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“I can help you wash your back,” Robert said as if he was reading her mind.

She perked up with happiness. “That is a wonderful idea.”

Cecile clapped her hands in delight. “Excellent, Your Graces. Allow me to build up the fire and set up the tub. I have a cauldron of hot water steaming in the other room, as well as some cooling water. Would you like to bathe before or after breakfast?”

Again, they looked at each other. “After,” they said in unison.

Cecile looked mightily pleased. She went over to the fire, adding some wood and stoking its embers to build it up before leaving the room with one last curtsy.

“She seems very happy about our…arrangement,” Robert said musingly.

Georgiana chuckled in amusement. “Yes, she does.”

He turned to look at her. “What of you? Are you happy?”

She grinned mischievously. “I am enjoying myself immensely.”

“Good.” He nodded firmly before grinning back. “I should loathe to be naked in your bed and you abhorring every second of it.”

She laughed raucously, a bubble of happiness rising in her chest until she was suffused in joy.

Following a brief knock, the door opened, and several maids walked in with a veritable feast: freshly baked bread with pats of butter and jam, cream-filled scones, poached eggs, sausages and gravy.

Georgiana watched them with wide eyes as they arranged the platters on the table. Another maid came in bearing a steaming kettle, teacups, plates and cutlery.

“I think we can probably stay here for a few days without having to leave the room to look for additional sustenance,” she said lightly.

Robert laughed. “We can call it the honeymoon we never had.”

She gave him a surprised look. “You would want to stay in here with me for days?”

“Perhaps notdays… the housekeeper would be quite upset at her inability to come in and clean, but I certainly would not object to the honeymoon as a notion.”

She nodded slowly, thinking it over. Going away together, just the two of them, could certainly cement them as a married couple. It would give them time to get to know each other better. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted it.

“I too am not opposed,” she said quietly, not looking at him, “to a honeymoon as a notion.”

He gave a joyous laugh. “Then we should certainly do it.”

CHAPTER 30

Georgiana felt as if she was walking on air as she floated down the stairs and turned down the corridor towards the parlor.

She greeted every footman she passed with a smile and a wave. They bowed respectfully and smiled back. She could feel her good mood permeating the walls of their residence.

While her body was heading to the parlor for a pre-dinner aperitif, her mind was still back in her chambers, reliving the day.

After their delicious breakfast, they had crawled back into bed to get some more sleep; after all it had been an extremely late and very drunken night.

Waking up at noon, they turned towards each other and talked for hours. Georgiana could not remember talking so much in her entire life. They had discussed so many things: from whatpets they had kept as children, to the nightlife in Port-au-Prince where Robert had spent an eventful month.

She smiled as she recalled how he had helped her out of her shift and into the bath, running his fingers all over her body, tweaking her nipples, tickling her sides, making her giggle, sigh and squeal in response.

He had gently rubbed the lavender soap into her skin, and massaged her muscles until she became languid and faintly aroused.

He stroked the insides of her thighs, his thumbs brushing against her center, teasing her and stirring her senses.

She grabbed him, wanting to pull him in the bath with her but he resisted.