephone sank onto the seat in front of the vanity and let Nancy continue speaking as she
puttered around straightening.
“Lord Ashford and Lord Peregrine are yet unmarried. Lord Peregrine is
m’lord’s
younger brother.”
Nancy
looked up when she completed her final task.
“
Do you need anything else, miss
?”
“No, thank you, Nancy,” she said. “You’v
e been most kind and helpful.”
As soon as the door closed she stood and stared at her image in the mirror once more. She smoothed her hands over the bodice of her dress down her sides to linger at her quivering belly, fighting against the urge to
flee. But she wanted
to eat dinner
with him.
She felt something when she was with him that was not fear and that surprised her. She had never expected to feel anything but
fear again. Because of him she felt more like herself than she had in years. More like a woman and less like an object. She longed to explore those feelings.
To embrace the freedom that she had currently, not knowing when it would end.
And now s
he no long
er
felt ugly. She blinked back the welling tears.
Why was this so hard?
She wasn’t afraid of Parker, but it was as if her mind refused to cooperate and panic would overwhelm her. She
refused to
allow her fear to rule her life, so she squared her shoulders, took one last glance in the mirror and made
he
r way downstairs with the directions
of one of the upstairs maid
s.
She paused in her descent to admire
the artwork and tapestries
along the way
.
Three levels of priceless works of art.
She could probably stare at them for days and not become bored with their subjects or their beauty.
Her favorite depicted a bucolic scene of four small children cavorting with sheep in a meadow that hung on the wall of the final landing. Intricate work that must
h
ave taken years to complete hung
silent, still
,
and possibly unnoticed
by most
after years on display.
Parker stood on the stairs dumbfounded.
Speechless.
Was this the same girl who only days prior had stood before him tangled and covered in dirt?
She was breathtakingly beautiful. The hunter green gown chosen by his aunt enhanced eve
ry good physical quality she possessed
.
His gaze ran over her body
taking in her tiny stature
and gently rounded backside to
her perfect profile as she studied the tapestry. One advantage of sneaking up on a person was being able to see the entire person without apology. He tamped down his desire and dragged his gaze up to th
e back of her expertly arranged
hair
.
The thick mass of deep red
curls begged for a man’s touch which did nothing to ease his rapidly growing desire. His fingers itched.
He needed to put a damper on the flash of desire that threatened to set him on fire. He blinked.
Damn his eyes. Damn his lust.
Damn Persephone
for fleeing her cocoon so soon and emerging a magnificent butterfly.
And he might as wel
l add his disobedient anatomy.
He gave his head a
hard
shake in an attempt to clear the sudden fog that was clouding his brain and making him think of unmentionable, yet delightful acts that
regrettably
he hadn’t participated in quite a long time
and had no business participating in with
Persephone
.
He was evidently bored, restless, and lonely.
Damn
, he needed a mistress
, someone
at his beck and call at all hours of the day. He couldn’t take someone here, so near to his home. When it was over he might have to see them again and that would be particularly awkward. Besides, he had grown up with everyone in Ashford and couldn’t imagine per
forming sexual acts with them.
His jaw tightened.
He would just need to go to Town.
Blast!
He had too much to think about right now
and one of those thoughts shouldn’t be about a lost woman who ha
d
b
een in bed weak with hunger only
days
prior
.